There are a few things in life that you should never bargain shop for; toilet paper, rosé, and.. your face! It may seem like a given but it can be tempting to look for a discounted alternative for big purchases such as a facial cosmetic treatments or quality skincare products.
In a world of Groupon deals and discounters of injectables trying to compete with pricing, one must ask…what are you getting for your money?
The discount culture in aesthetics marketing cultivated by “competitive” providers is developing a bargain hunting patient mentality who wants services “price matched.” But before you base everything solely on the price it is important to understand why certain procedures are priced the way they are. It is important to ask yourself “how much is not just your appearance, but your SAFETY worth?” Is a discounted deal worth discounted results?
I have growing concerns as more and more I am sought out to fix these great “deals”.
Non-Approved Injectable Fillers
It is terrifying to know there are non-approved injectable fillers from overseas being sold on Amazon. Even scarier, people actually use them on themselves or on others! What you must keep in mind is that getting these treatments or products from a well-respected practice will always be more expensive because of this exact reason. A reputable practice will always have safe, regulated ingredients and you’re paying for a highly educated and trained clinician to administer the treatments.
There is very good reason providers of FDA approved injectables have to be licensed medical professionals – and that reason is patient safety. There could literally be anything in those syringes! This is extremely dangerous, careless, and in my opinion completely reckless. I mean, after all, I didn’t go to school for 7 years just for fun and to rack up some student loans.
More and more, I see patients who come in for a reversal or fix after seeing an inexperienced or unqualified provider. I see uneven lips, drooping eyes, over-paralyzed muscles, and it’s not cute!
Home Botox Parties are a Hard No!
So you’re thinking about going to a home Botox party…. how do you know the qualifications of your injector? Is he or she licensed and certified? Years of experience? How many continuing education classes have they gone to as an investment in their technique? Better yet, are you their first patient, at their first-ever party? Does the injector keep Hyaluronidase (to reverse filler) on hand and have a plan in case of an emergency?!
An experienced provider knows what ingredients are in the serums/fillers, the best practice for administration and most importantly, what to do if anything goes wrong. With injectable fillers it is possible to have a reaction ranging from a rash to bumps to swelling to, in rare cases, tissue death and even blindness. Could you imagine if that happened when you were in sometime’s home getting Botox?!
As the client, you likely don’t know what questions you should be asking and it isn’t really your job to spend endless hours researching when you just want some darn Botox or filler! Of course, doing your own research is important, but it’s not your job to learn what each ingredient is and which ingredients can be red flags. A qualified professional should be the one educating you during your visit.
What you REALLY Pay For When You Are Paying for Fillers
When you have a cosmetic treatment done you are not just paying for the product. You are paying for the years of experience and training of the hand that product is in. You are also paying for the thousands and thousands of dollars good injectors invest into perfecting their artistry through continuing education every year. On top of that we have our malpractice insurance, cleaning supplies, injectable supplies, facility and overhead fees…and then there is the product. You are paying for a medical professional’s talent, skill, and artistry. Most importantly, you are paying to be injected by someone who has your safety and best interest at heart. To get specific, we as providers, are trained to identify and manage complications including health concerns, and medications contraindications or lifestyle factors that might affect how your body reacts to the treatment.
As an experienced provider with over 13 years of experience, I always have an emergency plan in place for each individual patient I see. It’s things like these most consumers are unaware of. We learn all of this in our 7 years of Nurse Practitioner school, plus additional courses for injecting and cosmetic treatments. This is thousands of dollars worth of education.
One of the main concerns I hear from patients coming in for a treatment is, “I don’t want to look plastic”, or “I don’t want it to look over-done”. Well, I can promise you that there is a way better chance this will happen from an inexperienced injector who is luring patients in through bargain deals. There are so many things to consider when administering botox or fillers; the shape and anatomy of the face, the position of the eyebrows, the thickness of the skin. I could write a list of 100 things… but I think you get the point.
I cannot tell you how many times I’ve had patients come in desperate for help to correct a botched “deal.” In the end, the patient ended up paying twice as much for correction with twice the downtime and added stress & heartache!
So, I’d be very very careful about who you choose to take care of your face. I highly advise against the Groupons or home parties. As the old saying goes, if it’s too good to be true… it is. In my personal experience that’s exactly what most of these situations end up becoming. The patient ends up with unsatisfactory or underwhelming results and worst-case scenario…complications. The truth is that there are serious risks and complications that can arise from injections and that is why you ALWAYS want to seek treatment from an experienced professional in an appropriate and sterile environment.
I absolutely love what I do for a living. I take great pride in my work and I want each and every one of my clients to feel the best version of themselves when looking in the mirror!
I’m here if you have questions and always available for an appointment for a consultation if you need some help!
XOXO
Racquel
