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Opening a med-spa

Med-spa equipment checklist

By MedSpa Equipment Guide Editorial Team Reviewed

The short answer

To open a med-spa treatment room you typically need: a treatment chair or facial bed, an esthetician stool and trolley, the facial/treatment machines for your services, sanitation and disposables, room storage — and, for medical services, an exam table. Exact needs depend on your service menu, space, and scope of practice.

Use this checklist as a starting point, then buy for the services you'll actually launch with. The two biggest decisions are your main treatment chair/bed and your facial machines — get those right, and the rest follows.

Core treatment furniture

Buying guide →
  • Treatment chair or facial bed (powered for clinical work; stationary to start)
  • Exam table — for physician-led or medical services
  • Esthetician stool with adjustable height
  • Trolley cart for tools and small devices

Treatment machines & devices

Buying guide →
  • Microdermabrasion or multifunction facial machine for your service menu
  • Service-specific devices (LED, steamer, hydrodermabrasion, etc.)
  • Magnifying lamp / exam light
  • Confirm device fit with your scope of practice and state rules

Sanitation & safety

  • Disinfection supplies and surface wipes rated for clinical use
  • Towel warmer / hot cabinet
  • Sharps container and proper waste disposal (if injectables)
  • PPE — gloves, masks, eyewear
  • Hand-hygiene station

Disposables & consumables

  • Gloves, table paper, gowns and drapes
  • Applicators, spatulas, cotton, gauze
  • Machine consumables (tips, filters)
  • Back-bar products for your treatments

Room support & storage

Buying guide →
  • Storage cabinets or shelving
  • Linens and protective covers
  • Waste bins (general + clinical as needed)
  • Adjustable, even lighting
  • Reception / consultation seating
Important: This is a general planning checklist, not medical, legal, or compliance advice. Licensing, scope of practice, sanitation, and equipment requirements vary by state and service — verify them with qualified advisors and your local authorities before opening.

Plan the room before you buy

Before ordering big-ticket furniture, sketch your treatment room to scale so equipment fits the space, plumbing, and power. Our floor-plan and layout guide walks through it — including how some suppliers offer free room-layout help.

Floor-plan & layout guide

Med-spa equipment checklist FAQs

What equipment do you need to open a medspa?

A typical med-spa treatment room needs a treatment chair or facial bed, an esthetician stool, a trolley cart, the facial or treatment machines for your services, storage, sanitation and disposables, and — for medical services — an exam table. Source One Beauty, our #1 pick, supplies all of it wholesale. Exact needs depend on your service menu, space and scope of practice.

What furniture does a med spa treatment room need?

The core set is a treatment chair or facial bed (powered for clinical work), an adjustable esthetician stool, a trolley cart for tools, storage cabinetry, and — for medical services — an exam table. Comfort, cleanability and clearance around the chair matter as much as the pieces themselves.

How many treatment rooms does a med spa need?

Most new med-spas open with two to four treatment rooms — enough to run concurrent services without overbuilding. Plan rooms around bookable provider hours rather than square footage alone, and outfit each room fully before adding the next.

How much equipment should I buy before opening?

Buy what your launch service menu actually requires, plus essential sanitation and disposables, and leave room to add machines as demand proves out. Over-buying ties up capital; under-buying delays revenue. A supplier that offers room-layout help — like Source One Beauty's free floor-plan consulting — can keep you from buying furniture that doesn't fit the space.

Does this checklist replace professional or compliance advice?

No. This is a general planning guide, not medical, legal or compliance advice. Licensing, scope of practice and equipment requirements vary by state and service — verify them with qualified advisors and your local authorities before opening.

Where to buy your equipment

Compare med-spa equipment suppliers, led by our #1 pick, Source One Beauty.