Med spa glossary
This glossary defines the clinical, compliance, marketing and business terms used in US med spas and aesthetics clinics. Each entry opens with a one-sentence definition, then explains what the term means in daily clinic operations. Regulatory entries are general explanations, not legal or medical advice, because requirements vary by state and by carrier.
A
A2P 10DLC
A2P 10DLC is the US carrier framework for business texts sent through software (application-to-person) from standard 10-digit local numbers, known as 10-digit long codes. Carriers require businesses to register their brand and each campaign, meaning each type of message such as reminders or promotions, usually through their texting provider. Unregistered or vaguely described campaigns can be filtered or blocked, and fees and sending limits apply. Requirements are set by the carriers and change over time.
Leads & marketingAmendment
An amendment is a dated, signed change or addition to a chart note that has already been signed, recorded alongside the original instead of replacing it. Good practice keeps the original text visible and records who made the change, when and why, so the chart shows what was known at each point. Patients can also ask to amend their records, and HIPAA sets rules for how covered entities respond to those requests.
Guide: Injectable charting: face maps, units and lot trackingAudit log
An audit log is a time-stamped record of who viewed, created, changed, exported or deleted information in a system, and when. In clinic software it shows which team member opened a client's chart, edited a note or downloaded a report. The HIPAA Security Rule calls for audit controls on systems that hold electronic health information, and a complete log helps a clinic investigate a privacy complaint or a suspected breach.
SecurityB
Booking link
A booking link is a web address that opens a clinic's online scheduling page, so clients can choose a service, provider and time without calling. Clinics place booking links in social media bios, on their website, in texts and in emails, and often create separate links for each provider or for new-client consultations. A booking link can also collect a deposit and send intake forms as soon as the visit is booked.
Calendar & bookingBusiness associate
A business associate is a person or company that creates, receives, stores or transmits protected health information on behalf of a HIPAA covered entity while performing a service for it. Examples include charting and practice-management software vendors, cloud hosting providers, billing services and answering services. HIPAA requires a business associate agreement before the vendor handles that information, and their subcontractors who handle it are business associates too.
Guide: HIPAA and med spa software: what a BAA really coversBusiness associate agreement (BAA)
A business associate agreement (BAA) is a written contract, required by HIPAA, between a covered entity and a vendor that handles its protected health information. It limits how the vendor may use and disclose that information, requires safeguards, sets breach reporting duties and covers what happens to the data when the relationship ends. It should be signed before any client records enter the vendor's system. In Klinycs, hosting under a signed BAA is included in the Clinic and Enterprise plans.
Guide: HIPAA and med spa software: what a BAA really coversC
Cadence
A cadence is the typical interval between visits for a given treatment, used to know when each client is due back and when to remind them. A neurotoxin client and a facial client return on very different rhythms, so each service gets its own cadence, based on the clinic's protocols and the provider's judgment. Cadences drive due-back lists and rebooking reminders. The same word can also describe a planned sequence of follow-up messages to a lead.
Guide: Treatment cadences: how med spas bring clients back on timeCancellation window
A cancellation window is the period before an appointment when canceling or rescheduling triggers a fee or a forfeited deposit under the clinic's policy. It protects provider time that is hard to rebook at short notice. Clinics state the window at booking and in reminders, apply it consistently and often waive it for genuine emergencies. A waitlist can turn a late cancellation into a filled slot.
Guide: How med spas reduce no-shows and fill cancellationsClient lifetime value (CLV)
Client lifetime value (CLV) is the total revenue a clinic can expect from one client over the whole relationship. A simple estimate multiplies average spend per visit by visits per year and by the number of years a typical client stays. CLV tells a clinic how much it can afford to spend to win a new client, and it grows with every improvement in retention, rebooking and membership.
Inventory, team & reportsClient wallet
A client wallet is a ledger of every balance a client holds with a clinic, such as account credit, gift card value, membership credit and referral rewards. Showing each balance by source, including refunds issued as credit, lets the front desk apply the right credit at checkout and answer questions quickly. Because unused balances are value the clinic still owes, the wallet also shows the clinic's outstanding liability.
Checkout & membershipsConsent form
A consent form is a document a client signs before a treatment, confirming they were told about the procedure, expected results, risks, alternatives and aftercare, and agree to proceed. Most clinics use a separate form for each type of treatment and keep the exact version the client signed. What a consent form must include, and who must obtain it, varies by state and by treatment, so forms are often reviewed by the medical director or counsel.
Charting & photosConsent to market
Consent to market is a client's written permission for a clinic to use their photos, name, story or results in marketing, such as social media posts, the website or ads. It is separate from treatment consent, can be limited, for example to photos that hide the face, and can be withdrawn later. For HIPAA covered entities, using patient information in marketing generally requires a signed authorization. It is also separate from permission to receive marketing texts or emails.
Guide: Before and after photos in aesthetics: consistency, consent and sharingCovered entity
A covered entity is a health plan, health care clearinghouse or health care provider that conducts certain standard transactions electronically, such as insurance claims, and must therefore follow HIPAA. Whether a med spa is a covered entity depends on whether it conducts those transactions, so some cash-only clinics may not be. State privacy laws can still apply either way, and many clinics follow HIPAA practices regardless. Clinics usually confirm their status with a health care attorney.
Guide: HIPAA and med spa software: what a BAA really coversD
Deposit
A deposit is a payment a client makes when booking to hold an appointment, later applied to the final bill. Clinics often require deposits for new clients, long treatments and high-demand providers, because a deposit makes a no-show or late cancellation less likely and offsets the cost when one happens. The amount, when it is refundable and when it is forfeited should be stated clearly before the client pays.
Guide: How med spas reduce no-shows and fill cancellationsDermal filler
A dermal filler is an injectable gel placed under the skin to restore volume, smooth lines or shape areas such as the lips, cheeks and jawline. Many fillers are made of hyaluronic acid, which can be dissolved with an enzyme if needed, while others work differently and can last longer. The FDA regulates dermal fillers as medical devices. Clinics chart the product, amount, treated area, technique and lot number for each treatment.
Guide: Injectable charting: face maps, units and lot trackingF
Face map
A face map is a diagram of the face used in injectable charting to mark each injection point with the product, dose and lot used. Front and side views show exactly where a provider treated, so the next visit can repeat or adjust the plan, and another provider can follow the chart easily. In Klinycs, each point on the front, left and right views records the product, units and lot.
Guide: Injectable charting: face maps, units and lot trackingG
Ghost overlay
A ghost overlay is a faint, see-through copy of a client's previous photo shown over the live camera view, so the new photo matches its angle, distance and framing. It makes before and after photos truly comparable, because visible changes come from the treatment rather than from a tilted head or a different crop. Consistent lighting and background matter as much as alignment.
Guide: Before and after photos in aesthetics: consistency, consent and sharingGift card liability
Gift card liability is the value of gift cards a clinic has sold but clients have not yet redeemed, which the clinic still owes in services or products. It is usually recorded as a liability until the card is used, not as revenue at the time of sale. Federal and state laws restrict gift card expiration dates and fees, and some states require unclaimed balances to be reported, so the outstanding total should always be in view.
Checkout & membershipsGood faith exam
A good faith exam (GFE) is an assessment by a licensed medical professional, before a medical aesthetic treatment, that confirms the treatment is appropriate for that client. It typically reviews health history, medications, allergies and goals. Which treatments require one, who may perform it, whether it can happen by telehealth and how often it must be repeated vary by state, so clinics follow state rules and their medical director's protocols.
L
Lead pipeline
A lead pipeline is a set of stages that tracks potential clients from first inquiry to booked visit, such as new, contacted, consultation booked, treated or lost. Each lead shows where it came from, its estimated value and the next follow-up due, so nobody falls through the cracks. Recording why leads are lost shows which ads, offers or follow-up habits need fixing.
Leads & marketingLot number
A lot number is the manufacturer's code identifying a specific production batch of a product, printed on its packaging with the expiration date. Clinics record the lot for every neurotoxin, filler, vial or IV bag used on a client, so that if a batch is recalled or a reaction is reported, they can find every client who received it. In Klinycs, signing the chart note takes the units out of inventory by lot.
Guide: Injectable charting: face maps, units and lot trackingM
Med spa
A med spa, or medical spa, is a business that offers medical aesthetic treatments, such as injectables, lasers and chemical peels, in a spa-like setting under licensed medical oversight. It combines the experience of a day spa with treatments that must be performed or supervised by licensed providers, usually under a medical director. Rules on who may own a med spa, which treatments each role may perform and how supervision works vary widely by state.
Guide: What is a med spa CRM?Medical director
A medical director is the licensed physician, or in some states another licensed practitioner, who oversees the medical side of a med spa. The role usually includes setting treatment protocols and standing orders, supervising or delegating to nurses and other providers, and reviewing complications. How much supervision is required, whether the director must be on site and who may own the practice vary by state, so each arrangement has to fit that state's rules.
Membership
A membership is a recurring plan in which a client pays a fixed fee, usually monthly, in exchange for benefits such as treatment credit, member pricing or included services. Memberships give a clinic predictable revenue and give clients a reason to keep their visits on schedule. Clear rules on unused credit, pauses and cancellation matter, and some states regulate automatic renewals and how members can cancel.
Guide: How to run a med spa membership programN
Neurotoxin units
Neurotoxin units are the measure of dose for botulinum toxin injections, the products many clients simply call Botox. Providers chart how many units went into each injection site, and many clinics price treatments per unit. Units are specific to each product and are not interchangeable between brands, so the chart should always record the product name, units per site, dilution and lot number together.
Guide: Injectable charting: face maps, units and lot trackingNo-show
A no-show is a booked appointment the client misses without canceling or arriving, leaving the provider's time unpaid. It costs more than the missed service, because the slot usually cannot be resold at the last minute. Clinics reduce no-shows with reminders that ask for confirmation, deposits, a clear cancellation policy, easy rescheduling and a waitlist that can fill the gap. Tracking no-shows by client and booking source shows where the problem starts.
Guide: How med spas reduce no-shows and fill cancellationsP
Package
A package is a prepaid bundle of treatment sessions sold together, often at a lower price than paying visit by visit. A series of laser or microneedling sessions is a common example. Packages bring revenue forward and encourage clients to complete the full course. The clinic needs to track sessions used, sessions left and unused value, and to state any expiration and refund terms at the time of sale.
Checkout & membershipsProtected health information (PHI)
Protected health information (PHI) is individually identifiable health information that a HIPAA covered entity or its business associate creates, receives, stores or transmits, in any form. In a clinic it includes chart notes, treatment history, intake forms, before and after photos, appointment details and payment records linked to care, along with identifiers such as names, phone numbers and full-face photos. PHI needs protection wherever it lives, including texts, email and shared drives.
Guide: HIPAA and med spa software: what a BAA really coversQ
Quiet hours
Quiet hours are the times of day, usually overnight in the client's local time zone, when a clinic's automated messages are held and sent later. They keep reminders and promotions from arriving at night and help the clinic respect federal and state rules that limit when certain marketing calls and texts may be sent. Because some states set narrower windows than federal rules, many clinics match quiet hours to the strictest rule that applies.
Leads & marketingR
Rebooking rate
Rebooking rate is the share of clients who book their next appointment before leaving the clinic, or within a set period after a visit. It is calculated by dividing the clients who rebooked by the clients seen in the same period. Tracked by provider, it shows who sets the next visit at checkout and who leaves it to chance. Definitions differ, so a clinic should pick one and measure it the same way every time.
Guide: Treatment cadences: how med spas bring clients back on timeRetention rate
Retention rate is the share of clients who return for another visit within a set window, such as 90, 180 or 365 days after a previous visit. It measures whether clients stay with the clinic over time, while rebooking rate measures what happens at checkout. Comparing retention by first treatment, provider or lead source shows where clients drop off and where follow-up should focus.
Guide: Treatment cadences: how med spas bring clients back on timeReview gating
Review gating is asking for public reviews only from happy clients, usually by screening satisfaction first and steering unhappy clients to private feedback instead. Platforms such as Google discourage it in their review policies, and the FTC has warned businesses against selectively asking for positive reviews. The safer approach is to send every client the same review request. In Klinycs, every client gets the public review link, and a low score also reaches the team as private feedback.
Leads & marketingRole-based access
Role-based access is a way of controlling permissions by job role, such as front desk, provider, manager or owner, so each person sees and changes only what their work requires. It is simpler and safer than setting permissions person by person. For clinics handling health information, it supports the HIPAA minimum necessary standard, which limits access to what each role needs. Access should be updated promptly when someone changes roles or leaves.
SecurityS
Sign and lock
Sign and lock is the step where a provider signs a finished chart note, after which the note is locked and can be changed only through a dated amendment. It turns a draft into the official record of the visit, showing who documented the treatment and when. A locked note protects the clinic if a treatment is questioned later, because the original entry stays intact and every change is visible.
Charting & photosSOAP note
A SOAP note is a clinical note in four parts: Subjective (what the client reports), Objective (what the provider observes), Assessment (the provider's evaluation) and Plan (treatment and follow-up). In aesthetics, the objective and plan sections usually carry treatment details such as products, units, lots, dilution, needle and device settings. Templates for common services, like injectables, lasers or weight loss programs, keep notes complete and consistent across providers.
Charting & photosSpeed to lead
Speed to lead is the time between a new inquiry, such as a web form, direct message, call or ad response, and the clinic's first reply. People often contact several clinics at once, so a slow reply can lose the booking to whoever answers first. Many clinics track the median first response time by channel and by staff member, and use instant acknowledgments and assigned follow-up to keep it short, including after hours.
Leads & marketingT
TCPA consent
TCPA consent is the permission a business needs under the federal Telephone Consumer Protection Act before sending certain calls and texts, especially automated marketing messages. For marketing texts the usual standard is prior express written consent: a clear agreement, which can be signed electronically, that names the phone number and is not a condition of purchase. Clients must be able to opt out at any time. States add their own rules and interpretations change, so many clinics have counsel review consent language.
Leads & marketingTreatment plan
A treatment plan is a provider's recommended set of treatments for a client's goals, with the order, timing and estimated cost of each step. It is usually presented after a consultation, sometimes as a written quote the client can accept, and recorded in the chart. A clear plan helps clients commit to the full course instead of a single visit, and lets the front desk book each step in advance.
Checkout & membershipsW
Waitlist
A waitlist is a list of clients who want an earlier or specific appointment and are ready to come in if a slot opens. When a client cancels, the clinic offers the opening to people on the waitlist, often by text, so a cancellation becomes a filled chair instead of lost revenue. In Klinycs, openings in the next 14 days are matched to the waitlist, and the first client to claim the offer gets the slot.
Calendar & bookingWhite-label
White-label software is a product built by one company but presented under another business's own name, logo and colors, so its customers never see the vendor's brand. For a clinic, it means the booking page, forms, receipts and client messages carry the clinic's brand, which builds recognition with every link a client taps. In Klinycs, the booking page, forms, receipts and gift and member cards show the clinic's name, logo and colors.
Your brandGo deeper.
See it with your clinic's name on it.
Tell us about your clinic and we'll walk you through the whole system, already in your colors.