Since I have been in aesthetic medicine, I have noticed how many misconceptions there are out there in regards to this practice. Many people believe that when you get TOX and fillers, you look like an over-plumped “fish face,” as they say. The misconception is that is NOT the product, that is actually the injector or client preference. There are providers out there whose main interest is making money, and they really don’t are how they do it. There are many clients out there who find themselves loving the way they look after a good treatment, and then going back for more in a short amount of time. In turn, they are getting too much filler in one area, i.e. over-plumped or too much TOX- that causes clients to not be able to make adequate facial expression, i.e. frozen face. Body dysmorphia is real, and it is certainly alive and well in aesthetics. These clients keep going back to the office, and the provider keeps accepting them as a client and continues to provide their treatment. This isn’t to say its all the providers fault or all the clients, but as a provider we are given the ability to make a clinical judgment and we are actually licensed and advised to do so.

I’ve found myself in a position where I have to have the hard discussion with the client. I then realized that evaluating the client, not just physically, but also their mental health is imperative. I ask myself– Is this individual doing other treatments. If so, are they going elsewhere? What else are they having done? How often are they getting a treatment? I also think to myself — this individual is my walking billboard. Do I want them to represent me and my work? If the answer is no, then the answer to the client is no. Using my license to make clinical decisions is imperative, even in aesthetics.

AIYANA was founded on the principle that beauty comes from within, naturally. I am not here to change the way you look. I am here to enhance the natural contours of your face, to give you a little plump where the plumping used to be or to smooth out those pesky lines that are getting deeper than they originally were. I find myself circling back to my mission over and over again while in practice and I know my clients appreciate it. It is critical to have ground to stand on as a practitioner, a mission that you fully believe in that you can reiterate to your patients.

As a nurse practitioner, I have the ability to step into this space as a medical director as well as a practicing nurse injector. What is so great is the autonomy it affords me to build a practice and provide compete care for my clients. The certification/training for nurse injecting is pretty ambiguous, and really there is nothing solidified in law that prohibits anyone from doing injections in a lot of states. However, when it comes to patient safety, which is my utmost priority, it is imperative that practitioners have adequate training. It has been know that estheticians have been injecting in the past, and some may still be today. Injecting WITHOUT any medical training is so dang scary. Insert Groupon deals, or Botox for a few dollars a unit. Be aware, it is out there! It is advisable, if you are looking to get injections, to do your research. Ask about training and education. Ask about experience. It is so important that you know who you are going to and that they are going to have the highest standards and safety rating.

Aesthetics does not deserve the bad reputation it has been given in the past. No longer are clients looking for that overfilled, super tight look. They want a natural, soft, glowing look that still resembles themselves. AIYANA has got you covered.