Choosing a cosmetic injectable practitioner: safety checks that matter

Ask who will carry out the treatment and check their professional registration: doctors with the General Medical Council, nurses with the Nursing and Midwifery Council, dentists with the General Dental Council and pharmacists with the General Pharmaceutical Council. Ask about specific training in the procedure and in managing complications. Clinicians should work within their competence and be willing to explain their experience.

Botulinum toxin products are prescription-only medicines. The General Medical Council expects a prescriber to take responsibility for assessing a patient and prescribing, and remote prescribing without proper assessment is a concern. A consultation should include a health history, discussion of risks and realistic outcomes and time to consider. Be cautious about treatments offered at parties, in a salon with no clinical oversight or on the spot without consultation.

• Clean, dedicated treatment room with hand-washing facilities.

• Single-use needles and sterile equipment.

• Emergency equipment and medicines, including hyaluronidase for filler complications where relevant.

• Clear procedures for complications and an out-of-hours contact.

• Public liability or professional indemnity insurance.

• Registration with the Care Quality Commission where required for the activity.

You should receive written information about the procedure, risks, aftercare and costs. Photographs may be taken before treatment. A good practitioner will say no if a request is unsafe, unrealistic or unnecessary. Beware of pressure to book additional treatments, time-limited offers and before-and-after photographs that look edited.

• Prices that seem far below the market, or promotional deals on prescription-only products.

• No consultation or health questions.

• Unwillingness to name the product or the prescriber.

• Treatment in non-clinical settings, such as homes or parties.

• Practitioners who do not discuss complications.

• Social media advertising that names prescription-only products, which breaches advertising rules.

Seek help promptly. For filler complications such as severe pain, blanching, mottled skin, vision changes or swelling, contact the practitioner immediately and, if not available or if vision is affected, go to A&E. Report problems to the MHRA Yellow Card scheme for medicines and devices, and consider raising concerns with the relevant professional regulator or the Care Quality Commission. Keep records and photographs.

Before booking, write down the practitioner's name, profession, registration number and the product they plan to use. Check the registration on the regulator's website. Ask what happens if you are unhappy with the result, whether corrections are included and how to contact them out of hours. Take time to read the consent form at home rather than on the day. If you feel pressured, leave. A responsible practitioner will accept that you want time to think and will not mind you asking about complications.