If you drive through the high street of any city or town in Ireland right now, you may notice the sudden plethora of aesthetic clinics, offering different types of non-surgical cosmetic procedures. Of course, many are fantastic and run by some very talented people, however aspects of the aesthetics industry in Ireland and across much of Europe remain unregulated, so caution is key. Choosing the aesthetic practitioner who administers your treatment is paramount to a naturally beautiful and safe result.
As a practicing Medical Doctor who has chosen Aesthetic Medicine as my specialty, I feel obligated to offer a bit of guidance in helping you distinguishing the good from the bad. Unfortunately, I have seen and performed medical corrections on many a “bad” job because the original provider of the treatment was not adequately qualified or properly trained. There is little oversight on the industry and it is easy for people to take advantage of this, at your expense.
Here are my top tips for choosing an aesthetic practitioner. As always, this is a personal guide, and if you have any questions or comments you can contact me by clicking here.
- Ask Questions
Contact the clinic you are considering and don’t be afraid to ask questions! I am more than happy to sit down with someone and have a chat through my qualifications and areas of specialty. Be wary of any practitioner who will just book you in for a treatment without a consultation or prior chat, or any clinic that offers “book it yourself” or “in-and-out lunchtime” appointment slots for aesthetic treatments.
- Research the type of clinic
Ask yourself if you would rather attend a large chain high street clinic or a smaller specialised one? Ask who is running the clinic and who will be your practitioner? Will you meet them beforehand? Who deals with the aftercare and answers any questions? What about complications?
Not many people know but it is only qualified doctors and dentists that can administer certain treatments, like Botox.
- Research your provider
It isn’t an exaggeration to say that the face is anatomically complicated! Does your provider have the requisite experience and qualifications to treat you? Do they have a good track record? Are they a doctor registered with the Irish Medical Council (you can check here for yourself, if you can’t find them under their name, ask for their registration number) or a dentist or nurse registered with their regulatory bodies? Are their accreditations up to date? Where have they trained?
- Trust your instincts – is the price too good to be true?
Accessibility to treatment can sometimes make everything more confusing! Unfortunately many clinics offer treatment at a highly discounted rate to get people through the door, and as a result quality of treatment may be compromised. The time pressure offered by so-called “special offers” means that the patient may be pressured into making a hasty decision without adequate time to give full consideration to treatment and potential risks involved. Remember – aesthetic treatment IS medical treatment – do you want to be rushed into a medical procedure just because of a cheap price?
- Book a consultation
I will not perform an aesthetic treatment without a prior consultation with the patient. Sometimes these can be done together, depending on the circumstance, but whoever your provider is should start with a comprehensive medical history (at the minimum) and go through your ideas, concerns and expectations regarding the treatment. Don’t accept anything less.
- What if something goes wrong?
Ask who your point of contact is if sometime goes wrong, or if you have any questions post-treatment. Is it a general hotline number? Is it a direct doctor contact or the person who performed the treatment? My clients have my personal number that they can ring if they have any questions whatsoever and I personally oversee all aftercare.
My own clinic practices have been informed by industry gold standard and what I would like to personally experience as a patient. Remember that having any treatment is a personal decision that should not be undertaken lightly and without any undue pressures (such as special offer time limitations).
I hope this insight helps you in choosing the right aesthetic practitioner for you! If you have any questions, or anything you think should be added to this list, I would love to hear from you.
