How to Choose a Practitioner

1 Mar

Last time we looked at whether dermal fillers are safe, today I want to talk about how to choose a practitioner. This is often a big question for people. You’ve been thinking about having that area of your face treated for ages, you’ve seen friends who’ve had a great result from dermal fillers, you’ve finally decided to book an appointment, but who with?

There are lots of factors that run through our heads. There are practical questions we ask ourselves like how much do they charge, where are they based, can I get to them easily, can I park, do their appointment times that suit me? There are also important medical queries such as will they do a good job, do they know what they’re doing, how long have they been doing this, what do I do if something doesn’t go right, if I have a complication or if I don’t like it - Essentially how safe is this practitioner?

Let’s take the money side of it first. You will see a range of prices advertised when you start to look for place to have your treatment. There is a balance, you don’t want to feel like you are being overcharged for a procedure (although this notion is always subjective), but you also have to question if the price seems too low, why is that? You have to make a decision that is right for you, all I would say is that don’t let price be the deciding factor, have a look at what other things you should consider. Is the cheapest price the safest that will give you the best results possible?

Being a doctor, medical safety is a key part of my day to day work. Here are some tips about what I’d think about when looking for a practitioner

What aesthetic training has your practitioner had? There are now many training academies offering a variety of aesthetic courses. I trained at SkinViva in Manchester. This academy is excellent, training only medical practitioners. They have a strong focus on the consultation, treating each patient individually and and a key aspect of all their courses is safety.
What experience do they have? This can be a specific as how many filler procedures have they done, to as broad as what other job experience do they have? Ask them about their background, where they have worked and what did they do before they started aesthetic practice. Do they come from a medical background?
Do they know how to manage complications? Do they talk to you about the possible risks, can they answer your questions about how they would treat you if one was to occur, ask to see their emergency pack that they’d use if you were have a reaction, ask to see their reversal pack if you were to have a vascular occlusion (disruption to the blood supply to the skin). This should also extend to their working background, do they have experience of stressful medical situations?
How comfortable are they treating patients? Medical aesthetics is largely unregulated. This means there is little in law governing the industry, and even less when it comes to monitoring of it. Over the years this has lead to many devastating and life-changing outcomes following aesthetic procedures. Sadly, a lot of these would have been avoidable if the procedure was done by someone with better training. Thankfully the regulation in the industry is starting to change, but this is slow - know your practitioner before you let them anywhere near your face!
Do they tell people when they don’t feel they will benefit from a treatment? A good indication of this is their website and advertising. Do they suggest or offer a consultation before treatment or make reference to having an assessment for suitability? We often have an idea in our heads of what we want to have done, but it it vital you can trust your practitioner to be honest with you about whether they think this is the right thing for you.
What registration does your practitioner hold? If they are medical, are they registered with the GMC (for doctors) or the NMC/RCN (for nurses).
Is your practitioner part of any aesthetics body? Groups such as the JCCP, BACN and ACPB have a role to play in aesthetic safety and standards. Check out their website to look for this.
Is your practitioner insured to carry out this treatment? do they display their insurance body on their website?
Have they been recommended by somebody you know? This is invaluable. If you don’t have a recommendation read their reviews.
When you get to your appointment, do you feel comfortable and safe? Do you feel like you understand what will happen? Are you reassured when you ask questions, do you feel like you can ask questions?
Do you feel like you can say you don’t want to have the treatment today? This is incredibly important, you should never feel pressured.
Do they reassure you that you can always come back and have a further treatment if required? Most people are looking for a soft natural look with their aesthetics treatment. It’s often better to have a smaller initial treatment, see the effects and have a second (or third) treatment if needed.
Do they have clear follow up and aftercare advice? You should have a thorough explanation of the dos and don’ts following your treatment, having written instructions is really important too so you know what to expect and what to do if you have questions.