HOW TO CHOOSE A BEAUTY CLINIC: A CHECK LIST FROM THE EXPERTS

One of the main principles of the Responsible Cosmetology social project is that the patient has the right to know. The patient must know! Information about the license of the clinic, about the procedures provided to patients, about the training of doctors – specialists in cosmetology, about the documents for the drugs and devices used, should be opened and provided at the first request of the patient.

The list of nominees for the Social Award for Responsible Cosmetology includes only licensed clinics that are always honest with and accountable to their customers.

Any visit to an aesthetic clinic begins with a consultation. Every professional cosmetologist knows that it is during the initial consultation that an enveloping aura of communication is created which allows the patient and the doctor to find a common language, to clarify the needs, to talk about the risks, to outline a plan of long-term correction, to be sincere and honest. in their desires and possibilities. The next important point is communication with the administrator. It is this person who is responsible for all the documents that you must sign. And it is the cornerstone of all your future success in aesthetic treatment. Do not be lazy and read all the materials, ask all the questions that interest you, ask them twice, and if necessary, then three times. Remember that no one has the right to inject you without your written consent and your understanding of all the risks.

A clinic whose specialists can be entrusted with beauty and health must meet a number of criteria, to which Alexander Terentiev, director of the National Association of Aesthetic Medicine Clinics (NAKEM), calls attention:

“Aesthetic medicine clinic is first and foremost a medical institution which is inspected by Roszdravnadzor and must meet all the requirements of regulatory authorities, here are the most important of them:

In clinics that follow the principles of “responsible cosmetology”, they speak honestly about the results and the time to expect. Maintaining high quality standards and a responsible approach to counseling, as well as following the planned treatment plan, will allow you to get exactly the result you expect.

“All specialists working for us have a higher medical education with a specialization in general medicine, dermatovenerology, as well as a primary specialization in cosmetology,” says Ekaterina.Emelianova. “Work experience is not required, as we train our employees ourselves, but having experience will always be an advantage. »

To become a sought after and experienced cosmetologist, you need many years of constant training, because cosmetology is an applied science and requires daily practice and improvement.

“You become a real professional in aesthetic medicine after 6 years of study in a faculty of medicine, a two-year internship in the specialty “dermatovenereology” and a six-month professional retraining in cosmetology. In addition, a doctor must confirm his right to work in his specialty every 5 years, ”explains the director of NACEM, Alexander Terentiev.

The selection of doctors for the clinic is a long and laborious process. Ideally, when a doctor has experience, works with different methods, knows the latest trends, cares about each patient, constantly grows and develops, and most importantly, is committed to long-term cooperation with the clinic. This, by the way, is one of the secret factors of a good doctor – ask how many years he has worked in this clinic, and if you hear “more than three years”, you can feel confident! Being a professional is important, but it is not the only selection criterion for top specialists. “Communication, a high level of empathy, resistance to stress will certainly be assets,” adds Ekaterina Emelyanova.

Even if you go to a certain doctor who has been advised to you, do not be too lazy to familiarize yourself with the site and information about the clinic before the visit. According to the law, the clinic must have a website and it must contain important information, for example, a license, without which the clinic does not have the right to provide medical services in this specialty. By the way, do you know that any clinic license can be officially verified on the Roszdravnadzor website? And if you’re shown a license that just says “medical services” and doesn’t list specializations or activities, then you can safely run to the police.

In addition, the prices for services are quite indicative – too low a cost of the procedure should alert rather than please, since this is possible only if counterfeit drugs are used in the clinic. But a very high price is also not a guarantee of excellent services, it is either the commercialization of a certain doctor, or there are simply few patients in the clinic and in this way they try to compensate. If you look at the prices in 5-6 clinics, you can immediately draw the right conclusions.

“The patient must be attentive during the call or the first visit to the clinic. Your future satisfaction with the clinic depends on the professionalism of the administrator, his ability to answer your questions, as well as whether a person who applies for the first time becomes a regular client. How the administrator explains the essence of the documents to you, how patient and polite he is, how well he knows the doctors of the clinic – all these factors are important, ”emphasizes Ekaterina Emelyanova.

She also points out red flags to keep in mind when choosing a clinic:

“If the doctor did not take an anamnesis, did not ask about allergies, did not take photos before the start of the procedures in order to compare the result before and after the treatment, did not not open the drug with the patient before administration, then this is a reason to seek another clinic.

Cosmetology is a rapidly developing and dynamic branch of medicine, the most innovative and “beautiful”, but, unfortunately, it is still far from ideal in terms of assessing the quality of treatment and legality .

“In fact, the market for cosmetology medical services is divided into two parts: ‘white’, where responsible and carefully controlled licensed clinics operate, and ‘grey’, where services are provided illegally – in premises that are not intended for this, often with counterfeit or improperly stored drugs, protocol procedures are not followed and can be performed even by non-physicians. There is no law and no liability in this part of the market. It is extremely difficult to control the “gray” part of the market, largely because the patients themselves go home to unscrupulous specialists in the hope of cheap youth, pay in cash without receipts and documents . In such conditions, it is practically impossible for law enforcement to prove the reality of a crime, ”notes Alexander Terentyev.

Unfortunately, many people think that cosmetology is simple: you came to the “specialist”, you pricked the lips and voila, you are a star. No it is not! I came to the “specialist”, pricked the lips and that’s it, you are a patient with complications. Often people are not too responsible for what can affect their quality of life, their health, their appearance. Lips are not a dress, you can’t wear another one…

Focusing on the color of the account in social networks, on before and after photos, which definitely suffered ruthless treatment by editors, on the appearance of a cosmetologist, on prices, we forget that medicine is designed to cure, not paralyze, we don’t think about legality, we don’t require documentation for certain medications.

The choice of clinic is always up to the patient. Don’t be shy to ask questions, don’t be modest and accept whatever is offered to you, don’t be afraid to leave if something has alerted you.

Remember that choosing a specialist and an appropriate medical institution that works legally, you are responsible for your own health. Be confident and beautiful!