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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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Cosmetic Courses’ Libby Stewart studies the Pix-L Cannula Technique

Cosmetic Courses Aesthetic Nurse Practitioner and Trainer, Libby Stewart, is always keen to further her development and frequently gets invited to some of the most exclusive training events in the industry: testament to her skill and reputation. Following on from her recent Juvaderm Voluma training, Libby recently attended training in the innovative new Pix-L Cannula Technique, held at the Q-Med headquarters in London. She is fortunate to be amongst the first UK aesthetic nurses to be trained in the use of this new technique from Restylane. In this Blog, Libby shares her experience and tells you a bit about the Pix-L Cannula Technique…

The Pix-L Cannula Technique

The Pix-L cannula technique is a method in which individual treatment areas or a full face can be treated with filler from one injection site.

It is best known as a “blunt technique” and there has been quite a lot of excited publicity about this bluntness because an obvious benefit of using blunt cannulas is that the treatment can be more comfortable for the patient. There is less inflammation, discomfort and chance of bruising and swelling. Psychologically, patients who are squeamish of sharp needles might feel happier. There is even thought to be a better aesthetic result with a higher safety factor.

According to the official Q-Med site: “The Pix’L™ cannula has a blunt tip which does not cut through the tissue but pushes it gently to the side without injuring it. A lateral outlet enables the injection to be precise, and a special inner surface layer allows optimum flow of the hyaluronic acid. The unique replenishment of volume is only attained with the combination of the Pix’L™ cannula in the correct cannula size for the corresponding gel particle size of hyaluronic acid in Restylane.

To provide maximum control and high quality instruments – every Pix’L™ needle is precisely tested after every manufacturing step. In total there are 12 test phases as well as a test under microscope in order to satisfy the most demanding customers. A Haute Couture treatment result requires an ultra precise tool for you, the practitioner – the Pix’L™ micro cannula.”

The fact that these Pix-L Cannulas can treat large areas of the face at a time whilst causing less pain and bruising (physically and psychologically!) to the patient is just so exciting. The treatment is being hailed as the ‘liquid facelift’ and is sure to become huge. At the moment, however, only certain highly qualified specialists (like Libby!) are being invited to train in this technique.

For more information on the Pix-L Cannula Technique or any of Cosmetic Courses’ other training courses and services, please contact us on 0845 230 4110 or [email protected]

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Botox Training Marketing | What to do after your course

How To Market Your New Medical Aesthetics Business | Botox Training Marketing

After you complete your botox training or dermal filler course, you will naturally be raring to go and get started with setting up your own medical aesthetics business. However, one of the main hurdles to jump over in making a success of your medical aesthetic business is the way in which you market yourself. In this Blog, Cosmetic Courses share some Tips for Botox Training Marketing:

1. Print Advertising

Most new aesthetic practitioners initially start with print advertising (local newspapers, fliers, maybe even cheaper local glossy magazines). Whilst this approach may work for some people, it is quite an outdated method of medical aesthetics marketing and can prove very expensive if not approached smartly and monitored carefully. Traditional print advertising essentially falls into ‘local’ and ‘nationwide’ audiences but the average start-up business will be aiming at the local publications to begin with. Even here, where the advertising costs are cheaper, our advice is that there is always room for negotiation: do not take the advertising cost quoted in the publication or by the sales rep. as gospel – be prepared to haggle, stand your ground and you will find that you can get a real bargain (especially just before print closes). Research your desired client’s demographic very carefully and make sure that the publications you are advertising in really are aimed at them or the response could be poor / made up of timewasters. Always ask the readership of the publication to see how many people it actually goes out to (some which seem like a great offer actually have a tiny readership so your chances of getting much work from them are slim). And check out the legal implications before handing out fliers – at local events, for example, you may need to get permission from your local authority (and are very unlikely to be able to specifically advertise medical aesthetic treatments, so be careful not to violate any trading standards!)

2. Online Advertising

Much more of-the-moment and with (potentially) the ability to reach a far bigger audience at once, online advertising for medical aesthetics has become increasingly popular with aesthetic practitioners. You can set up a free medical aesthetics website relatively easily these days if you are fairly tech-savvy, or for a small price if you need to get help. However: please do be warned that this is just the start of the process. There are hundreds upon hundreds of websites out there advertising medical aesthetic services…the challenge is to get yours indexed and found by anyone searching on the big search engines (Google, Yahoo, Bing etc.) This is a process known as SEO and involves clever use of keywords (the most commonly used words related to your industry that potential customers are searching at any given time), regularly creating and updating content (information, photos, blogs, maybe videos and social media usage linked to your site can really help you get increased rank and visibility quicker too). If all this sounds like complete gobbledygook to you then chances are that you may have a bit of learning to do before you embrace this form of marketing, or you might need to employ someone to help. This is, of course, a Catch 22 as you need to be earning before you can start employing! Do not be put off, though – there are abundant sources of helpful information about SEO and optimizing your site for the search engines…particularly good ones are SEOmoz and Mashable. If you just want to advertise without getting too involved with any of that nitty-gritty stuff, online sites like Gumtree provide quick and easy access to large numbers of potential clients and have options ranging from completely free – approximately £49 per week depending upon your region and the level of visibility that you want for your advert.

3. Word of Mouth

It may be horribly boring, but building up a great reputation via word-of-mouth really is a great way to build yourself a client base. The trouble is that it’s a slower approach than most medical aesthetics practitioners like. Start off with friends, family…anybody who would like botox and dermal filler treatments from you. Encourage them to spread the word. Perhaps offer a ‘refer a friend’ scheme where for each entirely new client who refers a friend, they get a small discount off their next treatment. If you have Social Media pages like Facebook and LinkedIn, encourage clients to leave reviews / endorsements. Try to form a link with an established business, perhaps, like a hair salon or existing medical aesthetics clinic (at least initially). Even if you ideally hope to be independent or freelance, this could be a good stepping stone to get reviews, spread the word about your new talents, link-build and hopefully create a client base. Whilst we never advocate stealing clients from another business (this is simply dishonest and poor practice), the networking that you do whilst working alongside others can help you greatly when you branch off alone.

Final Words of Wisdom for Botox Training Marketing

  • Whatever your method of marketing, always remember to ask “Where did you find us / hear about us?” It is vital that you do this consistently or your marketing efforts are wasted because you have no idea what is bringing clients in and what is not, so you could be spending money on completely the wrong types of marketing.
  • Get into the habit of taking down contact details from every enquirer, whether they book or not. These will form the basis of your ‘marketing database’ – a list of emails, addresses and phone numbers that you can use to sell to in the future on an ongoing basis. Remember that once you have these and as you add to the list, you have a responsibility under Data Protection to look after these details, not to spam them with constant heavy sales pitches and to always give them the option to ‘opt out’ of future promotions.
  • Remember that saying the words ‘Botox’ or ‘Botulinum Toxin’ in a sales-orientated manner violates MHRA standards. So always be careful to use alternatives like ‘wrinkle-reducing treatment’ or ‘anti-ageing injections’ instead!
  • Words are everything – keep track of the language you are using, split test and be prepared to vary it. If something isn’t bringing in clients, change it and try saying it in a different way.

We hope this Botox Training Marketing Blog has been helpful. Cosmetic Courses are market leaders in both Cosmetic Training Courses for medical professionals and providing medical aesthetic marketing advice. If you would like more information about training with us, Book Online now or call our friendly team on 0845 230 4110.

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Pain Relief & Dermal Fillers

Pain relief using local anaesthetic for dermal filler injections

Dermal filler injections are more uncomfortable for the patient than other treatments such as BOTOX® treatment.

This depends on the area treated, with the lips in particular being very uncomfortable because of their denser nerve endings in this area. Many patients are deterred from having dermal filler injections into their lips because of the discomfort of the procedure.

Traditionally, practitioners have used dental blocks blocking the infra-orbital and mental nerves in a similar fashion to that used for the dentist for dental treatment.

While this type of local anaesthetic is very effective at reducing discomfort from the lips during injections, making it almost completely pain free, it has the disadvantage that the local anaesthetic can also affect the muscle tone of the lips.
By reducing the muscle tone they decrease your patient’s ability to contract the muscle and produce the lines which you aim to treat.

At Cosmetic Courses we always advise our trainees to first of all mark the lines they wish to treat prior to inserting the dental blocks so that the landmarks are retained.

Although the marking technique does give indication as to the areas that require volume adjustment, due to a decreased subcutaneous tissue it is not as accurate as seeing the areas for yourself with the muscles contracted which is often not possible with dental blocks.

Whilst EMLA and other topical anaesthetics such as Ametop offer some pain relief this is not complete and, even if these are used, dermal fillers are uncomfortable.

With Juvederm®, the Allergan company introduced a product with local anaesthetic combined with the hyaluronic acid.
This has significant advantages in that, although the first injection is of normal tenderness, the local anaesthetic does permeate through the area and each subsequent injection becomes less painful.

We have found that, if dermal fillers which contain lignocaine are used correctly, the discomfort from dermal filler injections (even in the lips) is significantly reduced and is very tolerable for most of our patients.

Our current preference is to use a dermal filler containing local anaesthetics in the peri-oral area as this has the dual advantage of producing good pain relief for the patient and also preserving the muscle activity allowing you to accurately place the dermal fillers in the correct position.

If you would like to know more about these techniques with dermal fillers to reduce the discomfort for your patients please contact the Cosmetic Courses office on 08452 304 110 or via email at [email protected] to discuss your training needs.

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IHAS register in the UK – will it help reduce Bad Botox practice?

IHAS is the regulation authority for Botox and non-surgical treatments launched by the UK government.

This is supported by a website – “Treatments You Can Trust”.

Under this  voluntary scheme, clinics can register with the IHAS organisation and are then regularly assessed and audited.

Says Mr Adrian Richards (Expert Cosmetic Surgeon and founder of Cosmetic Courses training centre), “Whilst I think regulation is certainly necessary in the industry, my main concern with the IHAS is that it is voluntary.

This means that some clinics will register and others will not, without it being mandatory for any clinic to register.

The paperwork required to register is very extensive and time consuming, and there is a significant cost to a clinic to register.

The government budget for publicising the IHAS scheme is relatively small and I am by no means sure that it is sufficient to adequately publicise the scheme to the general public.”

Mr Richards’ concerns are therefore that the scheme is:

(1) time consuming and costly;

(2) voluntary; and

(3) may not be publicised well not enough to the general public to gain general acceptance.

Cosmetic Courses hope that Mr Richards’ concerns are proven wrong.

Only time will tell whether the IHAS regulation scheme will be an effective way of policing the Botox and Dermal Filler market in the United Kingdom.

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Cosmetic Courses join the Big Beauty Therapist Botox® Training Debate: Should Beauty Therapists be allowed to Inject?

Back in March, The Consulting Rooms’ Ron Myers reported on the medical aesthetic industry’s “hot” controversy: should Beauty Therapists be allowed to inject Botulinum Toxin and Fillers?

Traditionally, as at Cosmetic Courses National Training Centre, training in botulinum toxin and dermal filler treatments has been the exclusive domain of the medically qualified. Cosmetic Courses lists surgeons, registered nurses, opthamologists, doctors, dermatologists, dentists, dental hygienists, dental therapists and certain paramedics amongst its accepted delegates; no mention of Beauty Therapists, despite the hundreds of calls a year from eager candidates.

The logic behind this is strong. To date, the Independent Healthcare Advisory Services’ (IHAS) Treatments You Can Trust Register has refused to provide quality assurance accreditation to cosmetic injectable providers who do not fall into the above job fields. This is typical, Cosmetic Courses Coordinator Rachael Langford confirms, of industry attitudes generally. Insurance is very difficult to obtain to train non-medical delegates in cosmetic injectables and, in our experience, a Beauty Therapist is likely to have a very tough time finding insurance to set up their business afterwards. As Ron Myers points out, the manufacturers and major suppliers themselves of these products do not support their use by non-medically qualified practitioners, which surely speaks volumes.

Many Beauty Therapists are keen to come on botox® training courses, however, and very vocal about their rights to become Medical Aesthetic Practitioners. In such difficult times of economic recession, practitioners from all backgrounds (Myers acknowledges) ‘want to generate an income from this evolving market segment’. As Dr. Phillip Dobson points out,  technically there is nothing illegal about a Beauty Therapist administering botulinum toxin (if a doctor or dentist has signed the scripts for them) and dermal fillers, so long as they do not mislead their patients into believing that they are medically qualified; it all comes down to patient consent. Many Beauty Therapists who telephone Cosmetic Courses argue that they have a better understanding of the skin than, say, a dentist and a number of them have already attended anaphylaxis or resuscitation training. They claim that there is too much “superiority” and “snotty remarks” in the industry and they may have a fair point; even amongst those who are accepted to inject, some Cosmetic and Plastic Surgeons still frown upon Dentists and Nurses who do so. Now an organisation called the CTIA (Cosmetic Treatments and Injectables Association) has been founded to challenge the exclusion of Beauty Therapists from cosmetic injectables, on the understanding that all practitioners should be inspected regularly for quality.

Yet as Dr Samantha Gammell, President Elect of the British Association of Cosmetic Doctors (BACD) maintains:

“A one day training course does not provide non-medically qualified ‘therapists’ with the depth of knowledge required for these types of treatments nor the understanding or skills to deal with the complications that can occasionally arise from them. The public needs to protect themselves by demanding to be treated in a safe medical environment by a competent, well trained cosmetic doctor or a suitable healthcare professional who makes the patients interests his or her first concern. It may be cosmetic but it is still medicine.”

Whilst Cosmetic Courses sympathise with the frustration of Beauty Therapists, founder Mr Adrian Richards emphasises that we fully support the BACD. “At the end of the day,” says Mr Richards, “dermal fillers and botulinum toxin are injectable substances that can cause harm. We believe they should only be used by trained medical professionals with the appropriate training. This is why we set up Cosmetic Courses, to offer the highest standards of training and make every effort to ensure that the safety of patients is of paramount importance.” The Cosmetic Courses team are looking into possible alternative training options for Beauty Therapists rather than injectables, so that they can still support their enthusiasm for the Medical Aesthetics industry…more on this coming soon!

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Facial Fillers

When patients are looking for wrinkle and age spot reduction, they often look at fractional laser resurfacing and other skin invasive skin tightening techniques. Facial fillers, or dermal fillers, can often replace laser and surgical treatments. A variety of facial fillers are now available, and patients should speak with a qualified dermatologist or physician about which is best for them.

Dr. Tahl Humes is the owner and medical director of VITAHL Medical Aesthetics in Denver, Colorado. Dr. Humes, who performes both surgical procedures and facial fillers, says that she prefers Juvederm because her patients have less swelling and bruising than with other varieties. Juvederm is a smooth gel non-animal dermal filler with the highest concentration of hyaluronic acid available. Dr. Humes says that she prefers Juvederm, but uses Restylane on a rare occasion as well.

As the body ages, it’s normal to see a decrease in the volume appearance of the cheeks because of either fat loss in the face or because of reabsorbtion of bone. This often causes a hollow appearance in the cheeks. Dr. Humes prefers Radiesse or Sculptra for this larger area because these products are better for larger areas. Radiesse and Sculptra are both non-hyaluronic acid based fillers used in recontouring the face. To get the most out of facial fillers, patients often combine large area treatments with individual line treatements.

Dr. Humes recommends Sculptra treatments to her patients who want to keep their filler treatments under wraps. Sculptra treatments done over a period of three months offer a more gradual change. As a bonus, Sculptra stimulates natural collagen slowly and helps to keep a more natural look. With this type of treatment, others won’t quickly notice that the patient has had treatments.

With the many options available with fillers, doctors are now able to meet the needs of almost every patient. Facial fillers are a temporary solutions, though. Some may only last six months while others may last as long as two years. Patients interested in facial contouring, resurfacing, or lifting should speak with their doctor about facial fillers to see if this choice is right for them.

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Alternatives To A Face Lift: Injections and Fillers

Many people are fighting to reverse the effects of aging. Now with an alternative to plastic surgery, less invasive facial treatments are being sought after. Some of theseFace Lift include, laser treatments, injections of Botox and dermal fillers.

These treatments are great for those aging employees who are trying to stay younger looking so as to stay competitive in the job market. There are also professions where you want to look younger, like the others to fit in. You don’t want the age to start showing on your face. With the economy being so fragile, these treatments are a lot less expensive to obtain.

New dermal fillers are an excellent way to correct sagging cheeks and laugh lines. These fillers are made of a complex sugar that is found in many tissues in the body called hyaluronic acid. The most popular treatment is one an injection to treat expression lines between the brows and on the forehead. This popular treatment is called injectable botulinim toxin.

These less invasive treatments are being chosen over plastic surgery because they are only a fraction of the cost with much less recovery time. These treatments can cost anywhere from $400 to $1000 with a few hours recovery time, some injections can even be done on your lunch break, while a facelift can cost anywhere from $6,000 to $15,000 and take weeks to recover. The only downside is that people are spending thousands of dollars getting treatments repeated for maximum results which can end up costing you more than the facelift would have.

Many plastic surgeons have turned their businesses to offering these fillers and injections, as their surgery business is declining. However, there are some issues that fillers and injections will not correct, so plastic surgery is required. It has been estimated that plastic surgeons are accumulating over 50% of their income from fillers and injections, like Restylane and Dysport.

There is a growing concern among experts that people will be on the bandwagon to try any new thing that becomes available. This can put their health at risk and it is best to stick with the methods that are proven to help, rather than gamble on a new, untested method.

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Secretive About Botox

Although an estimated 2.6 million Americans receive Botox treatments every year 75% of patients are secretive about it. In Britain, secrecy about treatment runs high as well, with 72% of women and 81% of men not saying a word about their treatments. Usually, when complimented on their improved appearance, patients make up a cover story, sometimes attributing their sudden youthfulness to the use of a sunblock or a moisturiser.

In a recent survey in southern California, plastic surgeons estimated different percentages to the level of secrecy. The average estimate is about 45%.

Dr. Edward Domanskis, a plastic surgeon in Newport Beach, estimated it to be from 60% to 70%. Dr. Ashkan Ghavami, a plastic surgeon in Beverly HIlls, approximated it to be about 60%. Dr. Val Lambros, a plastic surgeon in Newport Beach, guessed it to be from 30% to 40%. Dr. John Di Saia, a plastic surgeon in San Clemente and Anaheim, reckoned it to be less than 10%. And Dr. Michael Persky , a plastic surgeon in Encino, made an educated guess at about 15%, with 99.9% for celebrities.

Doctors are asked to keep the treatments a secret. Patients ask doctors to only call them on their mobile phones within a certain time frame. Women might only come for treatments while their husbands are out of town on a business trip to allow for enough time for the bruising to heal. Some of these women get all their treatments done all at the same time. Others spread them out; for instance, lips one month, Botox the next month, and so on.

Sculptra, a new, slow-acting dermal filler, is especially popular with secretive patients. During their research, the manufacturers learned that a certain population wanted gradual, rather than a sudden improvement in their appearance. Consequently, doctors usually ask patients if they would prefer a slower transformation in their features. With Sculptra injections, it may take from 6 to 10 weeks for the full effects to show. For secretive patients, this is a perfect solution. However, the effects of Botox and other even fillers are also easy to hide. According to Dr Val Lambros, “If you fill nasolabial folds it’s pretty easy to hide, but more advanced uses of fillers in other parts of the face, like around the lower lids can bruise and be harder to hide. Of course the chance of bruising is higher the more you want to avoid it.”

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The Cosmetic Treatment Registry

Amid growing concerns over cosmetic treatments being done at inappropriate settings, the Independent Healthcare Advisory Services (IHAS) is launching a voluntary register of injectable cosmetic treatment providers for botox and dermal fillers.

After its start in the early 90’s for cosmetic purposes, Botox has continued to be in use by people from all walks of life, such as celebrities and regular folk. It works to reduce wrinkling when people make facial gestures by paralysing nerves in the upper face. Dermal fillers on the other hand, fill in imperfections on the lower face and can also produce a lip pout or bigger cheeks.

Despite undoubted risks, many still continue to turn to these treatments. Currently in the UK, there are over 5,000 providers carrying out nearly 200,000 treatments each year. Some of the fillers offer temporary solutions, while others are permanent. With so many providers, it’s about time more regulation was put in place for the safety of consumers.

The new register requires treatment providers to pay registration and annual fees, in addition to promising a face-face consultation with all clients prior to any treatment. Providers must also ensure that the treatments take place in a safe and sterile environment by either a doctor, dentist, or registered nurse. The IHAS has yet to disclose where the collected fees will go and how they will be put to use.

Though some say it’s an attempt by the industry for self-regulation, heavy criticism has already started coming from plastic surgeons. A recent poll of the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons concluded that only 4% would consider signing up. However, the consensus is that a separate set of new European regulations that are being discussed currently are said to likely be more robust and not disguised with other small changes not as widely known.

This registry begs the question for both providers and consumers, is it really worth it? The providers profit off consumers who wish to attain immortality in looking young, but the technical process for providers to keep their business in accordance with the law now seems quite tedious for the upkeep of such practices. Though it is pro-consumer by demanding more in standards, the future looks dim.

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