It can be a minefield when trying to select a practitioner for your first aesthetic procedure. My advice would be to ensure first and foremost that they have a medical or healthcare background. Healthcare practitioners must be registered with an official body that ensures they meet certain minimum requirements as a healthcare professional. 

Other things to look for in an injector is experience. With someone who has treated a high number of cases and / or has been practising for a while, they are more likely to have seen a broad variety of facial shapes and sizes. This ultimately ensures they have a better aesthetic eye to enable them to give you a better result. With more experience also comes the ability to manage complications. Complications can happen even in the most experienced of hands, but it is how they are dealt with that sets a good injector apart.

I love to encourage my patients to ask me questions – especially during that first consultation. These can be about my background, qualifications and experience, but also to gauge whether I will be a good ‘fit’ for my patients from a personality perspective in addition to treatment philosophy. Then I would advise having questions specific to the area of the face in question, or proposed treatment plan. It is important to be aware of the potential for complications and how often they have happened to your injector for that treatment. I would also ask about what product will be used and what influences product choice. Then it is important to know what to expect the days after the treatment and in particular do’s and don’ts. 

In addition to asking questions, it is important to be honest and open about your past medical and cosmetic history. You should let your injector know about all past treatments and ideally products used. You must tell them if you have any allergies or are taking any over the counter supplements and / or medications. This enables the injector to make an informed decision about your treatment plan and associated complication risk for your particular procedure.

Dr. Kam Lally

Aesthetic Doctor

UK

Dr. Kam Lally is an experienced Aesthetic Doctor and the National Aesthetic Medicine Lead for the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP), known for his attention to detail and effective communication.