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Based near Leeds? Find out why the ‘London of the North’ is the perfect place to set up your new aesthetic clinic…

Our Leeds clinic is now one of our most popular training locations for Cosmetic Courses. Leeds is a vibrant city and claiming to become the ‘London of the North’. With huge investments being put into the area and convenient travel connections from most UK cities including Sheffield, Manchester and Yorkshire, we knew it would be an ideal training location for our delegates.

With the development of Leeds, there is plenty of demand for new businesses and as a result of this the city has seen a growth in the population of inspiring, dynamic individuals. So with more investment into the city and more money to spend on luxuries, the Northern regions really have become a great place to set up a lucrative aesthetic business.

Our Leeds training facility is based in the skin clinic Skindustry™, which is ideally located in Bingley. There is a direct rail link located less than 1 minute of Skindustry™ Clinic and multiple parking facilities are available. With the growth of this location we are pleased to be able to accommodate many more delegates from other areas such as Scotland, Ireland and Newcastle. Our team will also provide you with useful hotel and travel information to help you plan your stay.

Skindustry Clinic, 113 Main Street, Bingley, West Yorkshire, BD16 2HT

Skindustry™ is a modern, high end skin clinic which is run by an experienced welcoming aesthetic team who can give you all of the support you need. Skindustry™ is a fully functioning skin clinic and CQC regulated, ensuring a professional environment for your training.

Which aesthetic training courses are offered in Leeds?

  • At Cosmetic Courses we understand the busy schedules of our delegates and pride ourselves in being as flexible as possible to accommodate all training needs. We currently offer a variety of training courses in our Leeds location including our Foundation Botox and Dermal Filler courses, which we currently offer once a month. We also offer 1-2-1 training days for Botox and Dermal Filler, which can be either a full day or a half day and can range from basic to advanced level to suit all abilities.
  • Another popular course we offer is the Non-Surgical Facelift (also known as the 8 Point Facelift) training, a brilliant alternative to surgery that will subtly reshape and redefine the face.
  • Due to popular demand over the last year we have extended our course offering in our Leeds location. Our training repertoire now includes the ever growing skin rejuvenation treatments such as Chemical Peels and Dermaroller. These procedures can often seem more appealing to patients who are new to the world of aesthetics as they are less invasive than Botox and Fillers. Many people interested in non-surgical treatments are now opting for chemical peels as an introduction or as an added benefit to their current treatment plan, depicting a growth in demand for skin rejuvenation. Therefore, it is an excellent way to tempt clients into the world of non-surgical treatments.
  • Another popular course we are offering at Leeds is Platelet Rich Plasma Training, which is becoming increasingly popular due to the fact there is no use of artificial products; it is a popular treatment not only on it’s own,  but it also compliments other treatments such as dermal fillers or the dermaroller.

Which ever stage you are at in your training, there should be something for you at our aesthetic training location in Leeds.

Due to the quality of teaching, and expertise of our trainers Pauline Walton and Nick, we are proud to say that the popularity of our training in Leeds has grown year on year. With the introduction of new courses and additional training dates, we’ve seen a substantial growth of 265% from 2015 to 2016! Our model database for Leeds has also grown significantly, showing the increasing demand for non-surgical cosmetic treatments in the area.

If you have any further questions on our Leeds location, would like to book a course or become a model; please feel free to contact the team on 01844 390 110 or send us an e-mail at [email protected]

 

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Dermal Fillers: What areas can we treat?

For those of you that have attended our Foundation and Advanced Botox and Dermal Fillers courses, you will be aware that dermal fillers are used to introduce volume back into areas of the face that have lost volume during the ageing process. When it comes to dermal filler training, there’s a lot to cover, do you know your Juvederm Ultra 2 from your Ultra 4? And what about knowing your marionette lines from your tear troughs?

Where can dermal fillers be used?

Dermal fillers have a wide multitude of uses from the obvious to the not so obvious. If you have a patient that is interested in having dermal filler, we advise that you get them to attend an initial skin consultation with you before having the treatment. This will allow you to find out more about the patient’s medical history, and the look that they are hoping to achieve.

Tear troughs Cosmetic Courses;Picture showing Tear Trough Treatment Before & After

These are the lines under your eyes that make your eyes look tired. A loss of volume in the area, a loss of tissue elasticity or a mild reduction in bone density could all be causes of concern. By using an advanced technique, dermal fillers can be placed in either the tear trough itself, slightly lower in the cheek area, or indeed a combination of both to achieve brighter, more rejuvenated eyes.

Naso-labial folds
Commonly known as the smile or laughter lines, these are the two skin folds that run from each side of the nose to the corners of the mouth. If you are bothered by your nasolabial folds, and wonder what to do to improve the area then filler is perfect to fill out these folds, and partnered with cheek filler the face will appear much younger looking.

Mouth corners

Sometimes the corners of your mouth can droop leaving you looking unhappy. Dermal filler can be placed below the corners of the mouth with a small amount directly into the corners of the lips.

Marionette lines
Marionette lines run between the corners of the lips down towards the chin and jaw giving a puppet-like effect. As we age, our facial bones become smaller resulting in lines like these appearing. Dermal filler is great for filling in these lines making them less prominent.

Cheeks

As you age you lose an amount of subcutaneous fat which can result in a loss of volume and elasticity to the face. This in turn highlights hollow cheek bones, and the presence of excess skin resulting in sunken cheeks. This can cause someone to appear gaunt and tired-looking. Dermal fillers can be injected into this area to plump out the face with natural volume and a gentle lift. This is an advanced technique and is offered at one of our specialist training days.

Lips & vermillion borderCosmetic Courses; Image showing Lip Fillere treatment before & after

A celebrity favourite and probably the most well-known use of filler. The lips can be injected with dermal filler either in the body of the lip to boost fullness or the border of the lips to increase definition. This treatment is ideal for correcting thin lips but can also help solve problems with a downward smile and the need to lengthen the mouth.

Chin augmentation

A perfect alternative to a surgical chin implant, is a non-surgical chin augmentation which is achieved with dermal fillers. Fillers will help define your jaw line and although only a temporary solution it is a great way to see what can be achieved surgically if you are unsure.

Smoker’s lines

These are the vertical lines above the lip that appear when you pout. They are mostly caused by regular lip movements but are also called smokers lines, because regular smoking means pressing the lips together.  If your lines are deep enough then they can be drastically reduced with a small amount of injectable filler to achieve a smoother appearance.

Nose
Have you heard of the lunchtime nose job? Dermal fillers can now be used to straighten out any lumps or bumps in your nose without the need for any surgical downtime. Fillers are injected into the nose to smooth out slight bumps in the bridge of the nose, or rectify a crooked line of the nose (particularly in profile view) and even cartilage irregularities at the tip of the nose all in less than 15 minutes! This is another advanced course available for those that have been practicing in dermal filler for a while.

Hands

Hands are a new use for fillers, patients have found that the use of the fillers in their face is great for concealing their real age, but then it is often their hands that give it away. Ageing hands lose volume and the skin appears thinner. Having filler injected into the skin on the back of the hands can make them appear plumper and less veiny.

So now you know your areas, let’s look at the product that we use on our training days at Cosmetic Courses:

Juvaderm®  Vycross Range

The Juvaderm® Vycross range is a smoother gel which means you get a comfortable treatment. The risk of bruising and swelling is reduced as is any discomfort as anesthetic is added into the formulation of the filler. The Vycross range provides subtle and natural outcomes due to the smoothness of the gel making it easier to inject with precision.

The Vycross range has 3 different forumulas;

Juvederm® Voluma 

Juvederm® Voluma is a much thicker hyaluronic acid gel which has been made by altering the cross-linking technique used in Ultra to create a more viscous result. Voluma can be used for recontouring and restoring the face in the case of age-related volume loss. Designed for deep volume restoration to re-contour the face in areas such as the cheek bone and chin regions.

The effects of Juvéderm® Voluma® last for approximately up to 18 months.

Juvederm® Volbella
Launched in Paris Juvederm® Volbella® is specifically designed to enhance lip volume and define lip contours, with a completely natural look and feel.  The filler has a smooth, liquid consistency for a smoother look and the addition of lidocaine anaesthetic makes the treatment even more comfortable in an otherwise uncomfortable area.

The effects of Juvederm® Volbella® last for approximately up to 12 months

Juvederm® Volift®
This revolutionary dermal filler is produced using VYCROSS™ technology. This creates an ultra-smooth gel for natural appearance with minimal swelling and bruising. It is best used for smoothing nasolabial folds and facial contours.

The effects of Juvederm® last for approximately up to 15 months.

Juvederm® Hydrate Cosmetic Courses; image showing dermal filler product Juverderm Hydrate

The Juvederm Hydrate is used to improve skin hydration and restore elasticity which is lost through ageing. It works by replacing hyaluronic acid but unlike traditional filler it acts as a hydrating agent attracting and keeping moisture within the skin to achieve that healthy natural glow. Juvéderm® Hydrate is most commonly used for very fine lines and wrinkles associated with ageing. It has also been recommended as an early treatment for crow’s feet and fine lines around the mouth.

The effects of Juvéderm® Hydrate last for approximately four to 6 months

Juvederm® Ultra is our most common dermal filler. The filler contains non-animal hyaluronic acid with the addition of 0.3% lidocaine which is a local anaesthetic to make you feel comfortable both during and after the treatment.
There are actually four different formulations for Juvéderm® ULTRA available;

Juvederm® Ultra 2 is a highly cross-linked formulation which is used for the subtle correction of medium facial lines, in particular those around the corners of the eyes and those very close to the surface of the skin. It can also be used to around the lips to enhance natural lip contour.

Juvederm® Ultra 3 Cosmetic Courses; image showing dermal filler product range Juverderm Ultra 3

Ultra 3 is another highly cross-linked formulation but is instead used for more versatility in contouring and volumising anything from moderate to medium facial lines and skin depressions, in areas such as the nasolabial folds. It can be used subtly in lips to enhance lip contour, increase volume and maintain a youthful smile.

Juvederm® Ultra 4 [image]

Ultra 4 is a highly cross-linked robust formulation used for volumising and correction of medium to deep folds and wrinkles, including adding volume in the cheeks and chin improving contour to the face.

Juvederm® Ultra SmileCosmetic Courses; image showing dermal filler product range Juverderm Smile

The newest arrival to the Juvéderm® ULTRA family the Juvéderm® Ultra Smile is based on the Ultra 3 product but it is specifically targeted for use in the lips. It works by providing fuller but softer and natural looking lips and smooths fine lines to fully enhance the mouth area for a fresh new look.

The effects of Juvéderm® Ultra Smile lasts approximately up to 18 months

If you would like to find out  more about our Advanced Dermal Filler Training Course and the product range that we use, you can call the team on 01844 390110 or email [email protected]. 

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The differences between Male and Female Ageing

Male and Female Ageing

As technology has advanced, it has become more apparent that in society we are more obsessed with how we look. Mobile phones, iPads and tablets, make capturing the moment even easier with the rise in ‘selfies’ and social media sharing. Within the aesthetic industry, there has also been a shift. Over 90% of procedures performed in the UK in 2015 were non-surgical, and approximately 800,000 of those treatments were for Botox and filler treatments. Many clinics are also reporting that they have seen an increase in the volume of male patients that they are now Image showing Peter Andretreating with in their clinic, showing that it is not just woman that are interested in anti-ageing treatments. This could be due to more male celebrities admitting to having treatments, such as Peter Andre and Shane Warne having a little ‘Brotox’ here and there.

One of the questions that we at Cosmetic Courses have been asked by our delegates over the past few months is; are there any differences between the male and female ageing process?

In essence, the ageing process itself is more or less the same, but it is worth noting that there are significant differences between both sexes anatomy, and care should therefore be taken when carrying out aesthetic treatments to ensure a natural and harmonious look is achieved to suit both sexes.

The areas that we believe need to be treated differently for Males and Females are the following:

  • Forehead
  • Eyebrow
  • Cheek
  • Nose
  • Jawline and chin
  • Peri Oral Area

The Forehead

Picture showing the difference between male and famle supraorbital ridgeThis is one of the most important areas for rejuvenation, but there are noticeable differences between the sexes. Anthropologists use the forehead as an indicator to determine the sex of the skull. It has been observed that a female skull has more of a flat supraorbital ridge, with a smooth convexity up to the hairline, whereas the male skull has a more pronounced supraorbital ridge with some concavity before the forehead becomes flatter towards the hairline. This skeletal structure is what influences the soft tissues and the overall position of the eyebrows.

Eyebrows

The male eyebrow is flat and tends to sit along the supraorbital ridge whereas the female brow arches at a 10 -2- degree angle with a tail that is more superior to the head.

The aim of aesthetic treatments is to restore a more youthful and natural looking appearance. To treat this area for a female it may require forehead re-volumisation and a bit of brow lifting to maintaining that feminine look, but applying the same technique for males, it could result in over feminising, and portray an unnatural. To stay respectful of the male gender, it is advised to not lift above the supraorbital and to only elevate the ptotic brow to ensure the most natural look is achieved.

Cheeks

Male and Female AgeingThis is an area that is extensively covered in female rejuvenation, but it does come with limited descriptions when it comes to males. Females have a rounder and fuller cheek due to having a thicker fat compartment in the medial area compared to the lateral area. In regards to female ageing, a fuller cheek gives a more youthful look, referring back to the triangle of youth – everything is more pert and smoother. Male cheeks tend to be flatter and more angular due to a thinner layer of subcutaneous fat. The technique used to treat this area have slight differences, and the volume of product used needs to vary. To keep the ‘flatter’ cheek look for male patients, product should only be used to replace the volume loss. Females can have slightly more product used, and this can be replaced more often to maintain the fuller cheek look.

Nose

Image showing Naso LabialThere are more subtle differences between the sexes in this area. There are 2 angles that are used to determine the ideal nose shape: Naso-labial Angle and Naso-frontal angle.

Naso Labial is the angle between a line drawn from the lip border to the base of the columella to the nasel tip. This angle is slightly more obtuse and slightly upturned for females, and it’s also necessary to consider your patients cultural and ethnic differences when treating this area.

Image showing the Naso Frontal AngleNaso Frontal is the angle at the radix, the lowest point of the nasal bridge formed by a line running from the radix to the glabella and from the radix along the dorsum of the nose. This position of the radix is important between males and females. Females are normally in line with the lash line whereas males are at the level of the tarsal fold.

Jawline and Chin

Both masculinisation and feminisation techniques can be used within this area. Toxins can be used to narrow down the masseter or curve the chin, and Dermal Fillers can widen the jawline, increase definition or add a sharper gonial angles as well as flatten or enlarge the chin area.  Different cultures and ethnicities have different representations of what they believe is an attractive jawline, so it is useful to be aware of this when treating patients. The Hollywood ideal is a defined as a strong wide jaw for males whereas females have a softer narrower pointier chin.

Perioral Area

Treating this area is a more common request in females rather than males. Male skin within this area is thicker than in females, who tend to suffer more with smokers lines and wrinkling. This area benefits from toxin, filler and skin resurfacing treatments for both sexes. If treating a male patient, we suggest you treat with caution.

Male and Female AgeingWhen treating both the female and male face for any aesthetic treatment, it is important to book them in for a full consultation, to undertake a facial analysis. Within this consultation, grade the upper, mid and lower face in terms of structure, proportion and symmetry. Within our training, we advise that you take photos of all your patients and keep these as a record to show before and after treatment– it also helps to show the patient how far they have come on their treatments with you.

At Cosmetic Courses, we offer an advanced Botox and Dermal Filler training Course which offers more advanced techniques. If you would like to find out more about the course, or have any questions, please call the team on 01844 390110 or email [email protected]

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5 reasons to choose our Aesthetic Training Courses

 

With demand for aesthetic treatments growing fast, and more professionals looking to enter the industry, the number of aesthetic training providers is expanding too.

Which means if you’re a medical professional looking to train in aesthetics, you’ve more choice than ever. But given the number of providers out there, it’s important to do your research and find the right provider for you.

If you’ve landed here, we guess you’re considering us (thanks!). So to give you a flavour of what you can expect, here are 5 reasons to consider our Aesthetic Training Courses…

1. Our team 

We think the number one reason to choose us is the thing we’re most proud of – our people. The Cosmetic Courses team, handpicked and led by Consultant Plastic Surgeon Adrian Richards, go the extra mile for our delegates.

All of them have excellent medical credentials and bags of experience. That’s a given. But what sets them apart – and what we consistently receive great feedback for – is their approach.

Our team understand that you need a little hand-holding while you’re learning, and in the early days after training. So we’ll always be there to help and support you throughout. We don’t just provide training – we see ourselves as a lifelong learning partner for our delegates.

2. Our history

We’ve been doing this for a long time. We’re the UK’s most established provider of aesthetic training courses, starting life back in 2002.

Over those 13 years, we’ve continuously refined and developed our courses, and added several new ones, in order to make sure we’re offering the best aesthetic training available in the UK.

To date, we’ve successfully trained and mentored over 3,000 Doctors, Dentists and Nurses, many of whom are now running their own successful businesses – and 72% of whom came back for more training.

3. Our comprehensive service

There are plenty of challenges involved in changing career. So we’re determined to make the training part as easy and hassle-free as possible for our delegates.

We provide all the models and resources you need for your training. All you need to do is turn up on the day, ready to learn.

We also offer a bespoke, tailored service that lets you piece together a comprehensive training plan to suit your specific needs.

4. Our business support

As a medical professional, the practical side to aesthetics should come easily to you. But if you want to work for yourself, you’ll need to know about the ins and outs of running a business too.

So we’ve put measures in place to help you.

Once you’ve completed one of our aesthetic training courses, you’ll get access to the Members area of our website. Rather than having to create patient medical history and consent forms, treatment information sheets and other essential documents yourself, you can simply download them from here.

We’re also partnered with a pharmacy to give you a convenient way to access the products and supplies you need to run your practice – with cost savings too.

5. We’ll help you find new clients – for free

Training is only part of the picture. We know it can take time to build up your client base in the early days. So after you complete a course with us, we’ll automatically give you a free listing on our National Cosmetic Network (NCN) website.

The website is targeted at patients looking for safe, insured and accredited aesthetic practitioners in their local area. You can update your profile as you complete more training with us, so any prospective patients can see your expert credentials at a glance.

We only list practitioners that we’ve personally trained, so a listing on the NCN is a vote of confidence from the most established aesthetic training company in the land. Priceless!

Find out more about our Aesthetic Training Courses

At Cosmetic Courses, we offer a broad range of aesthetic training courses at several centres across the UK, including Bucks, Essex, Kent, Birmingham and Manchester. For information on our training, or to book a place on a course, please call us on 01844 318317 or email us at [email protected].

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Finance your career in aesthetics the affordable way

 

Cosmetic Courses: banner showing finance options

Are you a medical professional who’s decided on a career in aesthetics? Great news – you’re in the right place. At Cosmetic Courses, we’ve helped thousands of people like you carve out exciting and lucrative new careers in aesthetic medicine.

If you’re just setting out on your journey, we know there’s lots to think about. And one of the most important is finance.

Training in aesthetics is a great investment in your financial future. But before you can reap the rewards, you’ve got to meet the costs of your training courses.

Depending on how many treatments you want to learn, that can involve a hefty outlay. Which is why we’ve introduced our finance plans –  to make it easier and more affordable for you to make your career dreams a reality.

Funding your career in aesthetics

Cosmetic Courses: financing your career in aestheticsWe understand the financial pressures involved in retraining for a career in aesthetics, and setting up in business. Many of our trainers have been there themselves.

So we’ve put together some plans and packages to make your transition into aesthetics as affordable and cost-effective as possible.

1. Our course packages

If you’re planning on taking several courses, our course packages are a great way to save while you learn.

2. Our 0% finance option

0% finance to help you start your career in aestheticsAnd if you’d rather not pay a lump sum for your training at the outset, we offer interest-free finance to help you spread the cost. 

Our 0% direct debit options are available on all the packages outlined above, as well as a select number of our individual bespoke, advanced and skin rejuvenation courses.

Because we know everyone’s circumstances are different, our direct debit plans are flexible. You can choose to divide the cost into affordable monthly payments over a fixed 6 or 12-month period, or together we can create a tailored plan to suit you.

All you have to pay in advance is a small fee to secure your place. Then once it’s set up, you can forget about paying and get on with learning.

Kickstart your career in aesthetics 

If you’d like help in starting your career in aesthetics, our team will be more than happy to advise. Please give us a call on 01844 390110 or email [email protected] to find out more about our finance plans and training courses.

 

 

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Have a nose for profit? Then train in Non-Surgical Rhinoplasty

In a competitive marketplace like aesthetics, it’s a good idea to pursue any extra training that will help shore up your credentials. And a great way to set yourself apart from other practitioners is by drilling down into more specialist treatments.

If you’re an ambitious aesthetic practitioner, it goes without saying that pursuing more advanced courses will enhance your reputation with potential patients.

Firstly, you’ll gain their trust as an expert who knows their stuff. And secondly, it’ll broaden your repertoire of treatments to offer them. They might come to you for one treatment, but stick around for others after getting great results.

Expert credentials + wide repertoire of treatments = healthy profits

Learning advanced techniques can be a real goldmine for your business, offering you vital new sources of revenue to help fuel your growth.

And because we know the value of advanced training – particularly for new practitioners seeking to get established – we’ve added some new specialist training courses to our programme. 

Last month we launched our specialist Tear Trough training course, which has been well received by our delegates. And our newest addition is Non-Surgical Rhinoplasty training.

3 great reasons to train in Non-Surgical Rhinoplasty

1. It’s relatively easy to incorporate into your business

Non-Surgical Rhinoplasty makes a fairly easy add-on to your existing practice. If you’ve already trained in dermal fillers, particularly advanced dermal fillers, it’ll be relatively straightforward for you to adapt what you’ve learned and apply it in a new way.

You’ll already have a good grounding in the techniques, so it’ll be a case of learning about the specific anatomy of the nose, the facial angles and how treatment can affect them. (Click to see our full Non-Surgical Rhinoplasty training programme.)

2. It’s particularly profitable

Once you’ve trained, treatment could make a very profitable addition to your practice.

We’ve recently started offering the Non-Surgical Nose Job at our sister company Aurora Skin Clinics, charging £500 per treatment. 

When you consider that treatment can take as little as 15 minutes, it makes for a very impressive profit-to-treatment-time ratio – better than standard dermal filler treatments.

3. There’s good potential for growth 

While surgical rhinoplasty remains a popular choice, the total performed in the UK fell by 24% last year – the biggest drop of all major cosmetic procedures.

And as we reported on the blog a few weeks ago, ISAPS have revealed stats which show that non-surgical treatments are growing faster than surgery.

So there’s plenty of reason to think that demand for Non-Surgical Rhinoplasty will continue to grow, as patients who may have opted for surgery increasingly choose the non-surgical option instead.

Our Non-Surgical Rhinoplasty training is offered by leading specialist and UK Allergan ambassador Mr Ash Labib. For more information on the course, or to book your place, please get in touch with the team.

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Learn advanced facial rejuvenation with the Aurora Lift

The Aurora Lift forms the basis of our advanced facial rejuvenation training – both for our team at Aurora Clinics, and our delegates at Cosmetic Courses.

It’s used by our trainers in their own clinics, and to date remains the best method our Clinical Director Adrian Richards has found to achieve natural results from non-surgical treatment.

It gives us a blueprint for treatment, helping us focus on the important areas to achieve the most natural and long-lasting facial rejuvenation.

So what is the Aurora Lift?

The Aurora Lift essentially involves looking at the face as an A-frame (see picture below) and treating it accordingly, using a combination of Botox and facial fillers.

A FrameWith age, facial volume migrates gradually southwards. This changes the shape of the face from the inverted triangle of youth, with its apex facing down, to the traditional triangle of middle age and beyond, with its apex facing up.

Using the A-frame concept, we’re able to focus on distinct treatment areas to effectively counter this ageing triangle inversion.

It involves subdividing the face into areas which lie along the limbs of an extended ‘A’. To achieve the most harmonious facial rejuvenation, we ask our practitioners and delegates to focus on these areas.

 Aurora Lift points for facial rejuvenationThe A-frame Zones for Facial Rejuvenation
  1. Glabella
  2. Cheeks
  3. Nasolabial Folds
  4. Marionette Lines
  5. Pre Jowl Salcus

Glabella

The apex of the A is located over the glabella. This is treated in most cases with our standard 5 point Botulinum toxin pattern. This involves a single sub-cutaneous injection over procerus and 2 into either corrugator.

We find that sub-cutaneous placement is more comfortable for the patient, produces less bruising and trauma and reduces the risk of toxin diffusion into orbit which can result in weakness of the eye muscles.

Cheeks

Working downwards, the next focus areas lie at the ends of the transverse limb of the A-frame – the cheeks.  Where possible, we ask clients to bring in old photos so we can assess their volume changes over time. Our aim is to restore their youthful volume, not add more than they had as this can produce an unnatural appearance.

We restore lost volume with filler within each of the fat compartments of the cheeks. Our preferred method of delivery is with a blunt-ended cannula rather than a needle, as we believe it gives us more control whilst minimising trauma.

Nasolabial Folds and Marionette Lines

Our next focus areas, along the limbs of the A-frame, are the nasolabial folds and marionette lines. Again our preference is a cannula, as there is only one point of entry and less trauma as a result.

Care must be taken not to add too much volume here, as excess volume in the lower face can age rather than rejuvenate.

Most patients treated with the Aurora Lift will also have toxin treatment to the depressor anguli oris muscle to upturn the mouth and reduce the amount of dermal filler needed.

Pre Jowl Sulcus

Finally, the base of the A-frame lies below the jowls. Again, our preference here is to use a moderate dose of toxin in this region to reduce the downward pull of the platysma on the jowls.

Find out more

At Cosmetic Courses, we teach the Aurora Lift at our bespoke advanced training sessions. Attend one of these hands-on training days and you’ll learn the principles of the A-frame approach, and how best to apply them to achieve harmonious pan facial rejuvenation for your clients.

For more information or to book a place on our advanced course, please contact the team on 01844 318317 or email [email protected].

 

 

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Lip augmentation – professional integrity comes first

Lip augmentation is back in the news, thanks to youngest Kardashian sister Kylie Jenner…

The teenage star of Keeping Up With the Kardashians has finally admitted what most of us knew already – her newly plump pout is thanks to temporary lip fillers, not lip liner after all.

The revelation didn’t go unnoticed by the British public. In the 24 hours after she confessed, UK clinics saw a huge spike in enquiries for the procedure, with some reporting a staggering 70% increase.

While people clamouring for treatment creates huge opportunities for us as aesthetic practitioners, it can also raise some interesting dilemmas.

Whenever there is massive demand for a treatment, it’s vital that we keep our wits about us.

As practitioners, we’re constantly engaged in a kind of balancing act. On the one hand, we want to give our patients the results they’re asking for. But on the other, we have to consider the results that would be best for them.

Fortunately, most of the time, these tend to be in alignment. But problems can arise when they are not. And lip augmentation is a classic example of a treatment where careful judgement is so vital. 

Age-appropriate lip augmentation

Age-inappropriate lip augmentationFull lips are attractive because they convey youth. So replacing lost volume (or adding it for younger patients with naturally thin lips) is a reliable way to give a face more youthful vigour. 

But the goal, as with any cosmetic enhancement, is to stay within the limits of what’s appropriate – particularly for a patient’s age.

Our aim with lip augmentation should always be to leave our patients with full, attractive but – crucially – age-appropriate lips.

No matter how our patients clamour for lips like Kylie Jenner, Angelina Jolie et al, we have to keep our professional integrity and be willing to say no if it won’t be right for them. 

That’s why learning the proper technique is only part of the equation when it comes to training in lip augmentation.

Bespoke lip augmentation training

Successful lip augmentation is nuanced, takes the patient’s facial features and their age into account, and has clearly defined outcomes from the beginning.

With this in mind, at Cosmetic Courses we’ve developed a bespoke training course completely devoted to lips. The intensive four-hour session focuses on age-appropriate attractiveness, covering both advanced technique and desired outcomes, based on the ‘Aurora Lip Analysis’ pioneered by our Clinical Director Adrian Richards.

During the session, you’ll learn the specific Aurora cannula technique developed by Adrian Richards, which uses a blunt cannula and only one entry point. This innovation makes it less painful for patients, with a far quicker recovery time owing to the reduced trauma and bruising.

If you have some experience of lip fillers and would like to advance your skills and become a more authoritative practitioner in this rapidly growing area of aesthetic medicine, our bespoke lip course will give you all the extra confidence you need.

For more information on our bespoke lip augmentation course, or to book a place, please contact the Cosmetic Courses team on 01844 318317 or email [email protected].

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Q&A: Using Hyaluronidase to Dissolve Dermal Filler

Question :

Dear Cosmetic Courses,

I have a patient with the following Dermal Fillers query and wondered whether you could advise? At the beginning of December, she had Juvederm Dermal Filler injected into an area under her cheekbone. Initially the region was tender and sore. After about a week the pain increased and her face became swollen on one side with a round hard solid lump in this area.

She went away on holiday shortly after and, whilst away, phoned her GP who advised her to take antibiotics. She has since been on a seven day course of amoxyllin and a five day course of augmentin 625mg. On returning she visited the same GP who advised her to see a specialist as he was not sure if an abscess had formed or a haematoma .

I have now examined the area, however, and feel that this is not an abscess as it is a hard mass and therefore, could maybe be a haematoma, or the filler with an infection around it?  Her own GP back home seems to agree as he has taken her off the augmentin and put her on a course of cefuroxime 250mg.

Do you think Hyaluronidase might dissolve the filler and how long after the infection has healed can this be done (providing that the lump is the filler! )

Answer :

Unfortunately, it does sound as though your patient has an infection in her cheek area which the GP was right to treat with antibiotics.

When the infection has settled down it may be possible to treat her with Hyalase but this is certainly not recommended whilst infection is still prevailant.

We may be able to provide further advice and information if you send a photograph of her to: [email protected]

Should there be further problems, our expert surgical team at Aurora Clinics would be happy to see her for a free consultation.

Best Wishes,

The Cosmetic Courses Team

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Cosmetic Courses & Competency Certification

As the medical aesthetic industry comes under scrutiny, Cosmetic Courses supports calls for higher competency levels.

Botox and Dermal Filler Providers Under Fire

Not only the Surgical sector of the cosmetic treatment industry has come under scrutiny recently following the PIP breast implants fiasco. The Non-Surgical cosmetic injectables market is now also being heavily criticized for lack of regulation and the ease with which products / procedures can launch or professionals can become qualified.

The UK has been described as “an open goal when it comes to cosmetic injections”, with companies starting up and disappearing at the first sign of trouble and a “terrible…lack of training” (Dr. Mike Comins, president of the British Association of Cosmetic Doctors).

Dr. Comins has particularly stressed the importance of competence and for “only medical doctors, their assistants or supervised nurses [to] be allowed to carry out injections of Botox and fillers”.

Cosmetic Courses support Competency & Training for Medical Professionals

These are views which leading UK medical aesthetic training provider, Cosmetic Courses, has long upheld. Even before the PIP scandal hit the media, we were championing rigorous standards within cosmetic injectables training and had a strict policy of only accepting currently qualified medical professionals onto our courses.

Test the Water: then Commit to Competency

We understand that branching into a career in medical aesthetics can be a big commitment, so we do believe that delegates should be given opportunity for ‘taster’ training sessions where they do not have to invest so much money or long-term career aspirations up-front: some people do literally start aesthetic injecting and decide then and there it’s not for them.

Bespoke 1-1 for Competency Certification
But, if a delegate does then decide that they want to pursue a career in cosmetic injectables, we strongly encourage all training with Cosmetic Courses to continue to Bespoke 1-1 level which is the stage where you can be certified in competency. This is in line with the recommendation by the BACD and Mike Comins.

Training DOESN’T end with Competency
Furthermore, Cosmetic Courses always say that your training is a journey. Even having received Competency Certification, many delegates do decide to continue to Advanced Level and we positively encourage this. As Dr. Comins continues: BACD members ‘also have to attend a certain number of conferences and training sessions to maintain their membership’. Our own Cosmetic Courses trainers frequently do this, attending regular events, training sessions and conferences to keep up-to-date with all the latest products and techniques.

Keeping up-to-date is vital in this fast paced industry. This is why Cosmetic Courses believe that Competency Certification and Refresher Training go hand-in-hand. Although many delegates may have already been competency certified, this may have been years ago any they might not have done anything with it ever since. In that time, techniques and products will have moved on. The best practitioners keep up to date with regular training and activity: and Cosmetic Courses encourage all our delegates to be the best.

Our Commitment to You
As Cosmetic Courses’ manager recognized, we do not only expect our delegates to be the best they can be but we also expect the same from ourselves. As part of this ‘we are offering more courses and expanding our packages on an ongoing basis to ensure not just that you keep up but that we keep up’.

Cosmetic Courses also offer a support program so that all delegates are never essentially ‘alone’ after graduating from Cosmetic Courses. Despite being certified competent, if you ever need support or advice after having trained with Cosmetic Courses there is ongoing mentor support via telephone or email.

In all these ways we hope to be able to help do our part to regulate the standards within the industry.

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