WINDSOR MEDICAL
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Safety and responsibility
Safety is probably the most important consideration when undertaking any form of cosmetic procedure. Our medical practitioners will provide you with a friendly and honest opinion regarding your suitability for any treatments, both in terms of your medical safety and any aesthetic risks associated with the procedure.
What sort of qualifications should the professional have?
The importance of using a registered medical professional cannot be underestimated. Only regulated doctors, dentists, pharmacists and registered nurses are appropriately qualified to give injectable cosmetic treatment. In particular doctors are have undertaken several years of medical training and abide by the highly respected good medical practice guidelines. They are also accountable to the general medical council.
Is the title important?
Don't be taken in by unusual or unrecognisable titles, such as "Advanced Aesthetic Practitioner/Therapist". When you check qualifications, make sure that the title of doctor, dentist or registered nurse actually applies to the person who is holding the needle.
What sort of training should the professional have?
Practitioners need training in a variety of areas to give injectable cosmetic treatments. These include how to deal with a severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) and other adverse reactions to treatment. At Windsor Medical our doctors are fully trained with advanced life support, which is updated regularly.
Can I have the treatment at home?
Treatments such as Botox and dermal fillers should only be carried out in a clean, safe and appropriate clinical environment to avoid infection and permanent physical damage. Treatments should not be carried out in a home setting or, for example, in a nail bar or tattoo parlour, but in a clinical facility.
Which treatments are safe to use?
While Botox is a prescription-only medicine, dermal fillers are not currently treated as such in the UK and can be bought in various outlets, as well as online. While this is legal, the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence advises patients to be extremely careful when dealing with any cosmetic injectables. Some dermal fillers are permanent and can be dangerous in the wrong hands.
Responsible working
At Windsor medical the culture is centred around client safety and working responsibly to help clients make informed and better decisions about their treatments. We don’t offer treatments unless we think they will actually be of benefit and are evidenced based.
As a commitment to ethical and responsible working we audit our performance as well as complication rates and patient satisfaction to ensure complete transparency.
Do you offer a free Aesthetic Consultation?
We don’t believe clients shouldn’t feel pressured into treatments. Therefore by offering a free aesthetic consultation our clients don’t feel obliged to take a treatment to reclaim the money they’ve already invested when making an initial visit. Within the consultation we offer a comprehensive skin assessment, honest feedback and sound advice about general skincare and hygiene.
Should clients wish to proceed to treatment, we are transparent about our charges.
How do you take consent?
Great medical care is centred around the patient. We believe consent is a two way process to help clients make the right decision for them based on the best available evidence and our medical expertise. Consent is obtained before every treatment by the clinician who is actually going to perform the procedure to ensure complete transparency.
Are there any specific things I should avoid after treatment?
We discussing post-procedure care before starting to optimise the cosmetic result avoid any unwanted surprises.
BOTOX®
1. Avoid applying pressure or massaging the treated areas for a few hours after the procedure. This may disperse the botox into undesired areas
2. Avoid lying down or bending over for 4 after treatment as this may allow botox to disperse in undesired directions
3. Avoid strenuous exercise and yoga after the procedure. This may raise your blood pressure and pulse causing more bruising and swelling
4. You may apply Make-up after the procedure.
5. You may apply Cold compresses to the treatment sites to reduce swelling and bruising.
6. We may recommend a Vitamin K cream to treat any bruising
7. Note that any bumps or marks from the extremely small needle sticks will go away within an hour. If you do develop a bruise it will resolve like any other bruise. There is occasionally some mild pain, swelling, itching, or redness at the site of injection similar to most other injections. Redness may last for 1-2 days, rarely longer.
8. Results of your treatment may take up to 14 days to take full effect although many people will recognise the benefits in 3-5 days after treatment.
9. Botox is a temporary procedure. In most people the benefits of Botox last about 3-4 months. Sometimes a few wrinkles may start to return in 2-3 months. The effectiveness of Botox will last longer with successive treatments.
Dermal Filler
1. Redness and swelling are normal. Bruising may also be visible.
2. You may experience some tenderness at the treatment site(s) that can last for a few hours or a few days.
3. Depending upon the area(s) treated and product(s) used, you may feel “firmness” in the treated area(s) for 1 to 2 weeks after treatment. Over time, the area(s) will soften and “settle”.
4. Apply an ice or cold gel pack to the area(s) treated (avoiding pressure) as this helps reduce swelling and the potential for bruising.
5. Once you have adequately cooled/iced the area(s) as instructed and any pinpoint bleeding from the injection site(s) has subsided, you may begin wearing makeup.
6. AVOID placing excessive pressure on the treated area(s) for the first few hours and up to 2 to 3 days; when cleansing your face or applying makeup, be very gentle.
7. AVOID exercise or strenuous activities for the remainder of the treatment day; you may resume other normal activities/routines immediately.
8. You may take simple analgesia if you experience any mild tenderness or discomfort if these are not contraindicated for you.
9. AVOID extended UV exposure until any redness/swelling has subsided. You may wish to apply an SPF 50 or similar sunscreen.
10. Wait a minimum of six weeks (or as directed by your provider) before receiving any skin care or laser treatments.