Botox today is phenomenally big business. In fact, you only have to look across the Atlantic to see just how popular Botox really has become.

The USA is often seen as the global leader in the beauty industry and is the only country with a population globally renowned for its perfect white smiles! In 2018, Botox injections were among the most popular types of cosmetic procedures performed in America.

Along with soft tissue fillers and chemical peels, they made up an impressive total of 17.7 million surgical and minimally invasive cosmetic procedures that were performed throughout the year.

And it’s no surprise that Botox injections are so popular; they are a quick and easy way to enhance natural beauty and they don’t leave any scarring or require a long healing process to achieve great results.

Often, clients and prospective practitioners aren’t quite sure exactly what Botox injections involve, who is allowed to perform them and how you can get trained in it. This blog will break it down step by step and clearly explain what it’s all about.

What is Botox?

Botox is a drug that comes from a neurotoxic protein called Botulinum toxin A. The treatment relaxes your face muscles to help smooth out any lines and wrinkles.

The word Botox isn’t the name of a natural substance but is, in fact, a trademark or a brand name. Different brands or versions of the drug that you may also have heard of include Azzalure and Dysport.

When you have an injection of Botox, Azzalure, Dysport (or whichever brand of the drug your practitioner most favours), your face looks smoother and younger and the effects last for around three to four months.

Dermal fillers, on the other hand, are slightly different. As their name suggests, what they do is to fill in lines and wrinkles in your face. They usually contain hyaluronic acid and the effects last six to eighteen months.

Who can perform Botox injections and dermal fillers?

Now, one of the most important questions when talking about these treatments is who can and who cannot perform them. There often tends to be some confusion about this. It is sometimes brought about through the overwhelming array of online media reporting that is available today and through the variations in the law regarding these procedures from country to country.

Botox injections are classified as a “minimally invasive cosmetic procedure”. In everyday terms, this means that botox sit’s in the middle of the spectrum for commonly available beauty treatments. If you picture a line with plastic surgeries such as rhinoplasty (or what is more often just referred to as nose reshaping) at one end and hair colouring treatment and nail work at the other end, then Botox injections would sit somewhere in the middle. That might sound obvious to some, but it’s helpful to have a very clear picture of where these sorts of procedures stand overall within the beauty industry.

So when it comes to knowing who exactly can be trained in botox and aesthetics, we, at Doctor Hennessy Academy have a very clear answer. We train doctors, dentists, nurses, midwives, dental therapists, pharmacists and paramedics in the treatment of Botox and dermal fillers. However, we will not train beauty therapists.

The reason for this is that, in the UK, the drugs used for Botox procedures are prescription drugs and beauty therapists are not medically qualified. Whilst it is not our aim to be unfairly exclusive, or to encourage any sort of petty snobbery concerning the different roles within the beauty industry, we always prioritise patient safety and find that drawing this clear line is in the industry’s best interest.

Additionally, we generally consider it best for practitioners to initially work as part of an established clinic in order to gain experience. This is an effective way to develop confidence, understanding and expertise and puts you in a strong position for establishing your own clinic further down the line should this be your aim.

Get trained by an established expert in the field

At Dr Hennessy Cosmetic Academy, we have over twenty years of experience successfully training medical professionals in how to perform botox and derma filler procedures.

Our trainers have a firm grasp on not only the medical aspects but also the legal context of Botox injections and dermal fillers. With their unique blend of knowledge and experience, the team here are the ideal choice if you’re looking to enter the field of non-surgical cosmetics.

Headed by Dr Stephen Hennessy BDS, who is highly experienced and has been on the tutoring circuit since 2005, the team provides an incomparable service open to a wide range of medical professionals.

Perhaps you’re a doctor or a nurse who has always been excited by the beauty industry but never pursued the interest. Alternatively, perhaps you’re a dentist with your own practise whose patients frequently inquire about Botox treatment. Perhaps now the time seems right for you to take advantage of an ever-growing market. Well, whatever your motivation to learn, we will take you through the theory and practical applications of these treatments on our highly respected courses.

To enhance the learning experience, we use live models for our Botox and Dermal Filler courses. This allows you to develop a more realistic sense of how it all works and gets you comfortable with using the procedures on real people before you’ve even left the classroom.

Our Teaching Values

We also insist on always using a low student-teacher ratio, ensuring that each individual gets enough attention and has the opportunity to ask questions, as opposed to being rushed through and processed en masse. This allows us to provide a much more in-depth learning experience with a high level of training while providing a more rewarding learning environment

Of course, the business side of things is important too. All of our courses are set up so that you not only know how and why things work the way they do but also so that you are in a position to implement this new knowledge in your work. We cover business education alongside the theoretical and practical material, and, importantly, all of our courses are approved and accredited by the major insurers including Hamilton Fraser insurance. This means that after taking them you will be eligible to become insured.

Botox Learning Methods – The different ways to train

There are various ways that you can train in Botox injections and dermal fillers. Selecting the method that’s right for you is important and will generally depend on your existing level of expertise and how you learn best.

Botox Beginner Courses

Our combined Botox and Dermal Filler Foundation Day is the perfect course for beginners. It is suitable for trained medical professionals keen to get started with non-surgical aesthetics. If you are a doctor, nurse or midwife then this course is suitable for you. Equally, if you are a dentist, dental nurse, dental therapist or pharmacist then this provides a great start for you too.

Our comprehensive course takes you through everything from how to effectively assess a patient’s face and use aesthetic mapping techniques to the history of the procedures. It additionally includes important insights that have been gained through years of experience such as tips on how to achieve an injecting technique that is painless for your patients.

We also cover the all-important area of after-care. This is crucial for both the patient’s sake –providing comfort and reassurance after the procedure—and from a business perspective; thorough after-care is one of the most memorable parts of any treatment and impressing patients at this stage encourages return custom and word-of-mouth recommendations to friends and family.

Dermal filler training/courses

Our Advanced Cannula Training Course covers such popular services as:

• Jawline definition
• Correction of a downturned mouth
• Cheek enhancement with a cannula
• 3-point jaw-lift (with a needle)

Apart from gaining vital anatomical knowledge, this course puts practitioners in a position to advise today’s patients who tend to be better informed than ever before; via social media, in particular Instagram, patients now share all their experiences and the results of their procedures – whether good or bad!

Advanced aesthetics training

Our Advanced Aesthetic Training Course is designed to help you take that next step in your business. This takes you beyond the basics and covers, among other areas:

• Brow lifting
• Scar correction
• Cheekbone definition
• Advanced Botulinum Toxin procedures
• Liquid facelift

With a maximum of seven students on any course, there are always plenty of opportunities to gain the practical experience that is so crucial in becoming a confident practitioner in these procedures. Why not check out our lip filler courses?

 One-to-one Botox training course

One of the most effective courses is our one-to-one bespoke course. The advantage of this course is that it can be tailored to your individual requirements and to your level of experience and qualification.

From foundation aesthetics to the more advanced treatments, these courses are taught at a pace that suits you and they will provide you with the most personal service.

If you are interested in any of our Botox courses, or if you just wish to make a general enquiry about any of our cosmetic courses, please feel free to give us a call on 0845 1122900.