How to Pick Your Perfect Medical Provider for Your Next Beauty Service

Picking a medical provider for a big beauty investment service can be an overwhelming and stressful task.

It's very important to educate yourself on all of your options (procedure and practitioner). I'm going to provide you with a few tips to keep in mind that can help you find the perfect person and place for you so that you can be comfortable in your beauty investment.

First Things First

First, the most important thing is that you feel comfortable with the doctor or a medical professional providing the service. There are so many different options, including doctors, physician's assistants, nurse practitioners, and paramedical estheticians, and depending on what service you choose, you may have multiple options for who will perform the procedure. It's important to feel comfortable with the person that you choose for this investment because it can be a large one, and you don't want to have any regrets following the treatment.

The first step is to focus on your desired area of improvement, it could be that you want more fullness in your face, you feel your skin is sagging, you are looking to lift an area of your face or body, you want something tightened, you have a skin issue you are hoping to see improved upon. A simple Google search for what your options are for your desired area of improvement will show you some of the options for cosmetic treatment. You will then be able to see what your options are for your particular concern, and then you can start looking into places that provide these options.

My suggestion is to find as many practitioners and places as possible to talk to, and go and have a free consultation. Don’t be discouraged if they charge a fee for a consultation, that can also be an indication of their volume of patients and procedures which can be a good sign. If a doctor is so in demand that they are only willing to meet with patients who are seriously considering treatment and thus require a fee, that is usually a good indication of their skill set, abilities, and positive outcomes. It’s not any different than any other business and goes back to the idea of simple economics supply and demand. However, if a doctor or spa doesn’t require a consultation fee, that doesn’t mean they aren’t amazing, each practice goes in stages and phases and this alone is not an indication of a person or a place's value and worth.

This provides you with the opportunity to go and compare what each practitioner says, if you see three different people and two of them tell you the same thing, then that's probably the procedure that you need to have.

Research

If you get three opinions and three different options for treatment further research into which ones provide the most benefits that fit your particular situation. If it were me, I would get 1-2 more opinions. It’s also important to do your research into each procedure and see which one you're the most comfortable with if you aren’t willing to consider surgery and that is what is suggested you need to consider whether you will be happy with a possibly less than “perfect” outcome that a more significant procedure would provide. For example, if you want to lift your face, you may have the option of a filler like Sculptra or a facelift. If you choose the less invasive injectable the result may not be as significant as the surgical option and if you have decided if that will satisfy your expectations.

Ask your friends if they or some they know have had something similar done, or they've experienced a problem or they've explored this as well, see who they like, know, and trust, and visit their people as well.

You can also sign up for these various doctors and beauty professionals, email lists, a lot of them, (pre-COVID at least) have parties and events that you can attend. In the past, I’ve gone to many different parties at med spas and doctor’s offices where they teach you about specific procedures or they have representation from the various companies whose products they carry. One doctor’s office I know of used to host events where they had the corporate sales rep come and in conjunction with the medical provider, they educate you on their products and services. I went to one once for cool sculpt, where they had a video presentation, had mini consultations, and answered all your questions. This is a perfect opportunity to go and learn more about a procedure in a low-pressure situation.

It also gives you the opportunity to knock out a consultation and meet a professional and see if you feel comfortable with them. The other plus to this type of event is that other people will ask questions that you may not have thought of but will help you understand and set realistic expectations for the treatment you are considering.

Also, they sometimes host holiday parties and other events where you can get to know the doctors in a very low-pressure situation. You can also see what their clientele looks like, which is a biggie. If you're looking for a very natural look and you go to an office party, and you see a lot of people whose aesthetic is not pleasing to you and you would not want the same look, then you know that that doctor probably isn't right for you. If you go to another party and you can’t tell who the clients are and if they have had anything done, then that would be the right place for your beautiful home.

Another thing you can do is check out the practice's social media pages. Most doctors and places are putting up pictures of the procedures they specialize in and that they pride themselves on. Also, if a client is tagging whoever or whatever practice actually performs that procedure, that can help you narrow down the right practitioner or place for you.

It’s always a good idea to follow a lot of different places, and that way you'll have tons of options to see who and what aesthetic appeals to you. You'll also be able to see people’s comments, and that'll give you an idea of how big their practices are, the people who frequent each place. If you get a lot of likes and comments then that would be a good sign.

Next Steps

Once you have narrowed down your search to a few different medical practices, spas, and med spas I suggest getting on their email list. This also allows them to receive their emails which will feature special offers and to keep track of their various specials and events. So if you have done all of your homework and you've decided on a particular procedure or treatment that you want to try now, you can wait and see when that procedure or treatment is being featured and promoted. Sometimes around holidays or certain months of the year, they run promotional specials on certain procedures and treatments, and this allows you the opportunity to see when the procedure that you've already decided on is going to have a special running and you might be able to get a discount on this.

Some other tips to keep in mind are to find several places that you feel comfortable just because you like one place for Botox doesn't mean you'll like the same place for laser, get to know the people and the practice, and see where you feel the most comfortable, communicate with your friends, and see where they go see who they like and know and trust and establish relationships there. It's all about who you know, so knowing more people, and visiting more places, getting more opinions will help you feel more comfortable, and the internet is your best friend.

Do your homework, read reviews, see what people are saying, see the long-term effects of the procedure or treatment that you're looking at, see if people are happy after a year or two years.

Make sure that you do all of your homework because you don't want to end up spending a lot of money and a lot of time and ending up unhappy. Something I personally got hung up on in the past was feeling a sense of loyalty to a certain place of the practitioner. But guess what, everyone has a specialty and just because you get insane laser results somewhere doesn’t mean that you should let them put filler in your face because you feel a sense of obligation and loyalty to them. Find places and people who make you feel comfortable. It’s ok to be loyal to multiple places and people, it’s your face and body, and it’s your time and money, so don’t ever let anyone talk you into something you don’t want to do or you don’t feel comfortable with.

I don’t suggest jumping into anything, see my post on PDO threads. Feeling vulnerable and wanting an immediate solution is completely understandable but you could end up with long-term damage, irreversible side effects, or pain and anguish due to an emotional response and a knee-jerk reaction. I know it’s hard, but I promise taking your time and making the most informed decision will give you long-term peace and happiness about the decision you make.

Anytime you are doing something permanent or semi-permanent, time and research are your friends. The best news yet is that you have me! Your beauty bestie - and I’m always here and willing to answer any questions or give any guidance I can. I can’t give you medical advice but I’m happy to share my experiences and give you recommendations for questions to ask, places and practitioners to interview, and to tell you you're beautiful and perfect as you are when you need to hear it the most.

Peace, Love, and Informed Decisions

XX,

Jenna