This guide is general information, not medical advice. Your provider should assess you and explain the options and risks that apply to you.
What it is
Medical facials are clinic facials that use devices and professional products. A common type is hydradermabrasion, which combines cleansing, exfoliation, gentle suction and serums applied through a handpiece. They work on the skin’s surface and are shallower than peels or microneedling.
Who can perform it in Ontario
Facials aren’t a controlled act in Ontario. Medical estheticians often perform them. In settings run mainly by unregulated staff, the local public health unit inspects them as a personal service: Toronto Public Health (BodySafe) in Toronto and Peel Public Health in Mississauga and Brampton.
Typical GTA price range
- Typical range
- C$180–300 per session
- Sample range from GTA research, November 2026.
- Starting prices on Aurayla now
- C$175–245 per session
- Clinic-reported, from 11 clinics.
Clinics price medical facials per session. Add-ons such as peels or masks are often priced separately, so ask what the session price includes.
Sessions and maintenance
Some people have a single facial; others book them regularly, for example every month. Ask the clinic what it suggests for your skin and why.
Common side effects and risks
Facials are generally low-risk, but reactions can happen. Commonly reported effects include temporary redness, tightness or sensitivity. Less commonly, people have irritation, breakouts or a reaction to a product.
Tell the clinic about allergies and any prescription skin treatments you use, and ask which products they will apply.
Questions to ask at your consultation
- What does the session include, and which add-ons cost extra?
- Which products will you use, and are any a problem with my allergies or skin treatments?
- Who will do my facial, and what training do they have?
- When was your last public-health inspection?
A clinic that welcomes these questions is easier to trust. You can take this list with you.