In his latest article, regular contributor & award-winning aesthetics practitioner Amish Patel explains why you need to look beyond a glossy photo to discover the truth behind those ‘before and after’ images.
The Perfect Picture
” They say a picture speaks a thousand words. For any reputable and talented aesthetics artist, our’ before and after’ images are the portfolio of work that we share on social media and with our prospective clients to showcase our expertise and talent.
But what if the images you were looking at were not by the individual posting them? What if the company or the practitioner had bought ‘before and after’ stock photographs or, worse still, stolen the images and shared them as their own?
Buyer Beware
Sadly this has happened to our clinic a few times with these unscrupulous individuals artfully cropping out watermarks and stealing them to pass off as their own body of work. This theft is not only disheartening for me to see my work and my wonderful clients being passed off as someone else’s work but, more worryingly, the unknowing general public who see this work and book in good faith based on these results.
Choosing A Trusted Aesthetics Practitioner
How can you be assured that what you see in before and after images is the work of the aesthetic practitioner?* Check that the practitioner is a healthcare professional registered with the GMC, GDC, GPhC or NMC. Credentials such as these normally indicate a professional set-up and make them accountable for their morals and practice.
* Don’t be scared to ask for any certificates to prove their qualifications. As an award-winning clinic, I am hugely proud of my qualifications and am always happy to share them with prospective clients.
* Ideally, find a Save Face registered clinic. As a long standing member of ‘Save Face’, I have achieved their ‘excellence’ rating. Save Face is a national register of Accredited practitioners who provide non-surgical cosmetic treatments such as anti-wrinkle injections and dermal fillers. Their Register is accredited by Professional Standards Authority and is recognised by the Government, The Department of Health, NHS England and The Care Quality Commission. I am also a member of the ACE Group (Aesthetic Complications Expert) Group. Look for alliances with official bodies to add credentials.
* Don’t shop around for the best price. My favourite saying is ‘you’re not paying for the ml, but the skill‘. Skill takes training, and training costs money. Add to this; insurances, clinical premises and staff and you’ll find that professional clinics aren’t going to be bartering on price. If someone is working from their kitchen administering injectable treatments or from a shed in the garden, they may well be more competitive on price, but in the unlikely event that something goes wrong, will they have the experience, equipment, access to equipment or drugs? Skill and safety should always be paramount. Don’t be afraid to contact numerous clinics and find testimonials on independent review sites like Google, Save Face, and What Clinic before booking your aesthetic treatments.
* Assess the quality of any social media pages. Do they appear professional, consistent and the work reflective of what you would like to achieve through your treatment plan? If the company doesn’t care about their appearance? Why would they care about yours?”
Amish Patel is an Award-Winning aesthetics practitioner. Amish’s extensive training includes at the Royal College Of General Practitioners and with some of the best Harley Street, International Aesthetic Doctors in the sector.
Amish launched Intrigue Cosmetic Clinic in 2016, and his talent for creating beautiful results without the need for surgery has seen his loyal clientele grow year on year. Amongst the many procedures Amish offers is Non-surgical Rhinoplasty which has built Amish an international reputation for being the ‘go-to’ ‘liquid nose job guru’. A long standing member of ‘Save Face’ Amish has achieved ‘excellence’ rating. Save Face is a national register of Accredited practitioners who provide non-surgical cosmetic treatments such as anti-wrinkle injections and dermal fillers. Their Register is accredited by Professional Standards Authority and is recognised by the Government, The Department of Health, NHS England and The Care Quality Commission.
Amish is also a member of the ACE Group (Aesthetic Complications Expert) Group. Amish’s background as an Award-Winning pharmacist, also gives him unrivalled knowledge and expertise in both the products he chooses to work with and achievable results. Amish is also a respected aesthetics trainer and regularly features in the national and international press.