February 2023

Training Excellence in Aesthetics Courses – Raising standards and shaping a safer future

The aesthetics industry is growing rapidly each year. With new practitioners coming into the industry and existing aesthetic practitioners, we have to ensure that there is a safety standard that we are all following. It is important to ensure that the delegates who are attending our training courses are trained in the latest techniques and procedures in safest way possible. That being said, there are still many questions surrounding safety and raising standards within the aesthetics sector – here’s what we are doing to raise standards and shape a safer future within aesthetics.

Aesthetic practitioners must be medically qualified

Aesthetic practitioners must be medically qualified. This is one of the most important aspects when raising stands in the industry. Facial anatomy is a crucial part of the aesthetic practitioner’s training. Aesthetic practitioners need to understand facial anatomy so they can safely carry out procedures that involve injecting products into or around the skin, as well as less invasive treatments. Without this knowledge, you are putting your patient’s health and safety at risk. It is important to understand how the face is structured in order to provide the best treatments for your patients in the safest way possible.

Training must be performed in a clinical environment

The term “clinical environment” refers to an area where medical procedures are performed, such as a clinic. The importance of training in a clinical environment cannot be overstated: it ensures that students learn the proper techniques and get used to performing them under this environment. If you’re not training or treating in a clinic environment you are putting your patients at a higher risk of complications. A clinic environment tends to have has a level of cleanliness and sanitation reducing the risk of infections when treating. Another factor is the lighting. You need to be able to see where you are injecting. Clinic environments have appropriate lighting needed when treating your patients. We have state of the art training clinics around the UK providing all of our aesthetic training courses. You will never learn outside of a clinic environment.

Ensuring medical professionals are given full support when starting out in aesthetics

We understand that moving into the Aesthetic Industry can be a daunting process. When starting out, there isn’t a huge amount of support available for you. That’s why we offer free of charge support before, during and after your training to make the process as simple and enjoyable as possible. Our comprehensive range of services and learning opportunities are designed to help you as a medical professional to upskill in aesthetics and take your career to the next level. To ensure that medical professionals are given full support in aesthetics, we offer support in the key following areas:

Clinical questions – helping you to understand how to administer injectables safely and effectively.
Business questions – helping you to build your business through admin, marketing and building relationships with other businesses in the aesthetics industry.
Marketing – teaching you how to promote yourself and the treatments you offer to your target patients.

All of our expert aesthetic trainers have excelled in their respective fields

All of our expert aesthetic trainers have excelled in their respective fields. They are all highly qualified and experienced in their field, with an excellent track record of training. This has given them a comprehensive understanding of the skills required to become a successful aesthetic practitioner. Their passion for aesthetics means they want to share their knowledge, enabling you to gain a deeper understanding of the subject matter as well as improve your skillset as an aesthetic practitioner. They will teach you how to perform aesthetic treatments in the safest possible way. Their hands-on approach will leave you feeling confident, giving you the knowledge and practical hands-on experience to improve your skills, expand your business and grow as an aesthetic practitioner.

We are working closely with the JCCP to ensure a high level of quality and safety within the aesthetics industry.

The Joint Council for Cosmetic Practitioners otherwise known as the JCCP are a ‘not for profit’ organisation that was made to bring ‘self-regulation’ to the non-surgical aesthetic sector within the UK. They are the body that registers practitioners, approved education, and training providers with a strong focus on patient safety. We are working closely with the JCCP to ensure that regulation is brought into the aesthetics industry to shape a safer future.

Raising standards and shaping a safer future

Safety is paramount, and training must be performed in a clinical environment. We understand that medical professionals may be starting out in aesthetics and need all the support they can get. That’s why all of our expert aesthetic trainers have excelled in their respective fields. They know how to help you succeed and learn quickly, so you can give your patients what they want, safe treatments that look natural and beautiful.

We have been about since 2002 and have continued to provide the highest quality Botox training and aesthetic medicine courses across the UK. We have a great reputation in the industry for delivering excellent training courses, which is why so many medical professionals choose us as their training provider when it comes to hands-on learning of new aesthetic treatments or gaining their aesthetic qualifications. We are confident that our aesthetic training courses will help to raise the standards and shape a safer future for the aesthetics industry. We will only train medical professionals in a clinical environment.

Find out more

Our team are always on hand to support you every step of the way, from what to train in next to business and marketing advice. You can contact us on: 01844 390110 / [email protected]

The Aesthetics Knowledge Hub is a great place for you to find answers to frequently asked questions from aesthetic practitioners. Here you will find out key information on the aesthetic industry.

February 23, 2023/by Mr Adrian Richards

Licensing Regime for Non-Surgical Treatments by July 2023

The UK government have responded to the Department of Health and Social and Care Committee (HSCC) 2022 report on the impact of body image on mental and physical health. Alongside the report they have announced details of its aesthetics licensing plan including delivery will be released by July 2023.

In section 5 of the report, it starts to explore the use of non-surgical cosmetic procedures for those suffering with negative body image from mental and physical health. Sharing statistics such as:

8% of adults (4% of men and 13% of women) had considered cosmetic procedures
36% of young people agreed they would do ‘whatever it took’ to look good, with 10% saying they had considered cosmetic procedures
5% and 15% of patients who present for cosmetic procedures meet the diagnostic criteria for BDD

These findings point towards the aesthetic industry and what we are doing to ensure patients are not taken advantage of and only treated when practitioners are happy they meet the suitable criteria to undergo such procedures, mentally and physically.

The JCCP shared their statistics, which highlights how important it is for proper procedures and guidelines to be put in place to ensure patient safety:

22% did not have any pre-treatment consultation
70% had a consultation that lasted less than 20 minutes
Almost one in four were not asked anything about their previous medical history during their consultation
Almost four out of five patients were not asked anything about body image orpsychological/emotional challenges

A future regulatory regime for non-surgical cosmetic procedures

The following statements were documented in response to future regulatory for the industry:

The dangers posed by non-surgical cosmetic procedures in vulnerable groups have been evident throughout the inquiry. The new licensing regime provides an opportunity to ensure that anyone planning to undertake a non-surgical cosmetic procedure has the time and space to consider their decision and weigh up the risks and benefits. It is clear this is not currently the case for everyone in that position.
We recommend that the new licensing regime for non-surgical cosmetic procedures includes a commitment to a two-part consent process for anyone considering having a non-surgical cosmetic procedure, including, at a minimum, a full medical and mental health history, as well as a mandatory 48-hour cooling off period between the consent process and undergoing the procedure. We further believe that information provided to patients or clients who are considering any treatments should always be provided with information in an accessible format to ensure they are able to make an informed choice about their proposed treatment.

Premises regulation

The guidelines of regulations are looking at the premises which treatments are being carried out in alongside practitioner safety, the following was commented:

There should be specific premises standards for all beauty salons and non-CQC registered premises providing non-surgical cosmetic procedures. Local Authority Enforcement Officers should be given extended powers to enforce compliance with a nationally agreed set of premises standards.

Education and training for practitioners

In the UK there is no enforcement in place to ensure practitioners undergo adequate training of aesthetic treatments before injecting the public. This includes no training standards set. At present, anyone can administer non-surgical treatments, and anyone can train them, regardless of medical and educational background. It has been called upon for qualifications and training framework to be provided to ensure a high quality of training for those in the industry.

Professor Sines shared the belief that any future education and training framework must include mandatory mental health screening. He stated:
“With education and training being set as a new standard, which of course is the spirit of the licence, within that, the curriculum would require that any person who demonstrates the proficiency to achieve that education and training standard should and will be trained in psychological and emotional screening, pre-consultation.”

We are convinced that there is a need for a minimum standard to be met in regard to the education and training of practitioners who perform non-surgical cosmetic procedures. It is essential to ensure patient safety, and thus should be a central pillar of a future licensing regime. The Professional Standards Authority should be given the power to oversee a register of approved training providers. All training providers should have to meet an Ofqual-regulated standard.

Dermal Filler Remains Non-Prescription

Botulinum toxin, more popularly known as Botox, is at least a prescription-only medicine, meaning it has to be prescribed before it can be used on a patient. Professor Sines explained that dermal fillers, on the other hand, are not prescription-only medicines and are treated as medical devices. He explained that if they were to be treated as prescription-only devices, then “there would be a requirement for oversight from prescribers, which would certainly provide greater protection for the public.”

We recommend that the Department review the licencing of dermal fillers to be prescription-only substances, in line with Botox, in order to provide more protection for people undertaking procedures involving dermal fillers.

As always, we are here to help and support you, we will continue to provide the latest updates regarding upcoming licensing. As a company we stand by the current proposal and are looking for a safer future within aesthetics. If you would like any support or information regarding our courses, please contact us on: 01844 390110 / [email protected].

You can find the latest updates in the Government Guidelines Knowledge Hub.

February 16, 2023/by Mr Adrian Richards

Botox Training, Filler Training

Career progression for injectors completing our Botox & Dermal Filler Foundation Course

The Botox and Dermal Filler Foundation Training Course is a comprehensive course that gives delegates all the knowledge, skills and practice they need to start injecting Botox and Dermal Fillers. The course will provide an introduction to essential treatments most sought after by patients and clinic employers in the aesthetics industry. On successful completion of the course, delegates will have all the knowledge and skills needed to begin treating their patients.

Injecting Botox and filler is a highly specialised skill that takes time to learn.

Injecting Botox and Dermal Filler is a highly specialised skill that takes time to learn. To become an injector and attend an aesthetic training course from Cosmetic Courses, you must be medically qualified as a surgeon, doctor, dentist or nurse with a current registration with the GMC, GDC or NMC, or equivalent if you are an overseas delegate.

Injecting Botox and Dermal Filler is not just about injecting into your patient’s face, it involves knowing how the product works, what side effects can occur and how best to manage them if they do happen. You will also need to understand why we use these products in certain areas of the face rather than others. A deep knowledge of anatomy and an understanding of facial muscles is crucial to ensure your patient is in the safest of hands.

We pride ourselves on the quality of our training and the expertise of our trainers to ensure delegates are trained to the highest standard.

We pride ourselves on the quality of our courses and the expertise of our trainers to ensure our delegates are trained to the highest standard. All of our aesthetic training programmes are managed by our Clinical Director and Consultant Plastic Surgeon Mr Adrian Richards. Mr Richards works with a handpicked team of expert aesthetic trainers including Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons, Aesthetic Doctors, Dentists and Nurses who have all excelled in their respective fields. Our trainers have many years of experience in aesthetics and have either owned or worked in established aesthetic clinics, which gives them a comprehensive understanding of what it takes to become a successful aesthetic practitioner.

Foundation Botox & Dermal Filler Training

Our Foundation Training is designed to help you gain a solid grounding in facial aesthetics.

Our Botox & Dermal Filler Foundation Training Course is designed to help you gain a solid grounding in facial aesthetics, giving you an excellent start in becoming a confident injector. The one-day Foundation Training Course comprises of a group interactive lecture led by one of our expert trainers, followed by an afternoon of practical hands-on training in small groups. The covering areas the aesthetics course will focus on are:

Upper face 3 area Botox
Nose to mouth lines
Marionette lines
Corners of the mouth

We are one of the few providers to train in genuine Allergan Botox® as well as the Juvederm Ultra range of dermal fillers. If you successfully complete your Foundation Botox and Dermal Filler training day you will receive a certificate of attendance which is recognised by all major aesthetic insurance companies. Once you have your insurance in place, you can then begin practising. You can find out more about the Botox & Dermal Filler Foundation Training Course by clicking here.

What are your options after completing the Foundation Botox and Dermal Filler Training Courses

On successful completion of our Foundation Botox and Dermal Filler Training Course, we advise attending either our Botox and Dermal Filler Bespoke Training Course, Introduction to Lip Filler Training Course or our Intermediate Botox & Dermal Filler Training Course. These Aesthetic Courses are a great natural progression for you to improve your knowledge, skills and confidence as an aesthetic practitioner.

The Intermediate Botox and Dermal Filler Training Course is a small group course that will focus on key areas to support the next stage of your aesthetic development. You will be able to consolidate your current knowledge and develop your techniques whilst addressing any questions you may have.

Now you have your core training, there are two different routes you can go down, either you start to incorporate skin into your practice with a course like Chemical Peel Training or you can decide to advance your injecting knowledge further with our advanced level training courses.

Aesthetic Qualifications

We also offer Level 7 qualification in Medical Aesthetics. The VTCT Level 7 Aesthetic Medicine Diploma is a JCCP approved and VTCT certified clinical aesthetics diploma in injectable treatments for medical professionals considering a career in aesthetic medicine as well as those already practising but looking to obtain formal recognition for their knowledge and skills. Future proof your aesthetic career and find out more about our VTCT Level 7 Aesthetic Medicine Diploma by clicking here.

The aesthetics industry is a great industry to be a part of as you can control your own destiny. The career is very flexible to your needs and lifestyle. With less regulation, you have the ability to choose which Botox and Dermal Filler products to use as well as preferred techniques and treatments for your patients. This also means that you will have a greater standard of care for your patients as your patient contact time will generally be longer.

Find out more:

Our team are always on hand to support you every step of the way, from what to train in next to business and marketing advice. Talk to us today: 01844 390110 / [email protected]