Let’s face it (no pun intended) it isn’t cheap keeping on top of your filler appointments. We all know that once you start you are most likely to continue because if you have a good experience you love the results but the cost can be an issue.
I have often been advised to return for top up treatment before my anti wrinkle toxin or filler ‘wear off’ but the year files by and I don’t magically have any more money than before. All to often I have left my Botox to disappear and my filler to disperse beyond top up time.
The only affordable way to keep up with your injectables when you are on a limited budget is to use training clinics.
A word of warning, I would avoid just ‘any’ training clinic. There are lots of training schools for injectables, offering cut price treatments for cosmetic models. Before you venture into one of these I would consider the following:
Who runs the training and who will be teaching? Are they reputable? have you seen their work?
Check out the reviews online
Ensure those who will be injecting you are qualified medical professionals (doctors, nurses and dentists)
I recently attended the highly recommended GILD Clinic in London a partner clinic to the Harley Academy.
Harley Academy are the founders of the top level, certified aesthetic medicine training program known as L7. So basically they are a bunch of clever medics who like exams and learning. More importantly the GILD Clinic is where their medical students train!
Now, these ‘students’ are not your regular scruffy, daytime TV watching, pot noodle eating, nerds. They are in fact fully functioning adults all working in healthcare as doctors, surgeons, nurses etc. Just like you and me they hate having a demon boss and want to work for themselves in something they enjoy and have endeavored upon aesthetic medicine.
Training isn't an easy fleet, if you go to the right training school. The top level clinicians have practicals, exams, portfolios and observations to get right. Not all training clinics have this procedure for students. Personally, if you are touching my face (or body) I would rather go to the Oxford and Cambridge of aesthetics than the local polytechnic.
Here are my top reasons for choosing a L7 training academy clinic like GILD Clinic for injectable treatments:
Cost
People, usually those who haven't had any treatments, always raise their brows (before you ask; so can I) and suck in a deep breathe when I mention getting cheaper filler or Botox. The simple fact is I don’t earn enough to get treatment every 3-9 months at full price. As a typical millennial I refuse to let my lack of wealth stop me.
Training clinics offer treatments at cost price, this means you pay for the product and equipment not the actual service. Before getting sucked in on price alone double check that the clinic uses recommended products and the best in the market such as Botox and Juverderm.
Safety
For me this is a no-brainer! Training clinics are teaching the students best practice and the right way to conduct a treatment. GILD Clinic teach their members strict safety protocols regarding processes, handling and using injectables, patient care and cleanliness. Students have a practical exam and safety is of prime importance.
Safety should also cover the consultation. Students are taught to thoroughly consult the patient regardless of how many times they have been or how much they think they know. Remember that these students all want a successful career in aesthetics and they are being watched by industry leaders, trainers and experts.
Surveillance
In layman's terms I have never driven so perfectly as I did on my driving test, purely because I was being watched.
GILD Clinic host mentor sessions where their students have 1-2-1 appointments with patients (people like me) and a mentor or expert will be on hand. The student has already done the theory, learnt some of the practical and is ready to get going. What they need is some real life situations- to get out on the road! With the assistance of a qualified trainer the student can learn new techniques, get some reassurance about their decisions and actions and also feel confident in how and what they treat.
At most training clinics they will request to take photos before and after treatment. This is not the usual in high street clinics but training clinics use the images to demonstrate and build a student portfolio. For the patient it is pretty handy. You can see the main areas of concern and the improvements. You won’t leave the clinic without seeing exactly what has been done and what improvements have been made.
Expertise and Experience
As mentioned before, you should always check who runs the training courses. The founder of Harley Academy and therefore GILD Clinic, Dr Tristan Mehta and his partner Dr MacGregor are usually training students throughout the week at GILD Clinic. I did some insta-stalking and found evidence of their work and their experience. Not a duck lip or wonky brow in sight!
It is important to research your clinician. It is an art and you won’t want a Hector Janse Van Resburg when you were looking for a Thomas Gainsborough.
Service
Every single patient is valuable for the training clinic. The student will try their best to ensure you are happy with your results and the trainer will want to ensure you return. Your trust and willingness to let a student inject your face under controlled circumstances is an honor for most training clinic owners.
Customer service and happiness pre, post and during treatments is of high importance. A good training clinic will teach and practice the best client service in their clinic.
Lastly, if it's good enough for mum, then it’s good enough for me! My mum is 100% pure gold cared for in the very best of hands here at GILD Clinic by trainer Dr Yalda Jamali and a L7 student.
You can see more about GILD Clinic here https://www.gildclinic.com