The Art Of Aesthetics

By: Dianne Cabelus-Braley, RN

Know this! Not all injections are the same as all injectors are not the same. Aesthetics is a massive industry, it has many areas and each area requires different credentials to work in that particular area of aesthetics. It is required that you do have to be a physician or registered nurse to administer a neuromodulator (Botox being one) and fillers. You also have to be one or the other to perform certain other procedures such as laser hair removal, micro-needling and certain chemical peels to name a few. While you need these credentials for these particular treatments in the area of aesthetics legally, this does not mean that the clinician is experienced or even good at what they are doing. Just like not all doctors and nurses (just because they are doctors and nurses) can scrub into a cardiac surgery at anytime, remove a brain tumor or administer life saving chemotherapy for example. These are specialty areas that require advanced training, experience, technique and sometimes just a knack for the specific skill. I myself for example have always found it easy to draw blood from a patient or start an I.V. line. I love the challenge of looking for the vein to use, palpating it correctly and then advancing the needle in just the right spot for a blood return. It took training, experience and a knack for it. Some other clinicians who may be excellent at other things cannot start a line to save their life. On the flip side I am horrendous with all things respiratory. I always forget which lab values are normal. I usually always forget what the ventilator settings mean and I loathe suctioning a patient. I just generally do not have a knack for any of it and have really no desire to. In most jobs a certain skill set is required and some are good at it and it comes naturally, others are not and may improve with increased training and some are just never going to be good at it with all of the training in the world. In short……Not every injection or procedure/treatment is the same. They can have very different results. Aesthetics is an art and you as the consumer should be keenly aware of this before booking your appointment.

I have seen and heard so many different things while in this area of nursing. It is astounding sometimes how very different practitioners treat clients. A well trained professional aesthetics practitioner prides his or herself first and foremost on patient safety and teaching. This is extremely important before any medical procedure and surprisingly, sometimes people do not think of Botox, Fillers, and Laser etc. as a medical procedure. They are! They have risks as does any medical procedure and you as the client need to know these risks. You should be instructed on what it is we the clinicians are doing. You also should know what is going into your body and how it works on your body. When you have a treatment you should be provided always with pre and post care instructions and they should be reviewed thoroughly so that you understand them and enough time should be provided for you to ask questions if you do not. You also should have to fill out a health history form and it should be carefully reviewed by your clinician. These things, at the very least, should be a part of your treatment. This is basic safety and protects both you and the clinician. These are at minimal what you should expect from a “good” clinician at your appointment and they are very important for your health, results and safety….. Next is the ‘knack” or “art “that comes into play. Injectors for example, like piano players, need to be good with their hands. We as injectors are manipulating a small syringe with a tiny needle. The injections we are administering need to vary in depth and degrees and can be difficult. We have to use our eyes to see symmetry as well as use our experience and creativity to manipulate product into certain areas for you to achieve the results you desire. It is training, experience and good old fashion knack for the job. You should also be aware that your clinician may not always get it right the first time either. As an example I always tend to use product a bit conservatively when injecting Botox initially on a client because with some clients, a little goes a long way and if it does they pay less! They need less of the product for optimal results. So if I inject a lot of product in to them they may have had just as good of results with less but now are paying more. I then update the client’s treatment plan with every visit and usually by the second or third visit we have the perfect formula for the best results. You have to also be mindful that every client is also different; some people have fast metabolisms or exercise frequently and may metabolize the products faster therefore results may not last as long. Other clients may drink alcohol often or are on blood thinners and may bruise after their procedure. All of these things should be asked and discussed by the clinician you chose. You want to be safe, healthy and have the best results always!

It costs a lot of money to look great sometimes it seems and the saying “you get what you pay for” became that saying for a reason. It does not mean you need to pay top dollar or go to Newbury St. for everything. Not at all. But you should find a good clinician who is experienced and safe and stay with them as long as you continue to be pleased with your results. So many consumers shop around and jump from clinician to clinician because of a special, discount or a great Groupon. While I realize these treatments are expensive, it is not worth your results or health to save a few bucks. I have seen many clients like this and these are frequently the ones who are continuously left unhappy with results. Your clinician needs to get to know you, your face, your facial muscles and asymmetries. This takes a little time and you’re worth the time. Do not settle for less than you deserve. You are paying for it and it is not worth your health or results to save a few dollars? It’s just not. Find a great clinician who is all of these things. Stick with the clinician if you’re satisfied and ask for special offers, discounts, promotions etc. and go home looking and feeling happy! You are the canvas and you want a well trained, expert practitioner as your artist. You deserve the best.