Blog CategoryHow safe is your face?

So you’ve been thinking about anti-wrinkle injections or dermal fillers for a while. Your friends have had it, and you’ve decided it’s your turn to give it a go. So how do you know that your face will be in safe hands?

Unfortunately the medical cosmetic industry is rife with rogue injectors. Not just unqualified, non-healthcare professionals having a stab at your face, but Doctors and Registered Nurses too. Just because the injector has been to University, it doesn’t mean they have any idea how to correctly administer these Schedule 4 prescription drugs. Let me be clear, they do not cover cosmetic injecting in med school or nursing school – so anything your injector knows about putting needles into your face has been learned post-grad. Worryingly however, there is no real structured educational program in our industry. This means the person paralysing your facial muscles, despite being a qualified healthcare professional, may have no real experience in this particular field.

However there is no need to panic and abandon your goals to have smooth, wrinkle-free skin because thankfully, the industry has more than enough experienced injectors. You just need to make sure you see one of them. So here’s my tip – research your injector!

• How long has he or she been in the industry?
• Are they reputable?
• Do they attend regular training? (this industry changes constantly!)
• Do they have before and after photos of their clients? (not stolen from other websites)
• Ask around! Most of my clients come from word of mouth. In this industry they say 1 happy person tells 5 people, but 1 unhappy person tells 10! So if someone has had a bad experience, or even knows of someone that had a bad experience, they will tell you!

Cosmetic procedures have become less taboo over the last 10 years. Getting a few jabs to remove wrinkles is fast becoming as normal as getting a manicure or getting your hair done. While that is great (because we shouldn’t be judged for what we choose to do!), there is a down side. People are forgetting that this a medical procedure. Although cosmetic injections are considered “minimally invasive”, we are still injecting a prescription drug directly into skin, muscle or deeper on bone. Common sense suggests that such procedures should be performed within a medical premises, with the appropriate equipment on hand in the event of an emergency – but this is not always the case. There is talk among the industry that 2017 will see new guidelines introduced to prohibit cosmetic procedures being done in beauty and hair salons in an attempt to ensure patient safety. The actuality of that is yet to be seen, so here are a few things to consider:

• Is the clinic cleaned to a medical standard of cleanliness?
• Do they have the capability to prepare a sterile field if necessary?
• Is the clinic equipped with a basic resuscitation kit?
• Are they prepared for anaphylaxis?
• If an adverse event did occur, are they equipped to monitor vital signs until help arrives?

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, this is YOUR face so never be afraid to ask questions!