Costhetics has news for you. When it comes to cosmetic enhancement, the last person you want as your injector is a yes-man (or yes-woman).
Everybody may be flocking to dermal fillers, but are they a good choice for you? If not, your injector needs to tell you so.
It isn’t easy to do, but the best injectors say ‘no’ as often as they say yes.
Top 3 Reasons Doctors Say No to Patient Requests
As a general rule, patients usually know what they want, but they have no idea what they need. So, while doctors are eager to help patients who are eager to experience the joys of cosmetic injectables, sometimes dermal filler injections are not the right path. Here are four reasons injectors give for saying ‘no’ rather than yes:
- Medical history contraindications
- Patient has unrealistic expectations regarding the outcome
- Patient displays mental health issues, including Body Dysmorphic Disorder (A 1998 study found that between 7% and 12% of patients presenting for cosmetic surgery have BDD.)
These obstacles to a successful dermal filler treatment won’t be discovered in a 30-second phone call. They can only be uncovered during a professional pre-treatment consult.
Dermal Filler Consult: Time Well Spent
The best dermal filler injectors understand there is more to a patient than the skin they’re in (or the money that’s in their wallet). Before providing a service, they take the time for an in-depth consult. A consult is more than a questionnaire, by the way. It’s a one-to-one conversation that establishes a relationship of trust and understanding.
The more injectors know about their patients, the better equipped they are to create customised treatment plans that will provide high-quality results. Ideally, “I want them to see the value in their fillers or injectables, not the value in other people’s procedures that won’t work on them,” says one doctor.
Be Prepared to Have Your Mind Blown
It’s common for dermal filler first timers to come in with an idea of what treatment they want, but no idea as to what they really need. They do online research, chat with friends, and read beauty magazines, but none of those sources offer personalised recommendations based on who they are. They’re surprised and often annoyed when their injector says no.
A perfect example of this is the quest for a more attractive jaw line. Many patients believe a neck lift is the only answer to sagging skin in the lower face. They are thrilled when their doctor explains that effective chin contouring can be achieved without surgery and with the use of dermal fillers.
Fillers for an already “fat” chin? It sounds cuckoo but adding volume in order to achieve more definition is sometimes effective. In the hands of a skilled injector, a modest increase in volume can:
- Enhance the jawline’s existing structure
- Build a stronger jawline
- Create more separation between the jawline, neck, and other facial structures
Don’t Go Overboard
As Australia emerges from lockdown, there has been a tremendous uptick in requests for aesthetic treatments, especially dermal fillers. Most doctors say too much Zoom-ing has made us all hyper-critical and are urging patients to take a less-is-more approach to facial rejuvenation when they’re newbies. At Costhetics, we say it’s always good to go slow until you know.