Monique Mangion talks about her experience of attending aesthetics training….
Aesthetic training was not something that I had planned to do when I took the decision to become a pharmacy contractor in 2012.
In the last few years, the demand for aesthetic treatments, such as dermal fillers and botulinum toxin injections, has increased at a very fast rate. In my pharmacy, I have encountered more and more patients asking for advice about aesthetic procedures, especially with regards to aftercare and possible complications involved. Slowly but surely, I came to the realisation that I was not knowledgable enough to be able to give appropriate advice on the subject. As GP appointments become sparser and sparser, an increased number of patients approach their trusted community pharmacist as their first port of call for advice about minor ailments. However, in a number of cases, advice about aesthetic procedures ends up being about issues that are not so minor after all.
The continuous cuts in funding to community pharmacies and the predicted changes in legislation to minimise inappropriately trained aesthetic practitioners from sprouting in every corner, together with my belief that remaining static and not being open to change is a recipe for disaster in this day and age , all contributed towards my decision to apply for the “Botox and dermal filler advanced training” offered by Derma Institute. This was the best decision that I have taken in a while.
The course was well organised from the very start of the process, and the venue was conveniently located opposite Euston station in London. As soon as my application was confirmed, I received emails with pre-course materials from the course co-ordinator, and information about nearby hotels and best ways to reach the venue.
The course consisted of two days of intensive training and hands on experience, both on mannequins as well as live models provided by the institute. On the first day, we were greeted by the lovely Derma institute team that spent the day taking us through all the foundation concepts of aesthetic procedures. All practitioners involved in the training were medical doctors with many years of experience practising in aesthetic clinics.
They were extremely professional, knowledgeable, approachable and available throughout the training days to answer any questions.
Practicing marking of the face and injection techniques on mannequins was exciting and performing the procedures on live models was less nerve wrecking than I had previously predicted. The trainers monitored the process very closely, giving us tips and sharing their knowledge along the way.
After looking into various companies and the aesthetic training packages being offered, I believe that Derma Institute was the perfect choice for me as a pharmacist. There is peace of mind because the Institute is only a phone call or email away.
Advice is offered about every aspect of aesthetics practice, including the type of insurance required, sourcing materials from reputable companies, using social media as a platform and also about starting a new business.
Students attending and successfully completing this intensive course are equipped with all they require to start booking clients and offering aesthetic services. However, extra practice days can be arranged with Derma Institute for those students that prefer to have a bit more hands-on experience beforehand.
Level 7 training is also available for those interested.
I have never envisaged myself as an aesthetic practitioner, but now I would certainly advise pharmacists to consider attending this course. It equips us with more knowledge as well as a potential extra source of income. I cannot wait to get started!
If you want to book your course at a discounted rate for pharmacists, click here to see more!
Written by Monique Mangion, BPharm (Hons), Wednesday 11th March 2020
