You might want to just lie down and forget about all the emails, chores, and deadlines that keep coming up. But just listening to spa music might not be enough to get rid of the stress line on your forehead. That’s where medical spas come in and use science to change things up. Experience luxury skincare and expert treatments at You Beauty Lounge in Anchorage.

Let’s speak about facials for a minute. You might expect oatmeal masks at a conventional spa. At a medical spa? While a professional nurse talks to you in a calm way, lasers might remove sunspots. You might hear machines humming nearby that appear like they came from a sci-fi movie set. And certainly, they can get rid of acne, smooth out wrinkles, and make pores smaller.

Have you ever had Botox? Sounds like something your weird aunt does before every holiday card shot, doesn’t it? At a medical spa, they do it in a clinical fashion, but they always look for small changes. You don’t want to leave your face looking like it’s always shocked. It’s like getting an additional hour of sleep without going to bed early.

This place also gets a tech upgrade for hair removal. Instead of waxing strips, there are beams of light. No more pulling bandages off your legs. And if you’ve ever attempted to act like laser zapping doesn’t hurt, you’ll understand why these facilities utilize cooling gels and other ways to keep your mind off of it. (“Watch this cat video while we do your bikini line!”)

Let’s talk about the people who work here. People who work at a medical spa are generally nurses, nurse practitioners, or even doctors, which is different from a day spa. They coach you through things, tell you about the adverse effects, and caution you that looking up side effects on Google can lead to fear. It seems safer. The white coats and certificates are just as comforting as the lavender-scented towels.

Did you realize that certain places offer IV drips? Yes, that’s correct. You aren’t sipping cucumber water; you’re sitting in a massage chair as vitamins flow into your veins like a modern-day Cleopatra. Do you have to? Not sure. Is it fun to talk about at brunch? Yes, for sure.

Medical spas feature treatments that you won’t find at normal spas or the dermatologist’s office, such peeling, zapping, and freezing. They know how to pamper you and do clinical magic at the same time. Great for folks who want to look like a lightbulb but aren’t quite ready to get surgery.

You shouldn’t give your skin trust quickly. Look at reviews. Don’t just talk to a chatbot; talk to real humans. Find out how many times the nurse has injected filler into cheeks that looked just like yours. You can always tell who has gone to a great place because they smile, their skin bounces back when you poke it, and their laugh lines appear earned, not etched.

In the end, people want to look in the mirror and see a face that shows how they feel on a good day, even if they had three cups of coffee and slept funny on their pillow. Medical spas are like foxes in a henhouse: smart, a little naughty, and very rewarding.