State regulators have struggled to keep up as the medical spa industry has grown and more people seek trendy cosmetic procedures like microneedling, laser treatments and Botox. Oklahoma medical boards passed new guidelines this year on who can perform specific treatments based on existing state laws.

“They’re more a suggestion and general understanding than a regulation or a law,” said Dr. Woody Jenkins, chairman of the Oklahoma State Medical Association Board of Trustees.

But it’s still not clear how current laws affect some medical spa procedures and new cosmetic treatments are always being developed.

The new guidelines from the Oklahoma Medical Board and the Oklahoma State Board of Osteopathic Examiners recommend a licensed medical professional perform an initial evaluation with medical spa patients based on a state law requiring providers to establish relationships with patients prior to treatment.

Oklahoma does not require medical spas to obtain any state permits to operate. Tennessee is currently the only state with specific permits for medical spas, according to the American Med Spa Association.

“We haven’t dealt with it in Oklahoma yet,” said Steve Mullins, executive director for the Oklahoma State Board of Osteopathic Examiners.

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