We would caution you to beware of advertised prices that seem too low to be true. Usually you get what you
pay for. If you brought us a written signed quote and we could verify that it was for the exact
same service, we would consider matching another clinics price. However, many of the treatments we provide are not offered
by any other licensed physician in Northeast Michigan. All of the treatments performed by Dr. Benson are classified
by the State of Michigan Public Health Code as being "within the practice of Medicine". According to the Michigan Department
of Public Health, this means that only a licensed physician or "an individual within his/her practice" can perform these procedures.
In regards to laser hair removal and microdermabrasion, the regulations do allow a physician to "delegate the procedure to
an individual within his/her practice such as a Registered Nurse or a Physician's Assistant, as long as the individual is
under their supervision." The supervising physician must meet all of the following requirements in order to delegate
these procedures:
- The physician must assure that the supervised individual has been appropriately trained to perform the procedure.
- The physician must be available to the supervised individual by radio, telephone, or telecommunication AT ALL TIMES.
- The physician must regularly review the practice of the supervised individual including OBSERVATION, REVIEW OF MEDICAL
RECORDS, AND ONGOING EDUCATION.
- The physician must develop WRITTEN procedures and protocols for use by the supervised individual.
There are businesses advertising various skin care procedures that claim to be "physician affiliated", but there is no
physician providing skin care services, there is no physician listed among the owners of the business, and no one performing
treatments is listed as an employee of the physician. We believe that patients who are paying for a medical service
are entitled to see a licensed medical professional and have informed consent prior to any procedures. If you have doubts
about the adequacy of medical supervision for microdermabrasion, laser or pulsed light hair removal, or other related procedures,
we recommend that you ask to see a copy of the responsible physicians medical license, malpractice insurance policy, and the
record of his/her last regularly scheduled review of the skin care "practice". Note that we said "responsible physician".
According to the State of Michigan, the physician is ultimately responsible for any problems that may arise from treatment
administered by individuals they supervise. Likewise any business location performing these "medical procedures" is
subject to all the same Federal and State regulations that apply to medical clinics because the supervised individual performing
the procedure is only able to do because he/she is part of the physicians practice working under the physicians medical
license. When an aesthetician does a facial or waxing, she is practicing under her aestheticians license issued
by the Board of Cosmetology. When she does a microdermabrasion or laser hair removal treatment, she must working
under a Doctors supervision and his medical license issued by the Board of Medicine.
Complying with all of the government regulations is expensive. If the prices seem too low, investigate thoroughly
before making a decision. Ask yourself, "Why can the Dollar Store afford to sell things for only a dollar?"
An item bought for a dollar that doesn't work or breaks the second time because of poor quality may have been cheap
but was not be a good value. The brand-name competing item you could have bought at Sears for five dollars that
works well and lasts for 20 years may have been the better deal. Some times cheaper is just .... cheaper.
So if your treatment is being done elsewhere, ask to see the doctor before beginning treatment. If the doctor is
not available, ask to see his medical license. If the person treating you cannot produce a copy of the doctors
license for you to inspect..leave immediately and don't go back.
We will be happy to show you Dr. Benson's medical license. Just ask.
We would strongly advise that you should postpone treatment until you have had an initial assessment by the doctor, even
if the treatment will ultimately be done by the nurse or aesthetician. There are a few medical conditions affecting
treatment that the aesthetician or nurse may not be trained to recognize. Dr. Benson sees all new patients for a brief
medical screening before treatment.
