New Jersey spa owner suspended for performing ‘unlicensed procedures’

FAIR LAWN, NJ — A Bergen County spa owner has been suspended from practice for five years and permanently barred from owning a massage business after performing invasive medical procedures without proper licensure, Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin and the Division of Consumer Affairs announced Wednesday.

Ana C. Velazco, owner of Fabsilhouette (also known as Medical Massage Network), provided treatments that went beyond the authorized scope of her massage and bodywork therapy license, officials said. Among the services offered were post-operative suture removal, fluid drainage for cosmetic surgery patients, Mesolipo fat-dissolving injections, and microneedling procedures.

Velazco, who denied having any formal medical training, is not a licensed physician. To resolve the charges, she entered into a Final Consent Order with both the Board of Massage and Bodywork Therapy and the State Board of Medical Examiners on May 30.

The agreement immediately suspends Velazco’s license for five years and permanently bars her from owning, managing, or operating any massage therapy business. If her license is reinstated, she may only practice under the supervision of another fully licensed therapist. Additionally, the Board of Medical Examiners assessed a $15,000 civil penalty for practicing medicine without a license.

STATE CONTINUES CRACKDOWN ON UNLICENSED MEDICAL PRACTICE

“Our professional licensing laws require individuals who offer certain types of services to meet fundamental training and education requirements to deter unqualified practice and prevent serious harm,” Attorney General Platkin said.

Acting Division of Consumer Affairs Director Elizabeth M. Harris added, “When individuals perform medical procedures without the requisite licensure and qualifications, they expose their clients to serious harm.”

The investigation, launched by the Division’s Enforcement Bureau in March 2023, uncovered equipment used for medical services, including syringes, needle tips, topical anesthetics, and hazardous medical waste during inspections of Fabsilhouette’s examination rooms.

Authorities emphasized that the growing med-spa industry will remain under close scrutiny to ensure compliance with licensing laws and to protect public health.

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