Last updated: March 2026

Editorial Policy

SpaLens is committed to producing accurate, well-researched content about beauty spas, treatments, and skincare services across the United States. This page explains our editorial process, standards, and the role of artificial intelligence in our content creation.

Our Mission

We exist to help people find the best beauty spas and treatments in their area. The beauty and wellness industry is vast and can be overwhelming — we believe people deserve clear, honest, and well-sourced information to make confident decisions about their care.

AI-Assisted Research Process

We use artificial intelligence tools (including large language models such as Claude by Anthropic) as part of our editorial workflow. Here is how AI fits into our process and where human judgment takes over:

What AI Does

• Data collection and organization: AI helps us aggregate spa listings, treatment information, and pricing data from public sources into structured formats.
• Research summarization: AI assists in reviewing clinical studies on beauty treatments and summarizing findings into accessible language.
• Draft generation: AI produces initial drafts based on source material, which serve as a starting point for our editorial team.
• Fact-checking support: AI cross-references claims against published studies and flags potential inconsistencies.

What Humans Do

• Editorial review: Every article and spa listing is reviewed by a human curator for accuracy before publication.
• Source verification: Human editors verify that cited studies exist, are accurately represented, and are from reputable sources.
• Spa verification: We verify spa details including location, services offered, and operating status through public records and direct outreach.
• Editorial judgment: Decisions about what to cover, how to frame topics, and editorial priorities are made by humans.
• Final approval: No content is published without human sign-off.

Content Standards

Evidence-Based Approach

We prioritize evidence from the following sources, in order of reliability:

1. Peer-reviewed clinical studies published in recognized journals (e.g., JAMA Dermatology, Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology)
2. Systematic reviews and meta-analyses that aggregate findings across multiple studies
3. FDA filings, approvals, and safety data from regulatory agencies
4. Professional guidelines from established dermatology and aesthetics organizations (e.g., AAD, ASDS, ISAPS)
5. Expert commentary from licensed dermatologists, aestheticians, and medical spa professionals

We clearly distinguish between strong clinical evidence and preliminary or anecdotal findings. When evidence is limited or conflicting, we say so explicitly.

Source Citation

We cite our sources within articles and link to original studies, regulatory filings, and other primary sources whenever possible. When referencing clinical data, we include study identifiers where available so readers can verify the research independently.

Accuracy and Completeness

• We report both the benefits and risks of beauty treatments.
• We include relevant side effects, recovery times, and contraindications.
• We do not cherry-pick data to support a predetermined conclusion.
• When studies have significant limitations, we disclose them.

Spa Listings and Ratings

Our spa directory aggregates publicly available information including Google reviews, service menus, and location data. Our ratings consider multiple factors including review scores, service breadth, and treatment quality indicators. We do not accept payment for higher placement or ratings.

Corrections Policy

We take errors seriously. When we identify or are alerted to factual errors in our content, we follow this process:

• Minor corrections (typos, formatting, non-material clarifications) are made directly without a correction notice.
• Material corrections (factual errors, misattributed data, significant omissions) are accompanied by a visible correction notice stating what was changed and when.
• Retractions: In the rare event that an article contains fundamental errors that cannot be corrected, we will retract it and publish a notice explaining why.

To report an error, please email us at editorial@spalens.com.

Independence from Advertisers

Our editorial content is independent of our business relationships:

• Affiliate partners and advertisers have no input into our editorial content, ratings, or recommendations.
• We do not accept payment in exchange for favorable coverage.
• We cover spas and treatments for which we have no commercial relationship when they are relevant to our readers.
• If a potential conflict of interest exists, we disclose it.

Content Updates

The beauty and wellness industry evolves rapidly. We periodically review and update our published content to ensure it reflects current information. Articles display a "last updated" date so readers know when content was most recently reviewed.

What We Are Not

SpaLens is not a medical provider, spa, or licensed healthcare entity. Our content is informational and should never replace a consultation with a licensed dermatologist or aesthetician. We do not diagnose, treat, or prescribe. See our Terms of Service for our full disclaimer.

Contact Our Editorial Team

We welcome feedback, correction reports, and questions about our editorial process. Reach us at editorial@spalens.com.