Reality TV star Chloe Goodman has sent shockwaves through the medical aesthetic industry by setting up as an aesthetic practitioner offering Botox and Dermal Filler treatments without any prior experience in medicine. Despite her lack of medical training she has just launched her own aesthetic clinic in Leeds; Opiah Cosmetics.
So how has a young women of age 23, with no medical background, managed to train and practice in Botox and Dermal Fillers?
The answer? Regulatory loopholes…
The Ex on the Beach and Big Brother star is said to have trained with the highly controversial training centre; Cosmetic Couture. Cosmetic Couture came under scrutiny as it was revealed that they were training Beauty Therapists in Botox and Dermal Filler treatments, something that the industry as a whole disagrees with.
Botox is a prescription-only medicine which means it has to be prescribed by a Doctor or nurse prescriber by law. However the administration of Botox and Dermal Fillers can, by law, be performed by anyone who has trained to do so.
This is where the issue presents itself. Aesthetic insurance companies and established training providers like Cosmetic Courses have long been setting a minimum entry requirement for these non-surgical cosmetic injectables. We only offer our Botox and Dermal Filler training courses to medically qualified professionals, whether that be a doctor, dentist or nurse.
We do offer training to Beauty Therapists at NVQ Level 4 but this is in the still lucrative but less invasive skin treatments of microdermabrasion and superficial skin peels.
Why do we choose not to train non-medical professionals in Botox and Dermal Fillers?
The training that is taken by a Beauty Therapist or any other non-medical professional does not provide the level of knowledge in terms of facial anatomy, skin anatomy, anaphylaxis etc. that is experienced during a medical degree studying to be a Doctor, Dentist or Nurse.
The British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS) have labelled Chloe’s opening of a clinic as ‘worrying’, and expressed their concern for the members of the public that she may treat. Several professionals within the business are also speaking out against this contentious announcement, stating she does not know enough to deal with the complications that may arise.
Whilst a completely safe procedure in the hands of a trained and qualified Doctor, Dentist or Nurse, procedures such as Botox and fillers can be dangerous when not performed correctly, with the risk of infections and in severe cases necrosis or blindness. A lack of adequate training in this field can lead to many complications with the procedure and could potentially put the patients at risk.
Setting the Standards for Education
Earlier this year, Health Education England (HEE) published the final part of its report indicating standards of training and entry levels for individuals considering a career in aesthetics. The aim was to make it clearer about who should and shouldn’t perform treatments such as Botox and Dermal Fillers. The last report suggested anyone performing Botox or Dermal Fillers should be trained to a post-graduate degree level (Level 7) which indicates that no non-medical professional would be considered ‘qualified’ to perform these treatments.
A key area that we feel needs to be significantly addressed is informing the general public about the risks of being treated by someone who is deemed ‘unqualified’. The patient can lead the way on setting the standards but only if they fully understand the risks and complications that can arise. It is our duty as industry professionals to develop this awareness.
Although the Health Education England report is simply a recommendation, we are hopeful that this will provide a benchmark for standards of training in the non-surgical cosmetic industry.
Aesthetic Training at Cosmetic Courses
Cosmetic Courses have been training medically qualified doctors, dentists and nurses for the past 15 years in Botox and Dermal Filler techniques as well as a range of skin rejuvenation treatments. If you’re interested in finding out more on how to start your aesthetic career please feel free to contact our course co-ordinators for further information.
