Questions to Ask Before Any Aesthetic Treatment, Wherever You Go

Whether you come to us or go somewhere else, these are the checks we'd want our own family to make before any aesthetic treatment.

In the video, Bina, one of our nurses, talks you through it: how to get ready, what happens at your appointment, what's normal, and the questions worth asking, whether you come to us or go somewhere else. Everything is written out below so you can come back to it.

Bina appears in real video filmed at our clinic; the voice is AI-generated and lip-synced, made with consent. The treatment footage is real and used with consent.

The checks to make

Check who is treating you

Ask for their full name and qualifications, and check them on the professional register: NMC for nurses, GMC for doctors, GDC for dentists, GPhC for pharmacists. A PSA-accredited register such as Save Face or the JCCP is a good sign.

Check the clinic

Some procedures, such as thread lifts, subcision and cosmetic IV drips, must be done in a CQC-registered clinic. Avoid treatment at parties, at home or anywhere that doesn't look clinical.

Have a proper consultation

Prescription-only treatments, such as anti-wrinkle injections, need a face-to-face consultation with a qualified prescriber first. You should never feel rushed, and you should be able to take time to think before you agree.

Ask about the product

Ask what product will be used and to see the box and batch number. Take a photo for your records.

Ask what happens if something goes wrong

Who will look after you, how quickly, and is there an out-of-hours number? For filler, ask whether they can dissolve it and treat a blocked blood vessel straight away.

Remember the law

In England it is illegal to give anti-wrinkle injections or fillers to under-18s for cosmetic reasons.

What's normal

• Being asked about your medical history and medicines
• Being given written information and a consent form to read

Please call us before you come if

• You feel unwell, have a temperature or an infection
• You have a cold sore, spots or broken skin on the area
• You are pregnant or breastfeeding, or might be
• You have started a new medicine, or had a vaccine or dental work in the last two weeks (tell us and we'll advise)

Questions to ask, whichever clinic you choose

• What are your qualifications, and are you on a professional register (NMC, GMC, GDC or GPhC) or a PSA-accredited register such as Save Face or the JCCP?
• How many of these treatments have you done?
• Who is the prescriber, and will I see them face to face before any prescription-only treatment?
• What product will you use, and can I see the box and batch number?
• What are the risks and side effects, and what alternatives are there?
• If something goes wrong, who looks after me, how quickly, and is there an out-of-hours number?
• Do you have insurance for this treatment?
• What are the risks, and what alternatives are there?
• What will it cost in total, including follow-ups?

Questions before your appointment? Call the clinic on 020 7252 3333, or our 24-hour line on 07414 163998.

Need a doctor or a health check?

Our private GP, Dr Ayaz Tokhi, is on hand for video appointments from £75 (telephone £65), and we offer private blood tests at the clinic from £69.50. See our health services and book.

Want to know more first? Read about our treatments at our Brentwood clinic.

This is general information, not personal medical advice. Your clinician will advise you on your own situation at your consultation. Results vary. Treatments are for adults aged 18 and over.