As the cost of living starts to bite, one award-winning aesthetics practitioner is warning consumers to do their research before opting for cheap fillers and Botox.
Amish Patel, Founder of Intrigue Cosmetic Clinic based in Kent and Greater London, is seeing an increased influx of people and clinic referrals approaching the client to have their botched fillers dissolved, and the complications and issues addressed as he explains;
“Sadly, we do see cases of botched fillers coming through our clinic doors for remedial attention most months, but over the past couple of months, this has increased by over 30%.”
Cheap Doesn’t Equal Good
Amish believes that the cost of living is undoubtedly driving this worrying trend;
“The prospect of the cost of living rising is already on consumers’ minds, and I think consumers have already started to look at how they can reduce their beauty budgets. They still want their fillers and Botox treatments, but many are now looking for cheap deals or offers, which never equals a good outcome.”
Amish goes on to explain that to offer deals and offers, the practitioner either has to be using an inferior filler product or is cutting costs in other areas, all of which could be putting you at risk of disfigurement.
Cheap Or Fake Fillers Are Rife
“Quality filler comes at a price.” Explains Amish;
“With over 200 filler brands, they are not created equally. We only use one brand of filler at the clinic. This filler is of the highest quality and has undergone rigorous testing, so we know it is safe and reliable for our clients. There are fillers that do not have the same safety record and plenty of fake fillers. Remember, a cheap, low quality filler might make the treatment price cheaper, but it won’t last as long, so you’re creating a false economy as you will have to go back sooner for a top-up. Fake fillers might dupe less experienced aesthetic practitioners into buying because of the unbelievably cheap price tag and, therefore, bigger profit margins, but they are putting your health at risk. We only ever buy our products from a reliable source, so we know they are safe and the genuine products.”
Cost Of Living Undercuts Skill And Safety
In order to undercut clinics, some aesthetic practitioners work out of their garden rooms or kitchens, but there are risks attached, as Amish explains;
“What happens if there is a complication? Does your aesthetic practitioner have access to medical supplies or the experience to know how to mitigate the problem? Our practices operate in clinical environments, meaning that hygiene is a priority, not an afterthought, and our team is trained to spot any issues before they would ever become an emergency.”
Amish is a vocal campaigner for greater regulation to protect unknowing consumers and warns that under current legislation, anyone can pick up needles and filler and start injecting your face with filler with very little or NO training;
“Obviously, if you haven’t invested thousands of pounds in training, setting up a registered company and operating out of business premises, then the likelihood is that you will be able to undercut bona fide businesses like mine, but the risk to consumers is huge.”
Disfigurement Risk With Botched Fillers
Opting for cheap aesthetic work can put you at risk of disfigurement but also more severe complications such as tissue death and even permanent blindness.
Amish shares an all too familiar story of one client’s filler nightmare;
“We had one case recently, a lady who had been a regular client of mine for many years. We didn’t see her for about six months. Then she contacted me on my directly out of the blue via my personal social media, messaging me to explain that she had been ‘really stupid’ and gone somewhere else because it was cheaper but that they had ‘ruined’ her face and begged me for an appointment to see if I could help.”
Amish was horrified by the disfigurement caused to the individual’s face, which was overfilled and asymmetrical;
“It was dreadful to see the anxiety and distress caused by this botched aesthetic work. They looked to have used the wrong filler product in the lips, which had created a stiff, protruding lip profile and their cheek fillers were completely uneven, giving a drooping impression to one side of the face. The only thing to do was to completely dissolve the filler and let everything settle down before review and follow-up appointments to carefully refill the areas correctly. Often, these cases can take months, not weeks, to resolve, leaving the individual traumatised and reluctant to live their lives normally or be seen out socially.”
“The problem is with all these cases that the client is too ashamed to go public with their story. They feel embarrassed and just want to move on from the trauma and anxiety caused by botched fillers. Very rarely will they want to go back to the practitioner who caused the issues in the first place, and so this scenario continues on and on.”
Protect Yourself And Your Face
So how can you protect yourself, your face and your money?
“I would always recommend choosing someone who is Save Face registered. Save Face is a government-approved register listing approved clinics. As ‘excellence’ rated members, we know this gives prospective clients reassurance when they first approach us. I would always recommend you have a consultation in the first instance and ask to see clinical examples of their work for the procedure you are considering so you can make an informed choice. Don’t be afraid to ask about their experience and qualifications and always choose a medical professional”
Amish goes on to give more money-saving tips;
“Be wary of being lulled into expensive full-face treatments, which may not be needed. We like to create a treatment plan that addresses our client’s main concerns but would benefit the overall refresh of the face. For example, a client might hate their jowls and nose-to-mouth lines, but by adding cheek filler, it may be possible to not only refresh the whole face but also soften the nose-to-mouth lines and reduce the appearance of the jowls with just one treatment. We always recommend a face to face or video consultation for new clients because it’s important you feel comfortable and confident before parting with any money. I would also use your consultation time to review the premises from which the practitioner is operating to ensure it is a hygienic and safe environment.”
Avoiding cosmetic cowboys will not only keep your money safe but keep your face safe from harm.
Featured Photo by Joey Nicotra on Unsplash
