How to Choose a Provider for Your Injectable Treatments
Your face is the most visible part of your identity, and selecting the right provider for your facial injectables is paramount to ensuring satisfaction as well as your safety. In a market saturated with options and misinformation about who is qualified to perform cosmetic injectables, understanding how to choose wisely will help you feel confident about your treatment. The following are some essential considerations to guide your selection process.
Who is qualified to perform cosmetic injections?
Depending on the laws in the state where you live, a physician (MD or DO), nurse practitioner (NP), physician assistant (PA), registered nurse (RN), dentist (DMD or DDS) or—in rarer cases—estheticians/aestheticians may be legally allowed to perform cosmetic injections. Non-physician injectors may be required to have physician oversight.
However, just because an injector is legally allowed to offer cosmetic injections does not mean they have the medical knowledge or aesthetic sensibility to provide excellent and safe outcomes with Botox-type injectables and dermal filler. And there is a risk that unqualified providers may offer fake products, rather than the FDA-approved injectables that require a prescription.
To find a highly-qualified provider, look for a board-certified facial cosmetic surgeon or a board-certified cosmetic surgeon to perform aesthetic injectables. These certifications demonstrate that your injector has received specific training and passed rigorous written and oral examinations covering surgical and non-surgical procedures, including neuromodulators (i.e. Botox®) and dermal filler (i.e. Juvéderm®). Board-certified facial cosmetic surgeons have a deep understanding of facial anatomy and physiology to place your injections so that your results appear natural and potential side effects are minimized.
Physicians can become board-certified in a number of specialties; be sure the injector you choose is certified by an appropriate board, such as the American Board of Facial Cosmetic Surgery.
Who cannot perform injectable Botox and filler?
The following aesthetic providers are not licensed to perform injectables:
- Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN)
- Licensed Vocational Nurses (LVN)
- Cosmetologists
These providers often play a crucial role in skincare, but they are not qualified to inject anything into your skin. Their expertise lies in topical treatments, such as chemical peels, specialty facials, and laser skin treatments, to name a few.
You may come across titles such as “Injection Specialist,” “Master Injector,” “Aesthetic Nurse Practitioner,” “Advanced Nurse Injector,” or “Aesthetic Registered Nurse.” These are not technical distinctions but rather self-labeled descriptions to reflect experience or specialties. These terms can be subjective, so we recommend verifying their qualifications yourself, and not relying on only those descriptions when choosing your injector.
Understanding the spa types
If you choose an injector under the direct supervision of a board-certified facial cosmetic surgeon, be aware that there are a variety of spa business models in the aesthetic industry, including both medical spas and day spas (or salons).
A medical spa typically provides treatments that have medical implications, meaning their services are designed to achieve more noticeable aesthetic improvements using products and devices that require a physician’s oversight or specialized training; however, titles like “medical spa” or “medspa” do not always mean that the staff is licensed to perform injectable treatments or mentored by a medical professional.
Many cosmetic surgery practices house a separate medical spa for non-surgical aesthetic treatments, but a physician’s involvement should go far beyond their name on the door or website: they should actively oversee the day-to-day operations, providing guidance and quality control so treatments are administered safely using the latest techniques and technology for optimal outcomes.
Day spas and salons focus more on relaxation, wellness, and beauty treatments. If you’re seeking an injectable treatment, a medical spa (or cosmetic surgery practice) with a licensed professional is your safest bet.
Take a look at their photo gallery
Reviewing a provider’s before-and-after photos is a practical way to gauge their capabilities and offers insight into their skill level, artistic eye, and the quality of results they deliver. Look for consistent, natural-looking outcomes in patients who’ve undergone similar procedures.
If you notice “overdone” or “overfilled” results, it likely indicates the injector is either underqualified or inexperienced. Cosmetic injections should enhance your existing features: Botox-type injectables require a nuanced approach to smooth fine lines and wrinkles while still allowing the patient to express themselves. Dermal fillers should be used to add definition and volume to create balance for a harmonious overall appearance. Obvious or underwhelming outcomes may be caused by poor placement, inaccurate dosage, or the using the wrong product for a specific area.
Read real patient reviews
Patient reviews provide an invaluable glimpse into a provider’s practice before you step foot through the door. The platform Real Patient Ratings hosts authentic feedback from actual patients, although you may also find many trustworthy reviews on sites like RealSelf, Google, Facebook, and Yelp. Patients’ comments, be they positive or negative, can give you a well-rounded picture of how you’ll be treated as a patient, the provider’s professionalism, and results you can expect to achieve.
Choose a board-certified facial cosmetic surgeon for safe, personalized results
Ultimately, your safety, satisfaction, and confidence in the provider should guide your choice of injector. Place your trust in a facial cosmetic surgery expert who has dedicated their career to mastering the art and science of facial aesthetics and either performs injections themselves or oversees injectable treatments by licensed professionals on their staff. Find a board-certified facial cosmetic surgeon near you today.