Are Cosmetic Surgeons the Experts When it Comes to Botox & training?
There was a very interesting debate on the RealSelf forums recently (where you can go to ‘find, share and discuss the real story about any cosmetic surgery treatment’).
A forum user was asking whether they would be better to go and see a Cosmetic Surgeon or Dermatologist (Skin Problem Specialist) for their Botox® injections.
Some of the responses provided by resident forum experts were very interesting.
• It’s all about experience, with Botox® said one US Plastic Surgeon. The “most expert” Botox® specialist can be measured in terms of a Practitioner who has the most anatomical knowledge of the areas which they are treating; which amounts of product work to produce the best-looking, longest-lasting results; how regularly they themselves perform the treatment. He points out that Cosmetic Surgeons are, in a sense, artists and trained to have ‘a good eye’ for what looks natural and effective when performing Botox®…other Skin Care Experts may have a better developed eye for other areas, such as skin abnormalities. In terms of experience, many Board Registered Plastic Surgeons have simply been working in the area far longer and performed more procedures than your average Dermatologist. But he also provides a fantastic quote: “a very experienced Dermatologist would be a better choice than an inexperienced plastic surgeon”.
• Ask about their Allergan Account Level – the same Surgeon gave a great tip that you can guage how regularly a Surgeon (or Dermatologist) is practicing Botox by asking their Allergan account level. “Allergan is the manufacturer of Botox, and has various levels of accounts by doctor or by practice based on how much Botox they are purchasing. Levels include silver, gold, platinum, platinum plus, diamond and then black diamond is the highest, meaning they are in the top 1% of injectors nationwide.”
• Cosmetic Surgeons understand limitations of Botox® says another forum user from Montreal. They have ‘the experience to know when surgical correction is the best treatment in their armatorium of aesthetic tools’ which means they don’t believe Botox® is some magical cure-all. They are therefore more likely to manage patients’ expectations of the results, suggest possible alternative treatments and be realistic about the possibilities which can be achieved with each patient.
• What about Dermatologists? Of course there are those on the thread arguing the flipside. Dermatologist Mitchell Schwartz points out that both Cosmetic Surgeons and Dermatologists are skin specialists. In fact, he says, Botox® treatment was initially developed by a dermatologist and an ophthalmologist.
The big thing they all keep coming back to is experience, experience, experience.
And it got me to thinking…
This forum thread was from a patients’ perspective. But what about delegates: nurses, doctors and dentists interested in training in Botox®?
Is Botox® Training better with a Cosmetic Surgeon?
Surely the same principles apply…
Ideally, you want to train with a company who has team members with a range of experience: not just all cosmetic surgeons, or all doctors, all dentists, Aesthetic Nurses or all dermatologists. You want to take aspects of each of their knowledge and learn from what they can teach you. Unfortunately (probably due to the fact that “birds of a feather flock together”!) a lot of training providers are strongly skewed towards one “type” of team.
At Cosmetic Courses, our Training Team is a real eclectic mix. We have Cosmetic Surgeons, RGNs (Registered General Nurses), Doctors, Medical Aestheticians. The one thing they all have in common is that they are dedicated experts in the field of aesthetic medicine. And they are all headed by a renowned Cosmetic Surgeon: Mr Adrian Richards of Aurora Clinics.
The benefits of Cosmetic Surgeon-led training?
• Expert advice from Mr Adrian Richards, The Daily Mail’s ‘Home Counties Leading Plastic Surgeon’: over 12 years’ international specialist experience in aesthetic medicine with numerous procedures to draw on. Watch him on Youtube to see him in action…his reputation is second to none.
• Receive in-depth marketing and business advice on how to make it big.
• See the bigger picture: put non-surgical procedures like Botox® and dermal fillers into the context of cosmetic surgery as a whole and get advice on assessing your patients in terms of all the possibilities for improving them facially.
• Train in the surroundings of a renowned Cosmetic Surgery clinic with 4 fully-functioning and equipped Clinic rooms: this is our National Cosmetic Training Centre.
• Train at the very most professional level: our training is in no way intimidating (just check out our testimonials section to see all the comments about our friendly team!). But by coming to a Cosmetic Surgeon-led provider, you can rest assured that you will be amongst other doctors, nurses and dentists intent upon getting the very best start to their medical aesthetic career. Training with Mr Richards and his team is intense, comprehensive and, above all, inspirational.
To find out more about Cosmetic Courses’ great range of Cosmetic Surgeon-led training, call us today on 0845 230 4110 and find out why we are the outstanding choice for your medical aesthetic training.
