Provider Training Matters for Cosmetic Laser Procedures

Patients should confirm that even their cosmetic procedure providers are properly trained and board-certified in a specialty that includes training in that area.”

— Alan Snyder, MD, MSCR

DALLAS, TX, UNITED STATES, May 22, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Cosmetic laser treatments are growing in popularity, but a new case report warns that they can carry serious risks, especially when performed by someone without the right training. A woman developed a life-threatening infection called toxic shock syndrome after getting a common laser treatment at a medical spa. Her case serves as a warning that even routine cosmetic procedures can lead to dangerous outcomes if treatments occur in a medspa as opposed to a medical office or patients are not carefully screened and monitored after treatment.

In a new study published in SKIN: The Journal of Cutaneous Medicine^®, researchers described the case of a woman who visited a medical spa for a laser procedure that is used to reduce wrinkles and improve the look of skin. The treatment was performed by a medical provider who was not board-certified in dermatology. Two days after the procedure, the patient developed a high fever, headache, nausea, vomiting, blurry vision, and severe diarrhea. Over the next few days, her condition continued to worsen. Five days after the treatment, her family found her confused and disoriented at home and rushed her to the emergency room.

Doctors diagnosed her with staphylococcal toxic shock syndrome, a rare but serious condition caused by bacteria that can release harmful toxins into the bloodstream. The patient was moved to the intensive care unit, where she had additional life-threatening complications. After ten days of treatment with several antibiotics and close monitoring, she improved enough to go home. However, she was left with permanent facial scarring.

The study’s authors point out that laws about who can perform laser treatments and where they can be performed vary widely from state to state, and many states have weak regulations. In some states, individuals without advanced medical training can perform these procedures, putting patients at greater risk. The paper called for stronger oversight of medical spas and clearer standards for who is allowed to operate cosmetic lasers. They also stress the importance of a complete medical history before treatment, proper infection control, and close follow-up care to catch complications early. Without these safeguards of these procedures be performed by a medical professional in a medical faciility, patients may face serious and preventable harm.

SKIN: The Journal of Cutaneous Medicine^® is a peer-reviewed online medical journal that is the official journal of The National Society for Cutaneous Medicine. The mission of SKIN is to provide an enhanced and accelerated route to disseminate new dermatologic knowledge for all aspects of cutaneous disease.

For more details, please visit www.jofskin.org or contact jofskin@gmail.com.

Alan Snyder, MD, MSCR
Medical University of South Carolina
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