Myth Busting in Facial Aesthetics

Fear Factors and Myth Busting in Facial Aesthetics

There are many people who consider having non-surgical aesthetic procedures, however, ultimately, do not go ahead due to common fear factors and myths surrounding the aesthetics industry.

If you are considering undergoing any non-surgical cosmetic procedures it is very important to do you research and know the facts. Unfortunately, there is a lot of negative media coverage and advertisements about facial aesthetics that can be very misleading, and on occasions factually incorrect. This can lead to unnecessarily putting people off having them done.

A recent survey carried out on behalf of ‘SafeAP’ looked into the reasons behind patient’s apprehension regarding non-surgical cosmetic procedures. Below, we discuss the outcomes of this survey and highlight some common myths and misconceptions about facial aesthetics. You may have heard or read some or all of them, or something similar. We hope to clarify some of these misconceptions for your peace of mind if you are considering treatment.

TOP 3 FEAR FACTORS REPORTED

1) Cost. Unsurprisingly, in the current climate 50% of patients in the survey cited cost as being the overriding factor in being put off aesthetic treatments. Professionally carried out procedures using good quality products can be expensive. It can therefore be tempting to find clinics and practitioners who offer cheaper alternatives. However, this can be a perfect example of the saying ‘if you pay cheap you pay twice’. Choosing a well qualified healthcare professional to do your treatments, is paramount. Not only for your safety but also to prevent you having an undesirable aesthetic appearance that may ultimately result in you having to pay again to have things corrected or reversed.

2) Looking Unnatural and ‘Fake’. 46% of patients in the survey reported looking unnatural as the main reason for not going through with facial aesthetics, such as ‘over inflated lips’ or ‘looking frozen’. At Select Aesthetics, we pride ourselves in performing treatments that create subtle and natural looking results. A comprehensive assessment is important to discuss the patient’s desired look. If you prefer a natural, discrete result, this can be achieved by adding less product initially. In addition, as medical professionals, safety, sound advice and ethical considerations are paramount in the assessment process prior to carrying out treatments. It is our duty of care to ensure that patients are advised correctly on what is appropriate, use high quality products, carry out the treatments with diligence and provide effective aftercare where needed. At Select Aesthetics, our aim is to help you achieve a naturally enhanced version of yourself, not to give you results that are obvious and ‘fake looking’.

3) Hearing ‘Horror Stories’. Patients may have heard of stories where aesthetic procedures have gone wrong causing a detrimental effect on facial appearances or patient’s health. 32% of patients in the survey said that this was their main concern. As with any procedure, there is always risk involved. However, these risks are very rare and unlikely to occur if you are treated by the right practitioner. Doing your research and finding a well trained, medical professional will minimise this risk and ensure you are in safe hands throughout your aesthetics journey. Well qualified practitioners should also be trained in managing any complications that may arise from treatments as your safety is most important when having any aesthetics procedures.

Other Concerns Mentioned in the Survey

‘I’m worried it will be too painful’

Of course, it would be untruthful to say that any treatments involving needle injections are completely painless. However, we take all necessary steps to ensure every procedure is as comfortable as possible. For example:

• For filler treatments, we use topical numbing cream prior to the procedure. In addition, all our filler products that we use at Select Aesthetics contain Lidocaine. This is a local anaesthetic which, once injected, numbs the area that is being injected.

• Our anti-wrinkle treatments are carried out using very small needles, minimising discomfort whilst injecting.

• With advanced training in aesthetics, we are taught skills in precise and correct injection techniques that will reduce any discomfort as much as possible.

‘Once you start having treatment, you will have to continue forever’

There is no reason why choosing to stop aesthetics having aesthetics treatments, or have a long gap in between treatments, would have any negative effect to your skin. All of our treatments at Select Aesthetics are non-permanent and will slowly wear off over time with your skin returning to its pre-treatment condition.

‘There is a lot of downtime after procedures’

All non-surgical cosmetic procedures at Select Aesthetics do not have a long downtime following treatments. You can continue with your normal daily routine immediately after your treatment. With some procedures you may experience some bruising and mild swelling. However, this normally resolves within a few days and does not prevent you from continuing with your day to day tasks and routine.

‘Aesthetic treatments are only for older women’ 

Aesthetic treatments are not exclusively for older women. Women of all ages seek these treatments to enhance their natural beauty, regardless of their age. However, it is a legal requirement to only perform anti-wrinkle and filler procedures to patients over the age of 18. This will always be checked by your practitioner prior to any treatments at Select Aesthetics.

‘My wrinkles will look worse once Botox wears off’

Not true. What is true is that Botox and dermal fillers are temporary treatments. They gradually wear off, as the injected material is absorbed by your body. Botox treatments usually last about 3 to 6 months. At that point, your wrinkles may look “worse” to you, only because they look like your “before” picture. Many patients choose to get regular renewal treatments to help keep wrinkles from returning. Over time, repeat Botox treatments can lessen the extent to which wrinkles return.

Our practitioners at Select Aesthetics are healthcare professionals, trained in advanced aesthetics treatment who are confident in managing any complications and have an on-site prescriber. We are fully insured by the leading aesthetics insurer Hamilton Fraser and only use high quality, CE marked products from reputable pharmacies. Select Aesthetics is registered with ‘The Consulting Rooms’ which is a database of recognised aesthetic clinics run by medical professional. This helps to provide peace of mind for our patients that they are in safe hands when undergoing any non-surgical aesthetic procedures.