Avoid any Practitioner or Clinic where you feel uncomfortable or rushed. Ensure that the Practitioner always gives you eye contact and actively listens to your concerns without interruption. It’s important that they address any questions you may have and be aware of any one who tries to blind you with science and dismisses any of your concerns. A good Practitioner will always explain a plan of care for you. They will cover any possible side effects, the cost, and any discomfort you might find whilst having the procedure. You should always be offered a consultation first, with no obligation or payment. As a potential patient, you need time to digest the information in the comfort of your own home and read the pros and cons. Walk away from anyone who tries to pressurise you in to having any treatment on the same day as your consultation.
Responsible Practitioners will only use products and treatments they know and trust and in which they have been using for years. The market has been flooded with hundreds of new, cheap fillers that anyone can buy over the internet. The regulations around cosmetic medicine is very lax in the UK, which means we have far more products and devices available than Europe or the US. In the aesthetic industry, we talk about certain fillers being FDA approved. This means fillers have gone through a lengthy detailed process and have evidence to show that the product lives up to its claims, and more importantly, it lives up to its claims of safety. FDA is the Food and Drug Administration which is the US governing body. It polices fillers and medical devices. Unfortunately, in the UK there is no equivalent assessment standard, just a CE mark which gives a certain amount of reassurance that the product does what it claims to and is safe. However, CE marks are not hard to obtain. Therefore, more safety conscious Practitioners look for FDA approved fillers and will only buy from pharmacy’s in this country, who are reputable and buy directly from the manufacturers. So, my advice would be to ask your Practitioner where they get their fillers from, and whether the product is FDA approved.Wrinkle reduction treatment (commonly know as Botox) is a prescription only medication. It should only be prescribed by a Doctor, Nurse or Dentist at a ‘face to face consultation,’where you will be asked lots of questions to ensure it is safe for you to have it. Beauticians can administer the Botox once the patient has been seen by a medical practitioner. However, in reality, this doesn’t always happen, and some medical professionals will write a prescription without actually seeing the patient. This practice is illegal, yet unfortunately, it is widespread. So, choose your practitioner with care and ask questions if you are unsure. A good Practitioner will be more than happy to answer any of your concerns.