Med Spa Confidential - Exposing the Risks, Rewards, and Business of Beauty

As a physician, I really appreciate Dr. Dee’s focus on holistic wellness and prevention. Too often, educating and empowering patients is overlooked within the field of medicine; the frank and honest conversation conversations between Dr. Dee and her guests serve as a resource for individuals seeking evidence-based information.

She criticized nurse practitioners and questioned their ability to practice to the full extent of their scope. Nurse practitioners are board certified and highly trained in anatomy, physiology, chemistry, and advanced medical didactic education. While their training pathway differs from that of physicians, that does not diminish their qualifications or their ability to provide safe, evidence-based, high-quality patient care. There also appears to be a misunderstanding about the term “doctor.” Doctor is an academic degree, not a job title. A nurse practitioner who has earned a doctoral degree (such as a DNP or PhD) has the right to use the title “doctor” in accordance with state regulations. I do not know a single nurse practitioner who misrepresents themselves as a physician. However, those who are doctorally prepared are appropriately credentialed to use the academic title where permitted. Additionally, many states have granted nurse practitioners full practice authority, allowing them to practice to the full extent of their education and training. This reflects extensive research demonstrating safe and effective outcomes in NP-led care. There is also confusion surrounding the 2025 federal regulations. The federal government did not issue a blanket prohibition on nurse practitioners using the title “Dr.” Rather, it upheld individual states’ rights to regulate professional title usage within their own jurisdictions. Demeaning nurse practitioners or the nursing profession as a whole overlooks the rigorous education, certification, and ongoing competency standards required to practice. Respectful, interdisciplinary collaboration ultimately benefits patients far more than divisive rhetoric.

Unfortunately Dr. Dee is spreading misinformation about the advanced practice nursing role. She should be doing her research before inaccurately discussing the curriculum an nurse practitioner completes as a part of their training, not to mention the upwards of 1,000 advanced practice clinical hours they complete on top of their years of training as an RN and at the bedside. Nurse practitioners are indeed board certified; they are unable to obtain an advanced practice nursing license without earning their board certification. In addition, the federal legislature she incorrectly discusses actually supports states’ individual rights to determine whether a nurse practitioner can or cannot use their earned title of doctor. As a reminder, doctor = doctorate, it does not always mean one is a physician if they hold that title. “Dr.” is not reserved for physicians only. However, I do agree that no one should try to impersonate a physician and if using the title of “Dr.” should specify their health care role explicitly.

The owners public platform is quite discouraging for many healthcare professional. Dr Des’s podcast, Med Spa confidential, often feels less like a guide to “safety” and more like a targeted critique of nurse practitioners (NPs). She frequently suggests that NPs should not practice or perform med spa procedures independently, despite many states legally granting them full practice authority to do exactly that.