Guides
Equipment brands for a med spa, compared
Fifteen med spa equipment brands, what each one actually sells, and the questions that separate them before you sign a placement or capital lease.
What to take away
- Equipment brands for a med spa matter less than who can service the console within a day's drive and what the consumable costs per treatment.
- Injector brands sell drug and training programsAllergan Aesthetics, Galderma and Merz Aesthetics.
- Device brands sell capital platforms with per-treatment tips or handpieces: Candela, Cynosure Lutronic, Cutera, Sciton and Lumenis. Alma Lasers, InMode, BTL Aesthetics and Venus Concept compete in the same capital category.
- Hydrafacial, SkinPen Precision and Cartessa Aesthetics sit in a different buying category: lower capital, consumable-driven, easier to add without a second treatment room.
- Put consumable price and training slots in the contract before you sign.
This article covers business operations, not clinical practice. Dosing, device settings, complication management and scope of practice belong to the treating clinician, FDA labeling, and your state medical and nursing boards. Supervision rules and corporate practice of medicine vary by state; check AmSpa state law summaries and a licensed attorney in your state.
Two buying categories, not one list
Med spa equipment splits into injectables and energy devices. Injectables carry the recurring cost in the vial; energy devices carry it in the tip, handpiece or applicator. Hydrafacial, SkinPen Precision and Cartessa Aesthetics sit in a third, lower-capital group where the consumable is most of the economics.
Injectables vs Energy Devices
Injectables
- What you buy
- Product and training
- Recurring cost
- Vial
- Margin question
- Yield per vial
- Buying process
- Distributor program
Energy Devices
- What you buy
- Console and handpieces
- Recurring cost
- Consumable
- Margin question
- Treatments per month
- Buying process
- Capital purchase
Injectable brands: Allergan, Galderma and Merz
Injectable Brand Programs
Allergan
- Products
- Botox, Juvederm
- Training
- Medical Institute
- Volume terms
- Monthly commitment
Galderma
- Products
- Dysport, Restylane
- Training
- GAIN network
- Volume terms
- Compare per-unit
Merz
- Products
- Xeomin, Belotero
- Training
- Varies by rep
- Volume terms
- Lower commitment
Injectable brands
| Brand | What it sells | Typical cost | Training or program | Buying note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allergan Aesthetics (AbbVie) | Botox Cosmetic, Juvederm fillers | Per-unit price quoted by the rep and tiered by monthly volume. No public list price. | Allergan Medical Institute | Default first call for most new med spas because patient recognition is highest. Expect volume-tiered pricing and a rep who wants a monthly order commitment. |
| Galderma | Dysport, Restylane, Sculptra | Per-unit price quoted by the rep. Compare it against your Allergan tier. | GAIN training network | Operators often run Galderma alongside Allergan so injectors are not locked to one product line. Compare per-unit cost and the training requirement attached to each account. |
| Merz Aesthetics | Xeomin, Belotero, Radiesse | Per-unit price quoted by the rep. Terms vary by account. | Account terms vary; confirm with the rep | Historically the account smaller practices can open without the volume commitments the two larger programs ask for. Confirm current terms with the rep. |
Per-treatment injectable cost is the vial price divided by units used, so technique moves margin more than brand does.
Energy device brands: Candela, Cynosure Lutronic, Cutera, Sciton, Lumenis, Alma, InMode, BTL and Venus
Energy Device Brand Fit
Candela
- Platform
- GentleMax Pro
- Typical fit
- Hair removal
- Buying note
- Deep service base
InMode
- Platform
- Morpheus8
- Typical fit
- Body contouring
- Buying note
- Check consumable cost
BTL
- Platform
- Emsculpt NEO
- Typical fit
- Face and body
- Buying note
- Marketing co-op
Energy device brands
| Brand | Platform examples | Typical capital cost and consumable | Typical fit | Buying note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candela | GentleMax Pro, Nordlys | New console typically $100,000 to $150,000. Consumables limited to gel and a chiller tip. | Hair removal and vascular work | Strong fit where hair removal volume is steady. Deep installed base for service. |
| Cynosure Lutronic | Cynosure body-contouring and laser line; Lutronic aesthetic lasers | Low six figures for lasers, less for body contouring. Tips priced per procedure. | Wide portfolio after Cynosure acquired Lutronic in 2024 | Ask which legacy service network covers your region. |
| Cutera | Excel V, Secret RF, truSculpt | Roughly $80,000 to $150,000 by configuration. Handpieces priced per procedure. | Vascular, skin tightening and body contouring | Suits practices that want those services on one service contract. |
| Sciton | Joule and mJoule platforms, configurable with modules | $150,000 and up once modules are specified. Consumables low. | One console for many treatments | Price reflects configurability. |
| Lumenis | M22 and Stellar M22 | Typically $60,000 to $120,000. Filters and gel, low per treatment. | IPL and resurfacing | Common where IPL is a high-volume, lower-price menu item. |
| Alma Lasers | Soprano for hair removal, Harmony for skin | Commonly quoted below $100,000. Consumables low. | Budget-driven capital purchase | Competes on capital price. Often the option when budget, not brand, drives the decision. |
| InMode | Morpheus8, BodyTite, Evolve | Console in the low six figures. Single-use tips sold per procedure; get the per-tip price from the rep. | Heavily marketed to med spas | Strong training and marketing package. Check what the consumable cost per treatment does to your price point. |
| BTL Aesthetics | Emsculpt NEO, Emface, Exilis | Typically $100,000 and up. Applicators carry a per-treatment cost. | Body and face contouring | Strong consumer brand. Typically comes with a marketing co-op requirement. |
| Venus Concept | Venus Versa, Venus Bliss | Quoted as a monthly subscription rather than a sale price. Ask for the total over the term. | Subscription-style arrangements rather than straight purchase | Read the total cost over the term, not the monthly figure. |
Capital price and lease terms move together. New consoles are commonly financed over 36 to 60 months. A console priced near $100,000 typically lands around $2,000 to $2,800 a month over 60 months, and $3,000 to $3,500 over 36 months. Those are typical illustrations, not quotes. Rate, credit, trade-in and vendor financing all move them.
The lower-capital systems
Hydrafacial (BeautyHealth) is a consumable-driven system with a low entry point and a strong consumer brand. The economics live in the per-treatment tip and serum cost, typically about $25 to $50 per treatment, so model that before you set your price.
Lower-Capital Systems
Hydrafacial
- Type
- Consumable system
- Entry point
- Low
- Key cost
- Tip and serum
SkinPen Precision
- Type
- Microneedling device
- Entry point
- Cheapest credible
- Key cost
- Single-use cartridge
Cartessa
- Type
- Distributor
- Entry point
- Varies by brand
- Key cost
- Multiple categories
SkinPen Precision (Crown Aesthetics) is a microneedling device with a single-use cartridge, commonly quoted at roughly $20 to $40 per cartridge. It is one of the cheapest credible devices to add and one of the easiest to train staff on.
Cartessa Aesthetics is a distributor rather than a manufacturer, carrying brands like SkinWave, Motus and CoolPeel. It is worth a call when you want one rep across several device categories.
The shortlist, ranked by fit
The fifteen brands above fall into a clear buying order for a med spa that is opening or adding a room.
- Best first capital purchase, steady hair removal volume:Candela.
- Best first account, injectables are the draw:Allergan Aesthetics, with Galderma opened alongside it.
- Best single console for a broad menu:Sciton, if the budget reaches the mid six figures.
- Best consumer recognition in body contouring:BTL Aesthetics; budget for the marketing co-op.
- Best low-capital add-on:Hydrafacial, then SkinPen Precision.
- Best one rep across several device categories:Cartessa Aesthetics.
- Best subscription-style entry:Venus Concept, only if the total over the term beats a lease.
What to compare, brand by brand
| Question | Why it decides the purchase |
|---|---|
| Does the FDA clearance cover the exact indication we will advertise? | Clearance is tied to an intended use. Advertising a different use invites FDA and FTC attention. |
| What is the written service response time in our region? | A console down for a week costs more than the gap between two brands. After a merger, coverage can shrink. |
| What does the consumable or handpiece cost per treatment? | That number sets your floor price. Capital is paid once; the consumable is paid every treatment. |
| What is the total cost over the lease term? | Monthly payment is not the price. Compare 36 month and 60 month totals with service and training included. |
| Does the contract require a minimum order or marketing spend? | A volume commitment turns a quiet month into a loss. |
| How many training slots are included, and who pays travel? | Under-trained staff under-use the console, which stretches payback. |
Brand-by-Brand Buying Questions
- FDA clearance on your indication
- Service response time in writing
- Consumable cost per treatment
- Training slots included
- Lease vs purchase terms
- Territory protection
Evidence to hold before you advertise
The FTC Health Products Compliance Guidance is the document that governs what you can claim. Objective health and safety claims need substantiation, and testimonials or fine print cannot fix a misleading ad.
OSHA safety management covers the workplace side: laser controls, PPE, and hazard review belong in a written program, not a verbal briefing.
The FDA page on aesthetic devices explains that these devices are regulated by intended use and effect, and that provider training and device status vary. Read it before you write a service page.
Build your shortlist against the med spa equipment and setup guide, then run it past the med spa equipment checklist for new owners before you sign anything.
Common questions
Which brand should a new med spa buy first?
Start with the service you can fill. If hair removal demand is steady, a Candela or Alma platform pays back faster than a body contouring console. If injectables are the draw, open an Allergan or Galderma account and skip capital equipment until the schedule is full.
Why do two spas quote different prices for the same device?
Capital price, consumable price, training package and territory terms are all negotiable and all vary by region and volume. Two operators can sign the same platform at materially different total costs. Ask for the full term cost, not the monthly payment.
Do I need a medical director to buy a device?
That depends on your state's supervision and ownership rules, which the state medical board sets. Some states require physician supervision for laser and energy devices; others allow delegation to a nurse or PA under protocol. Confirm with AmSpa state law summaries and a licensed attorney before you buy.
