I recently read an article that claimed that plastic surgeons were deemed to be the best injectors of cosmetic dermal fillers and treatments.
but I had my doubts when I read the results of the survey.
First of all a group of surgeons and academics in New York carried out a survey, which was set up to assess who plastic surgeons believe to be the most suitable injectors of cosmetic treatments. So just for the sake of clarity, yes you read that right, surgeons were asked if surgeons make better injectors? duh! no brainer there…
So no surprise when the overwhelming majority of respondents (98%) plastic surgeons crowned themselves as ‘kings’ when it comes to administering of Botox and fillers.
Plastic surgery nurses received 2% of the vote and other specialties which including dentists, gynaecologists and medical professionals in other fields, got less than 1%.
Conversely, 84% believed that nurses were as able as plastic surgeons to administer vaccines.
Dr Henry Spinelli, lead author on the study, said the research had paved the way for clearer regulations in the field. Personally I disagree,
I DON’T think that plastic surgeons make the best cosmetic injectors. My main reason for this is that plastic surgeons do not spend probably more than a couple of hours a week administering dermal fillers and cosmetic injections. They’re always in the operating theatre, that’s where the big bucks are for them, why bother with little profit streams gained through cosmetic injections? duh!.
Other members of the cosmetic interventions industry namely cosmetic doctors and nurses, spend the majority of their day injecting, and have clocked up thousands of hours and years of experience in the arena, many of these professionals also attend advanced training, lectures and conferences frequently to refine their skills and knowledge. You won’t always catch more surgeons than doctors or nurses at these events, why? well they’re far too busy carrying out surgical work which is far more lucrative financially.
To support my opinion, I once sent a lady who had experienced some lumps to her lips after having cosmetic fillers injected, in a panic she sought the opinion of a highly regarded BAAPS plastic surgeon, who promptly told her she would ned the lumps (excised) cut out, in a panic and distressful state the young lady contacted me in shock and crying, I urged her to take on one final opinion before she took such a radical route.
I sent her to an experienced GP who had been practising cosmetic medicine and aesthetic treatments for 15 years, this cosmetic doctor reassured her by saying she could have an enzyme injected into her lips which would breakdown the lumps and resolve the problem, which he did so immediately for her and the problem was solved on the spot. This is just one example of many I hear daily through my safety in beauty campaign, patients receiving conflicting opinions from the surgical professional versus the non surgical profession.
Whilst I have much respect for the plastic surgery professional, I don’t believe it is fair to say that they are ONLY the best injectors. WRONG. A good injector should be medically qualified, experienced sufficiently, trained extensively, and know how to deal with a complication.
Training requirements and practice guidelines are necessary to ensure a consistent, reproducible, and safe experience for the patient, and just because a plastic surgeon is a ‘surgeon’ does not mean they are exempt from this requirement, although many think they automatically are. I find the survey results arrogant.
How about asking the consumer who they think make the best injectors?
