Stepping into an aesthetic practice like mine for the first time you might have questions about how it all works or what to expect. It is also very common to feel slightly nervous about the process. So let’s run through what a consultation will look like when you come to my practice:

1. An introduction

It might seem strange to mention this but getting a “feel” for who I am and what I’m like is important for you as a patient. And vice versa. Feeling comfortable although it might not be the absolute top priority, is key in aesthetics. Why? Because aesthetic treatments have a certain level of intimacy and vulnerability. You are after all discussing parts of yourself that concern you, beautifying features, complexes, worries about your appearance. It is ideal for you to feel comfortable with me, and I with you.

2. Medical history

A thorough medical history is always important to go through in detail. I need be sure that the aesthetic treatments are a safe option for you. Some examples of why this is important

• You have a neuromuscular disorder, this is key for me to know as it will mean botulinum toxin treatments are off the table
• You are on aminoglycoside antibiotics – better to wait for treatment until you are finished your course as they interfere with the effect of the botulinum toxin
• You are allergic to iodine – we use iodine in the starch test for when we are treating excessive sweating with botulinum toxin
• You are pregnant or breastfeeding, although there are no studies to show it is not safe, there aren’t any studies to show it is safe and so it is important for me to know if you are pregnant or breastfeeding
• Asthmatic, do you have your inhaler with you etc

3. Lifestyle

So many aspects of our life affect our skin, our aging, our appearance. It is important to walk through things like your daily sun exposure, your level of physical activity, habits like smoking, to name just a few element. It is important because it helps me customise the expectations around your treatment outcomes.

4. Facial analysis

I need to hear from you what exactly it is you are hoping to gain through aesthetic treatments, so we can formulate a plan to help you achieve that. There are instances when someone cannot pin point what exactly it is they want and that is also completely fine, we will analyse and plan together.

Besides knowing what aspects we need to address and where we want to end up through our treatments, it is also key to discuss expectations surrounding the main concerns you have. Aligning expectations is key.

5. Creating a treatment plan

Having heard your goals or wants for your aesthetic treatment and having considered your lifestyle and having assessed your face we can plant together how to work towards those goals. I’ll talk you through the information, possible results, possible side effects of the treatments, to talk you through how the procedure will feel, how you will feel in the days after the treatment and then you can make an informed decision about how you want to proceed.

6. Photographs

I will be photographing your face and it is my preference that you are photographed without makeup.

It is key to have a guide before we start treatments and a document that shows how your face and features looked when you walking in to my practice. It is a lovely thing to refer back to to see the results and to gauge our progress in the treatment plan.

But there is another very important reason why I need the photographs…It happens time and time again that patients forget what their face or features looked like before I inject. It is a way to point out preexisting things like blemishes or asymmetries and show you they were always there. It is also an important reference point to ground us in our treatments, some patients love the look of the filler (for example) so much and just want more and more. The photographs are a way to see if you are chasing treatment that is veering away from a natural look.

All photographs used on my social media will block out identifying features. And I will not post them without your consent. I do ask that you consider letting me use them as it is a wonderful way to showcase my work. And we all know anyone who is considering aesthetic treatments wants to see before and afters.