Standard protocols are how most med spas are set up, and for good reason: they describe the accepted way each service is done. This is practice guidance, not law, and it's a simple way to see whether your protocols still fit the clinic you run today.
By Amber Bechthold, Founder & CEO of Aesthetic Compliance Experts · Esthetician with 25 years in medicine and aesthetics · Last reviewed October 27, 2026
Key Facts at a Glance
Status: Practice guidance · not a law change
Applies in: every state
What it is: a 4-question check for your med spa protocols
Who it's for: med spa owners and medical directors
Time it takes: start with one service and work down your menu
Why Standard Protocols Work
They set the standard: a protocol describes the accepted way a service is done in your clinic.
They don't list every adjustment: no injector can write down every way they use one product, because every patient responds differently.
Judgment lives in the chart: day-to-day decisions come from trained providers under your medical director's oversight, recorded in each patient's chart.
Where Gaps Show Up
What needs to match your clinic is everything around the protocol: your clinic's name, the services you actually offer, the people who perform them, and your current medical director's signature. That's where small gaps tend to hide, like a service added last year with no protocol on file, or a signature page from a medical director who has since left.
The 4 Checks
Your name: is your med spa's name on every protocol?
Your services: do your protocols cover every service you offer today?
Your state: do they fit how your state handles your services and your providers?
Your signature: has your current medical director reviewed, signed and dated them?
A "no" on any one of them tells you where to look first.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do med spa protocols need to list every technique a provider uses?
No. A protocol describes the standard way a service is done. Each provider's judgment for each patient is recorded in the patient's chart.
Who should review my protocols?
Your medical director is the right person to review clinical protocols with you.
Is this a new law?
No. This is general practice guidance from ACE, not a law or rule change.
Sources
This article is general practice guidance from ACE. It does not rely on a specific law, rule or agency notice, and it does not describe what any state requires. For how your state handles a service or a provider role, ask your attorney or your state licensing board.
What This Means for Your Clinic
The areas to look at in your clinic are:
Your protocol documents: the header, footer and signature page of each one
Your service menu, side by side with your protocol list
Who performs each service and their license type
Your medical director's signatures and dates
Our clients get the step-by-step plan for building protocols around their own clinic. Questions about how your state handles a service go to your attorney or your licensing board.
Need a legal answer for your clinic?
ACE works with Doris Dike, Esq., founder of Dike Law Group PLLC, our outside legal counsel. If you need an attorney to look at how this applies to your clinic, her office can help.
Phone: (972) 290-1031
Office: 6160 Warren Parkway, Suite 100, Frisco, TX 75034
Book a call: dklawg.com/contact
Have questions about how this applies to your clinic? Book a free 30-minute Gap Analysis Call or text us anytime at (817) 442-7484.
This post is educational. It is not legal advice, and requirements differ by state and by practice. Confirm how any change applies to your clinic with your own attorney or your licensing board.
