What You Can Expect From Any Pre-treatment Consultation

Clare McLoughlin
By Clare McLoughlin

Clare McLoughlin is an Independent Nurse Prescriber and advanced procedure aesthetic nurse and trainer with more than 16 years’ experience.


I am a firm believer in the idea that all non-surgical cosmetic procedures should include a one-to-one consultation between the patient and their Aesthetic Practitioner, prior to the day of the procedure.

This is important for so many reasons – the main reason being Patient Safety. An initial consultation with a patient allows me to take a detailed medical history to establish whether the proposed treatment is appropriate from a medical perspective.

By learning about a Patient’s historic and current medical issues, I am also able to give individually tailored pre- and post-treatment and aftercare advice, which helps me to ensure that any treatment given are as effective as possible.

In the initial consultation, I am also able to give the patient an idea of what to look out for in terms of side effects, etc.

At my clinic, Patient safety is our primary concern, and we will do everything that we can to ensure that the risks of unwanted side effects

In the free consultation we offer all our patients, not only do we compile detailed notes about a patient’s medical history, but we also carry out an assessment of the skin (we use the Stratum Skin Analysis System but there are other devices available to perform this assessment) and engage in a frank and full discussion of the patient’s needs and expectations.

All of this helps the customer to understand the choices available to them and to make an informed decision regarding which, if any, treatment they would like to undertake.

What to expect during a cosmetic consultation

Our initial consultation also involves a full cost for both the initial treatment and for any maintenance treatments that may be required. We also give patients comprehensive information about the cosmeceutical products used in their chosen treatments, along with advice for simple preparations the patient can make prior to treatment to ensure the best possible treatment experience.

Following treatment, patients are provided with before and after photos which provide a visible record of improvements, and a complimentary review with the customer is usually scheduled in 1-2 weeks after the treatment. If, following the initial consultation, the customer has further questions about a treatment, we are more than happy to schedule in a second consultation with them or put them in touch with other individuals who have had the same treatment before, so that the patient can get a fully impartial and first-hand description of the procedure and the results and of any potential risks or side-effects they have a small chance of experiencing.

Tips on what to ask at a cosmetic consultation

Every aspect of the pre-treatment consultation at my clinic has been designed with the patient in mind.

Undergoing a cosmetic procedure, even a non-invasive one, has small risks associated with it and therefore both the patient and the practitioner need to be happy that a certain treatment is an appropriate course of action to take.

Quality cosmetic procedures can also involve a reasonable financial investment too, so knowing the full cost associated with any proposed treatment plan can also help a patient to determine whether the proposed plan put in place is financially viable for them.

Not every Aesthetic Practitioner incorporates so much in a pre-treatment consultation, but I would say that all this information is a ‘must-have’ for any patient undergoing a cosmetic procedure.

If you are considering a treatment, make sure you speak to your practitioner prior to your treatment to get all of the information you need. If you are unsure or unhappy with any information given, seek further advice – your safety is worth more than a cheap or rushed procedure, and there are plenty of highly experienced and qualified Aesthetic Practitioners out there who can help.

Many thanks to the author of this blog Clare McLoughlin who founded Appearance Based Medicine in 2004, driven by a desire to provide advanced facial rejuvenation solutions and aesthetic treatments to patients in Marlow, Buckinghamshire and the surrounding areas. 

People choose Appearance Based Medicine because of the top-quality and personable service that they receive, and always leave the clinic with a welcome boost to both their inner confidence and outer radiance. 

Call Clare McLoughlin now on 01628 303 020 or visit www.ab-med.co.uk

Thanks to the author

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