Many of us nowadays are comfortable with the idea of tweaking our natural looks to a greater or lesser degree, but until we find an Aesthetics Practitioner that we trust it can be a little bit nerve-racking, especially when we hear stories about botched procedures or unsuccessful outcomes. I’m Dr Teresa Day, a practicing Medical Facial Aesthetics Practitioner of 20 years standing, and I thought it might be helpful if I shared some thoughts around how to find the right aesthetics expert for you.

Firstly, there are literally hundreds of thousands of people out there offering skin rejuvenation with hyaluronic acid, anti-wrinkle treatments (sometimes called Botox) or fillers for lips and cheeks – and none of these treatments are cheap. Depending on the treatments you choose and the practitioner you work with, you may enjoy a life-enhancing outcome, or experience distress and heartbreak. So how do you find an experienced, reliable, safe and talented practitioner?

Do your homework
It won’t hurt at all if you spend a bit of time doing some homework so that you understand the range of treatments available and what might help your particular issues. Although not surgery, some facial aesthetics treatments are invasive, so you need to be certain what you’re letting yourself in for. You also need to decide how far you’re prepared to go in terms of enhancing your looks, what’s involved in the procedure, the level of potential discomfort/recovery time and what you can expect to pay? There are quite a few good articles written by some of the beauty and fashion magazines that are helpful and informative. So be a girl guide and be prepared!
Here’s a great one from Grazia:
https://graziadaily.co.uk/beauty-hair/skin/best-facial-treatments-uk/

Ask for a referral
Referrals from friends and family can be helpful and insightful. If you want to show your skin the love that it deserves, then the best way to find a good aesthetics practitioner is to ask around. Best friends, family members, colleagues, neighbours, local live on or online groups etc. Facial enhancements are out in the open now and you’ll be surprised how many people regularly indulge. If you hear from 3 or 4 people that a particular practitioner has done a lovely job – and by that I mean the enhancements have made that particular person feel fabulous and the experience was positive – then they’re probably worth checking out. However, do bear in mind that one person’s heaven is hell for another, so be clear about what you want. Many facial aesthetics practitioners will have a house-style, possibly catering to a particular audience profile, or a certain age group – so you need to feel comfortable that it’s a good fit for you and you’re going to get what you’re looking for. If you’re not a trout-pout type of person, you need to look for someone who is going to enhance not revolutionise your looks.

Check out Websites, Facebook, Instagram, Google My Business and Trust Pilot etc
The digital revolution has made it so easy for us to check out the quality and customer experiences of services providers. Again, it’s worth taking your time to check out and cross-reference websites, social media, GMB etc to see what their star ratings are, and also their clients’ feedback. If you can invest some time to do this, you’ll get a very good view of what’s on offer, how it’s delivered and what the results are. You’ll get a view of the level of customer service, and what the prices are like.

Credentials & Insurances
If this information isn’t obvious on the website or Facebook page, do ask questions when you make an enquiry. How many years in practice, where did they train, what qualifications do they have, do they specialise, are they a member of any medical governing bodies, what products do they use and why? It’s also worth asking how often they keep up with current training, have they won any awards, what public liability insurance do they have? Do they have an emergency and/or complaints procedure if something goes wrong? It doesn’t have to be an interrogation, but any good facial aesthetics practice or practitioner will be able to answer these questions and provide appropriate information. Unfortunately, currently in the UK, there’s no obligation for a Facial Aesthetics Practitioner to hold insurance before treating their clients, although the Joint Council for Cosmetic Practitioners has a 10-point plan they are pushing forward.

Facial Aesthetics Practitioner V Medical Facial Aesthetics Practitioner?

A Medical Facial Aesthetics Practitioner is someone who has trained in a medical profession and is registered with a governing body, which is designed to protect the public by ensuring professional standards are met and safety guidelines are followed.

They have a code of conduct and are held accountable for their behaviour and quality of delivery etc. This is often a dentist (because a lovely smile and beautiful teeth can be transformative), or sometimes a doctor or nurse etc. The simple fact is they are held accountable, almost always insured and have appropriate, in-depth medical knowledge and experience to back up their facial aesthetics training – which they take very seriously. Many non-Medical Facial Aesthetics Practitioners are well trained, experienced and deliver a quality service, but despite the treatments being offered as ‘non-surgical’, lack of medical experience is an area of deep concern for the JCCP. In addition, they may not be registered with a governing body; possibly have no insurance, are working with no medical supervision and could event be unaware of the risks associated with aesthetic procedures. So always ask if your facial aesthetics practitioner is registered with one of the following medical governing bodies; GMC, BDA, NMC or DMC

Be Safe
We live in a time where it is perfectly acceptable to enhance your looks, and unlike our grandparents generation we don’t have to put up with the draining toll that age can have. Do go ahead and make the most of your looks and enjoy the process of taking care of yourself but remember facial aesthetics isn’t like applying a new foundation, fitting false eyelashes or having hair extensions. Generally speaking, this is stuff that goes into your face and body, and it is only wise to do your homework up-front to ensure you stay safe and achieve the very best outcome.

Good luck and enjoy being the best version of you!

Dr Teresa is a Medical Facial Aesthetics Practitioner of 20 years and a practicing cosmetic dentist. She has clinics in Maidenhead, Milton Keynes and Newsbury. She is fully trained, insuranced and registered with the British Dental Association (BDA). She loves working with clients over the age of 35 and believes in enhancing, not altering your natural looks. She certainly doesn’t do ‘trout pouts’ but has an enviable track record and many happy clients return time again.

Dr Teresa would be happy to receive your call or an informal chat on 07895 664673 to make an enquiry or an appointment.