Are you thinking about getting face fillers? If you’re contemplating ‘tweakments’ for the first time, where do you start in your quest to find the perfect aesthetics practitioner? Amish Patel, Aesthetic Artist & Founder of the Award-Wining cosmetic clinic, Intrigue Cosmetic Clinic, shares his tips and advice for narrowing down your search with six essential questions that you need to ask.
1: What are your qualifications?
In a largely unregulated industry, anyone can purchase fillers and start injecting your face tomorrow. The consequences of this can range from temporary disfigurement to a life-changing incident. So it is essential that you choose a prescribing medical professional. Whilst fillers in experienced, skilled hands are relatively safe on the whole, if there was to be a complication, the ability to write a prescription and hold emergency medicines in stock is vital. Ask to see what aesthetics training the practitioner has completed. Where did they train, and how long have they been practising?
2: Do you have before and after images I can see?
Always ask to see the practitioners own work and case studies. Seeing images of their work will give you an idea of their ability to achieve what you are after and if they are the right practitioner. Some practitioners may favour a more obvious filler result, whilst others, such as our clinic, prefer the natural v’s overdone.
Personally, if I were to see a lot of ‘pillow faces’ and overly plump lip work, I’d always advise walking away. For me, this would demonstrate a practitioner that is not interested in telling someone when enough is enough! Be careful also of viewing ‘before and after’ images purely on social media. We have had unscrupulous individuals steal our clinic client images and repost them as their own work, so keep an eye on the consistency of photos they share with you. For example, are they all photographed in a similar way/clinic environment, or does the style vary considerably? This variety could indicate all is not as it appears.
3: How many times have you carried out this treatment, and have you ever had any complications?
Asking this question is so important. If the aesthetics practitioner regularly performs the treatment, that is good news for you and your face. Asking this question will also give you a fair indication of the practitioners’ experience, confidence and capabilities.
4: What brand of filler do they use and why?
Always ask this question and then undertake some research afterwards on the filler company. For example, how long has it been established? Does it have lots of reported side effects? How expensive is the filler?
Product choice is crucial in preventing long-term complications and ensuring beautiful results that last a reasonable amount of time.
5: Ask for a consultation?
If you have never had treatment before, never be rushed into having a procedure. Instead, have a consultation, and then take some time to decide. Maybe meet a few practitioners and see if they offer a similar treatment plan. Any good practitioner will ensure you are fully informed and comfortable to proceed with a procedure. This should include a cooling-off period to decide if you want to go ahead.
6: Are they Save Face registered?
Unfortunately, because the industry is largely unregulated, there are no legal industry standards, but Save Face is a trusted source and a national register of accredited practitioners who provide non-surgical cosmetic treatments such as anti-wrinkle injections and dermal fillers. Their Register is accredited by the Professional Standards Authority and is recognised by the Government, The Department of Health, NHS England and The Care Quality Commission. They carry out inspections to ensure clinics adhere to strict standards, and you can read their clinic reviews online.
Images: Unsplash
