Why learning how to consult and assess an aesthetic patient is just as important as learning how to carry out procedures

Medical practitioners, doctors, dentists and nurses who choose to move into offering facial aesthetic treatments, often think that all they need to learn about is where and how to place their needle to best deliver botulinum toxin or dermal filler treatments. But, equally important is learning the skills for delivering effective consultations and patient assessment. Without getting this part right, those syringes might as well just stay in their packet, as you will either not be converting any patients, or wishing you weren’t about to treat the wrong ones.

Although many training companies offer introductory courses on the pharmacology and injection techniques for cosmetic injectables, very few will offer to take you to the very basics of understanding what patients want, what they don’t want, how to assess what you think they need and how to turn away patients you shouldn’t be treating. At BTC, founded by Dr Harry Singh, we offer end-to-end training and support to make sure that you are getting the WHOLE process of introducing aesthetic medicine to your business practice right from day one.

Harry, a dentist who became a facial aesthetic practitioner back in 2002, has learnt both the clinical skills and business strategies required to run a successful practice, discovering both the successes and the mistakes from running a cosmetic clinic for more than fifteen years. His style of teaching is informal, informative and educational; he invests his time to share his experiences to help you to turn a profit from your aesthetic business. It’s all well and good knowing and understanding how to inject, but if you don’t know how to get the right patients through the door and how to engage with those patients, then the journey to success will be a long road. Let BTC help you on that journey.

Any interaction with new, or returning clients, will start with a comprehensive consultation including a detailed assessment of your patient. In an ideal world, they should be able to provide you with an accurate and honest medical history and clearly detail their cosmetic concerns and expectations to you. Not all patients are the same and understanding personality types, becoming a good listener, being empathetic or forthright in your questioning, may all be skills that you either need to hone or learn. Patients should be happy to listen to your treatment suggestions or recommendations, not be driven solely by price or celebrity trends, understand what can be achieved and more importantly what cannot, and have comprehended the possible complications which can occur from treatment. They should also be able to take on board the requirements for aftercare and take responsibility to ‘do as they’re told’, plus work with you on any ongoing, prescribed treatment programme or at-home skincare regime that you provide to them.

Training can help you to achieve many of these things and give you strategies to get the best engagement from your patients. It can also help you to spot the patients that you want to avoid, who are the opposite of that described, who live in a fantasised world, are deluded about their cosmetic concerns or who have unrealistic expectations from the treatments that you provide.

Such individuals may be demonstrating psychological disorders such as Body Dysmorphia, also referred to as BDD (Body Dysmorphic Disorder) and should be refused treatment for their own sake as much as yours. Learning how to recognise the characteristics of BDD can be one of the key skills for a good consultation technique.

Of course, not all consultations will end in the delivery of a treatment, so training with BTC will also arm you with strategies to help you to understand your conversion processes from lead generation, through patient assessment and on to treatment.

Courses in botulinum toxin, dermal fillers and advanced techniques are all available, running throughout the year, all include end-to-end business support and advice to help you make a success of your aesthetic business. Take a look at our upcoming training courses and workshops and book your place. Call 07711 731173 or email [email protected] for more information. Of course, you don’t have to just take our word for it, have a read of what past trainees have to say about BTC.

Call 07711 731173 or email [email protected] for more information on why you should choose BTC to help you achieve a successful aesthetic business.