As with any service, there will be those who are experienced and proficient and those who…aren’t so much. So when it comes to choosing a cosmetic expert it’s important to find someone who is knowledgeable in facial anatomy and cosmetic treatments (such as treatments for fine lines and wrinkles, and treatments for facial rejuvenation) and who you feel you can trust your anatomy with - because choosing an inexperienced or ill-qualified practitioner can be a devastating and expensive mistake.

So how do you find an expert who will give you subtle, natural-looking, and effective results? Through preparation and research!

DO YOUR RESEARCH

It’s always a good idea to educate yourself about a cosmetic practitioner (and treatment you’re interested in getting done) as much as possible before going in for your consultation. You can do this by:

• Reading reviews on Google, Facebook, etc

• Learning about potential risks and complications from an unbiased source

• Asking friends and family members who have had treatments about their experiences

• Checking a practitioner’s credentials*

ASK QUESTIONS

Once you’ve narrowed down one or two possible practitioners after doing external research, it’s important to meet face-to-face via a consultation. This is where you can not only meet the possible practitioner in-person to gauge their level of patient care, but the best opportunity to ask as them important questions to help you know if they are the right person for you.

A good practitioner will have a lot of these questions answered for you, whether via their website or unprompted during your initial contact, but we recommend asking as many questions as you need to feel confident in choosing (or not choosing ) someone to do your treatments.

Remember - there is no such thing as a stupid question! A great cosmetic practitioner will be happy to answer any question you’ll ask, no matter how simple.

Below is a list of questions we recommend taking with you to ask during your consultation:

• What training/study have you done?

• How long have you been doing these treatments?

• Are you trained to do treatments for fine lines & wrinkles as well as facial rejuvenation?

• What products do you offer, and can you explain the difference between them?

• Are you qualified to prescribe products for wrinkle reducing treatments or do you have a doctor who does that for you? How are they involved?

• What types of medical conditions would disqualify me as a candidate for these treatments?

• Would you consider me a candidate for these treatments?

• If I were to proceed with getting treatment through you, what can I expect to happen during the appointment?

• How do you charge for your services?

• What would I need to do to maintain these results over time? And how often would I need to receive treatment?

• What will be expected of me to achieve the best results immediately following my treatment?

• Will you or someone else be conducting my treatment?

• How can I expect to look over time?

• Do you have before-and-after photos I can look at for this procedure?

• What results are reasonable for me to expect?

• Is there any downtime from this procedure? If so, what should I expect after treatment?

• What are the possible risks in having this procedure done? Have you had any adverse results during this procedure before? If so how was it managed?

After your initial consultation where you’ve been able to ask questions and get a vibe for a practitioner, we recommend giving yourself at least a couple of days to think about your interaction before making any sort of booking decision.

LOOK FOR THE RIGHT SIGNS

All practitioner - whether they be a nurse or doctor - receive the same initial training to become qualified to perform superficial cosmetic procedures. It’s up to the individual practitioner to get further, more extensive training and to keep their knowledge up-to-date with the latest techniques and equipment.

But a great practitioner has more than just knowledge and experience, they will have qualities and attributes that can’t be taught, but that we believe are essential to receiving the best treatment and care.

A great cosmetic practitioner:

• Will be happy to answer any question, no matter how trivial

• Won’t make you feel like an idiot for not knowing something

• Will customise your treatments to suit your individual anatomy for natural-looking results

• Won’t pressure you into a procedure that you aren’t comfortable with

• Will provide excellent post-treatment care and not leave you feeling discarded

• Will offer or suggest other treatment options if they believe it will give you the same/better results for a better price or less discomfort

• Is willing to say ‘no’ to performing a procedure if they don’t think it will be of benefit to you

If you come across an experienced practitioner that demonstrates these qualities - you’ve found a keeper!

GO WITH YOUR GUT

After doing your due-diligence in research, review-reading, and asking questions - above all, go with your instincts! If a cosmetic practitioner has the experience but you don’t feel comfortable with them, then trust your gut.

Find someone you feel you can trust your face with.

*You can check a cosmetic ipractitioner’s medical credentials through the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (APHRA) website - www.ahpra.gov.au. You’ll be able to check if a practitioner’s registration is current or if they have any concerning conditions or notations attached to their registration.