Experts Dr Olha Vorodyukhina BDS and Joanna Kaczmarek Advanced Beauty Therapist discuss how to resolve the key problems facing medics and beauty therapists.

The divide between beauty therapists and medical professionals with regard to their customers care seems to be widening with each and every article published about the rules, and dare I say, the lack of regulation in the UK covering the administration of injectable skin treatments. Some therapists have felt discredited and undervalued by seeking advice from Medical Professionals and there are varying opinions on who should be allowed to carry out these procedures. Here Dr Olha, who is the owner and founder of Angels Twelve speaks with Joanna about how to bridge this gap and ensure the safety of their mutual patients by supporting each other to achieve the best possible care.

“I speak with many years’ experience in both the administration of aesthetic medicine and also the teaching of medical professionals to safely administer their treatments to future patients. Through both of these paths I have had the pleasure of working with some excellent beauty therapists. My relationships with them have been built on mutual respect and trust for what each and every one of us bring to the table. As a Dental surgeon I have an in-depth knowledge of the anatomy, extensive diagnostic skills along with the qualifications and the ability to think laterally in the case of any emergency. I can prescribe medications for treatments and I can support and advise the non-medical part of my team. The beauty therapists I have worked with have a passion for skin they have excellent communication skills and a holistic approach, giving our customers whatever they need to make up the best possible treatment plan. I am of course very worried about the number of beauty therapists choosing to perform injectable treatments to unsuspecting patients. Along with my medical colleagues we still have a degree of nervous energy when we are about to inject someone’s face and this is despite 5 years of training, 15 years in dental practice injecting regularly, additional ongoing training, cadaveric workshops and 1000’s of hours working in aesthetics over last 9 years. It is so worrying that people class injectables as routine “skin care or beauty treatments”. I do have an artistic eye but I can’t believe that for some people that this is all that counts! Each and every time I inject a substance it carries significant risk to my patient, this could be infection, allergy, vascular problems and even loss of sight. My training and my profession help me to realise this and minimize the possibility of any adverse occurrences. I would also be equipped to deal with emergencies without delay. Joanna and my team of therapists play an important role in supporting my work and are able to assist in clinic during advanced procedures such as PDO Thread lifting which is covered under our CQC regulation. The unfortunate part of my work is when I have to correct procedures carried out by non-medics who have not been able to identify why the complications have occurred or even if they could have serious long-term consequences.”

“I would urge us all to respect and value each other’s contributions to this amazing industry by working together within our own professional boundaries, if we can do this then our patients will never be let down because we will deliver incredible results by combining our wealth of experience and perfecting our personal skills. If I stop to consider my own limits I would always refer to a plastic surgeon if I thought it would be the best option for my patient, so likewise if a beauty therapist thinks that their customer would benefit from aesthetics then a referral to a qualified medical aesthetic doctor would be in their best interest. “