If you’ve been thinking about getting a cosmetic treatment, you’ve probably been doing loads of research to make sure it’s the right one for you. But have you thought much about who you want to perform your treatment, and what’s important in an aesthetic practitioner? Does it really matter who does your treatment? Actually, it does. With so many people out there claiming to be able to do tweakments, I know it can be confusing. So, if you’re not sure where to start, don’t worry - here are seven things to consider when you’re looking for an cosmetic practitioner.
How do I choose the right cosmetic practitioner for me?
1. Training, skills and education
Ok, so there are tonnes of people out there who claim to be able to do Botox, fillers and all sorts of other aesthetic treatments, but it’s really important to know whether or not they are actually qualified to perform them. As scary as it sounds, there’s no regulation around injectables in the UK as of yet, which means you or I could just go out and buy and inject filler. That’s absolutely horrifying, right?! But true.
Safety is key. So, when you’re looking for an aesthetic practitioner, you’ll want to make sure they are medically qualified - a doctor, dentist, nurse or pharmacist prescriber - so you can be sure they know all about anatomy and complications that can sometimes occur with treatments. On top of looking for a medically qualified practitioner (and you’ll find plenty of those on Glowday - we only list medical professionals), you may come across the term ‘Level 7 qualified’, which means that not only are they medics, but they have taken on extra training in aesthetics. A Level 7 qualification is equivalent to a post-graduate degree, and consists of observing and administering a large number of treatments, as well as being assessed to make sure they meet the highest standards. Don’t be afraid to ask your potential practitioner about their qualifications and experience. A good one will be happy to tell you about it or show their certificates.
2. Trust
When it comes to selecting an aesthetic practitioner, one of the most important things to think about is trust. The best way to get a feel for whether you trust a practitioner is to meet them - whether that’s a phone call, or a face to face or online consultation. This way, you’ll be able to assess whether they are right for you. Take note of that gut feeling.
Trust is crucial in aesthetics because, while most aesthetic practitioners are in it for the love of helping people, there are still some unscrupulous ones out there who will look to upsell treatments that you hadn’t even considered. Have a chat with a practitioner and explain your key area/s of concern - and if you get a bad vibe, look elsewhere.
If a practitioner says ‘no’ to a treatment you’re looking to get, listen to their reasons and trust that it’s for your own good. For example, if you already have a lot of filler in your lips, a good aesthetic practitioner will assess it and see whether you actually need any more. If you don’t, they’ll likely tell you so, and that’s for your own safety. You want to feel comfortable and confident throughout the treatment journey, and a good practitioner will want you to feel that too.
3. Communication
Another important factor to take into consideration when looking for an aesthetic practitioner is their communication skills. By this, I mean do they explain treatments and other essential things such as skincare, ingredients, side effects, etc in a way that you can understand? There’s nothing worse than feeling like you don’t get what’s going on when it comes to tweakments - it’s your body after all. Don’t be afraid to ask your practitioner questions, and if you still don’t understand, ask again. Clarity and transparency are super important with aesthetic treatments - whether it’s price clarification you need or general information around a certain skin issue - so the ability to clearly explain is something a practitioner should be equipped with.
4. Insurance
You’d make sure you had home and car insurance, right? This protects you from any mishaps that might happen. Well, you also want to make sure your aesthetic practitioner has the right insurance in the (unlikely) event that anything goes wrong during your treatment.
If it’s not clear from a practitioner’s website (some clearly state that they have it), ask them. Medical Malpractice cover is a must! You want to know that not only are you in safe hands but they’re insured hands too.
5. Price
Now, I love a bargain. Who doesn’t? But when it comes to my skin, I live by the old saying buy cheap, buy twice. Cost is obviously an important factor when making any purchase or investment, but in the case of aesthetic treatments, don’t let it be the only determining factor. Do your research when it comes to price because if someone is clearly charging waaaay less than anyone else, there’ll generally be a pretty good reason for it. They could be using poor quality products, or might not have the same level of training as their competitors, which is not ideal.
As I said earlier, it’s your skin. And taking good care of it is an investment. The last thing you want is to risk making a mess of it because you didn’t pay that bit more. You certainly won’t want to pay twice to see the benefits just once. Price can vary across the country but a bit of research should give you a good idea of what you’re likely to pay. Our Glowday Treatment Guides break down the costs of treatments, so you’ll know what’s reasonable and what isn’t.
6. Reviews
When you buy a car, check out a holiday resort or book a table at a restaurant, you probably look at online reviews first. Some are bad, some are great, but it’s better to know in advance if you’re going to be spending your well earned cash. And it’s the same with aesthetic practitioners. If you notice that a practitioner has glowing 5-star reviews, fantastic - you feel happy to go ahead and book with them, but if you notice that they have quite a few negative reviews, steer clear. On Glowday, all the reviews you see are real - no one’s been paid to write them and they can’t be typed up by the practitioners themselves.
7. Before and afters
As well as reviews, check out a practitioner’s before and after photos so you can get an idea of whether their work is for you or not. If you want a nice natural pair of lips but every image shows lips the size of two hot dogs, that’s probably not the practitioner for you. If they don’t have any before and after images on their website or social media profiles, ask them if you can see some. If you like what you see, you’re good to go.
Ready to start looking for an aesthetic practitioner? Search a medically qualified professional on Glowday now, and get glowing!