Advanced Treatments need more Advanced Training
16 August 2018
Until recently, most of the major face and body enhancements were the exclusive domain of expensive cosmetic interventions, catering predominantly for the rich and famous.
The growth of social media has brought ordinary people closer to their celebrity role models, along with the desire to look like them and follow in their footsteps. The trend is now that ever younger people are trying to look like their role models and so advanced treatments have needed to adapt to this new and hungry market. Developments in the medical and technological spheres have meant that previously inaccessible aesthetic treatments are now accessible as well as increasingly affordable. The aesthetics industry is booming, with everyone on the lookout for the next best treatment and the newest trends.In the past the aesthetic treatments were carried out almost exclusively by doctors or surgeons with many years of medical training and experience, but as we now know from the changing aesthetics industry, this is no longer the case. What should not be overlooked is that due to the lack of regulation in the United Kingdom, a “lone-wolf” if compared to European and North-American neighbours who all have tight regulations over their aesthetics sectors, more and more procedures are being carried out by untrained personnel. The question should not be whether it is worth the risk to continue to offer advanced treatments without training because the risk to public safety is too great and consequences of a botched treatment too devastating.
Recognising these challenges and the glaring safety risks of untrained operatives, a Joint Council of Cosmetic Practitioners (JCCP) was set up in order to set standards and guidelines. The JCCP has set out a framework of educational progression through which those looking to get into the aesthetics sector can follow, in order to promote the importance of safety and good practice throughout the industry. It is true that the development speed of some of these advanced aesthetic treatments means that people are struggling to keep up with what’s out there, but there is a widespread assumption that non-invasive procedures carry no risks at all. This couldn’t be further from the truth, with treatments like laser able to cause burns and cryolipolysis able to cause frostbite, but if treatments are carried out by safe, properly trained therapists then the risks can be explained to the client and the risks mitigated against. Of course, sometimes things happen which cannot be prevented, as with any procedure, but a well-trained therapist will be able to deal with the issues and react accordingly, compared to the untrained therapist who will be totally unaware of how best to handle the situation.
The worry extends not just to untrained therapists but also to rogue trainers. Just as there is no regulation for therapists carrying out advanced treatments neither is there any regulation for the advanced aesthetic training establishments that regulate themselves. Unless a training provider is accredited by a reputable educational body, being accredited by an insurance company who seeks to sell the budding therapist insurance through the training company, is not a strong enough safeguard. The only way to ensure that you are being trained properly is to do thorough research and to make sure that the training company you chose is well-respected in the industry. Indeed, training should not just be about how to use the machine, but an entire package teaching you the science behind the treatment and how to maximise results, as well as how to carry out a client consultation.
Understanding the physiological background of the treatment i.e. what it is doing to the body in order to have the desired effect is essential, as is understanding what the contra indications to any treatment may be. As with any consultation with the GP that requires the patient’s consent, why should an aesthetic treatment not be treated the same way, informing the client of all the risks associated with the treatment? As doctors spend years accumulating the core medical knowledge that allows them to carry out procedures safely, it is most often the knowledge when not to carry out the treatment that prevents complications further down the line.
Good training may not avoid all problems, but it will eliminate many basic errors and it will provide a much safer environment for clients and make practitioners more confident and thus provide a better treatment outcome for the client. Better trained practitioners get better results!
Other Press Releases By This Company
- 18/10/2018 - Academy of Advanced Beauty
- 18/06/2018 - The Future of Training for Beauty Therapists
