If you scroll through any social media platform you can find more than enough images of young girls, and boys, showing off their over stuffed sausage lips and pillow faces injected to bursting with dermal fillers making them unrecognisable even to their own mother. When you see these faces you automatically think “what the hell has she done to her face”! But you never look at her and think,” who the hell done that to that poor girl, how is she even allowed”?
In the UK practitioners aren’t required legally to have any qualifications to perform procedures such as Dermal Fillers and Botox type treatments.This industry is totally unregulated allowing anyone to go on a one or two day course, buy products online (sometimes fake imports), buy thousands of followers and likes on social media, sell themselves as reputable, established and experienced and even buy stock photos to impress you. We assume that what is being offered is safe and reliable, we trust that as a country, laws and responsibilities are in place to protect us, there is no way we would believe that any Joe Blogs would be allowed to inject chemicals into our face? Unbelievably, in this country it's the sad truth and complete madness. Take that in again and read slowly, a weekend training course, some knock off filler and an instagram page is all it takes. Add to that the immorality of the companies setting up these so called training schools, requiring no previous or proven qualification, for themselves let alone anyone else, and the ease and lack of responsibility at which products are passed under the counter without any conscience of the consequences.
Now think about what can potentially go wrong and how important it is that the person administering these treatments would know how to deal with a life threatening allergic reaction or be able to react quickly enough to save your skin tissue if the dermal filler was injected into the wrong place?
I am constantly amazed with the amount of people that still think the most important question to ask is “ how much?” and not “what are your credentials to carry out this treatment”. I'm stunned that someone would not take into consideration who or what was being pumped into their face or think that botox parties or even a car park are acceptable places for having a medical procedure.
Taking all this into consideration, what is important when considering having this non surgical cosmetic treatments done?
How many followers do they have an Instagram
What reality tv stars go to them for a freebie
How cheap are they
How many times do they call me Doll or Hun in 10 minutes
Will we have a laugh and a drink while I’m there?
OR
Their training, qualifications and experience
The name of the product, if its licensed and if they are not a prescriber how they obtained it
Any risks or possible side affects
What will happen if things go wrong
You should receive a full and in-depth consultation answering all of your questions
You should be asked to fill out an in-depth medical information form
So once you have found a medically trained experienced practitioner who you feel confident with and trust, what treatments are available?
Anti Wrinkle Treatment
There are around 20 areas on the face where neuromodulators can be used to get you more youthful and refreshed.
Upper Face;
Frown lines between the eyes
Top of the nose, bunny lines
Eyebrows / Hooded eyes
Wrinkles around the eyes
Under the eyes
Mid-Face;
Smokers lines
Gummy smile
Lip boarders
Droopy nose
Lower Face;
Corners of the mouth
Chin
Jawline and neck
Jaw angle / Masseter muscle (slimming of the face)
Botox is a trade name of the product and the most asked for and there are other products available such as, Dysport and Xeomin. Your chosen clinician will explain to you your options and why they think a particular product would be best suited to you.
The law regarding who can administer Botox or similar products is simple, a Doctor, Nurse or Dentist who is on a register to show they meet set standards in training and skills. Guidelines by the General Medical Council (GCM) state that they should also meet you face to face: Skype doesn’t count and only when the prescriber is happy should the botox be administered.
Can a beauty therapist or any Joe Bloggs carry out this treatment, they can BUT they would need to have a medically trained Doctor or Nurse who is a qualified prescriber in the room at the time of your treatment. Botox is a prescription drug and therefore there are strict guidelines to follow.
Botox can vary between £100 - £400 depending how many areas you have treated. It will last between 3-6 months.
Dermal Fillers
Dermal fillers are a form of injectables for facial rejuvenation. They give volume to areas of your face that has gradually lost subnormal fat overtime. For example;
Thin Lips
Asymmetrical lips
Nasolabial folds
Eyebrows
Undereye area
Sunken cheeks
Hollow temples
Bony hands
Common products used include; Juvederm, Restylane, Radiesse, Intraline, Stylage, Teosyal amongst others. If dermal filler is injected into the wrong place it can cause death of the skin tissue. This can cause continuous pain and skin discolouration. As with other risks, if you choose a practitioner or Doctor with extensive anatomy knowledge and experience you can minimise the risks.The cost of dermal filler can range from £200 to several hundred pounds, depending on things like the type of product and the number of syringes used, and the complexity of the area being treated.
I love what these non surgical treatments allow us achieve without going under the knife, and over the last three decades have had anti-wrinkle treatments, dermal filler and injectable hylaronic acid. Whatever you choose to do it should never come from a place of pressure or a feeling that ageing is now seen as unacceptable in our society. Just please do your homework and know that your face is in the safest hands possible.
At Salon 112 our cosmetic clinic is run by Emma Milliam. Emma has been a state registered nurse for over 15 years, has completed a BsHons in Acute Nursing Care, Independent Nurse Prescribing and practices as an Independent Emergency Nurse Practitioner within an emergency department. She trained at Harley Street in Facial Aesthetics completing courses in basic and advanced anti-wrinkle injections and dermal filler amongst many other completed and ongoing training courses. She has worked with Koressa Group as a trainer since 2012, delivering a high standard of training to Doctors, Nurses and Dentists.
This photo is taken immediately after having a Brow Lift using Botox, DermaFiller in cheeks, DermalFiller in Lip and Profhilo which is an injectable using 100% hyaluronic acid to stimulate the production of collagen and elastin in the skin.
All in preparation for my 60th birthday which I then spent in lockdown :-(
Take care
Sue x