“Cheap BUT…” Shopping for Botox & Fillers

Advice on Choosing Botox and Fillers By Lee Cottrill

We all shop around and, as a keen bargain hunter, I often go hunting out the best price before burning a hole in my pocket.  

What am I really looking for though? The cheapest price? Well, yes…IF…. I’m buying a commodity product where there’s no difference in the product based on where I buy it from.  

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    But what if I’m buying a service…say, a medical procedure on my face…what am I looking for then? Well for me it’s then not the cheapest but instead the best value.  

    Value is getting the best price you can whilst ensuring you get the quality of service/product that YOU personally expect. After all, what’s the point in paying the cheapest price if the outcome isn’t up to much? 

    So how should you shop around for aesthetic treatments like Botox and dermal fillers? 

    There’s STACKS of providers out there and a huge range in price so how do you pick the best value for you? 

    Here’s our top tips for shopping around for your Botox & fillers and I’ll even tell you my preferences as we go.  

    1. Genuinely Botox?
      A bit like calling a vacuum cleaner a Hoover, Botox is a brand name.
      The other ones are Azzalure and Bocouture (the latter two are cheaper for a clinic to buy in but this usually isn’t reflected in the price to the customer). I’ve been treated with both Azzalure and Botox in the past. I prefer Botox because I notice the results quicker and I feel I get more consistent results for longer.
      Whatever your preference over time you might well build up resistance to your preferred one so check your provider can readily give you another choice should you want it. 
       
    2. Temporary hyaluronic acid (HA) filler (eg Juvederm, Emervel, Tesosyal) or a non-reversible filler (eg Radiesse)?
      Perhaps you’re thinking “And what?!” but for me I want to know that any filler work on my face can be reversed if I need it to be and that the results won’t be permanent.
      I’ve been to the factory in France where they make Juvederm and it’s amazing. Not only that but it’s smooth to inject and the selection of products available to the clinician mean SO much can be achieved that you wouldn’t believe.
      Ask your provider what filler they use and why. 
       
    3. Who’s sticking it to me?
      A hot topic for the last 10 years pretty much…there’s actually no law which says who can and who can’t inject you with fillers or Botox.
      As long as a medical professional can prescribe the botulinum toxin for you as a ‘prescription-only medicine’, then it’s A-OK for a beautician or even my old ma to carry out your treatment for you. Often this means there’s some ‘bargains’ to be had out there. All you have to decide is ‘does it matter to me who carries out my treatment and what’s the worst that could happen?’
      For me personally, I’ve always had a doctor or dentist carry out my treatments and I’d never let anyone who wasn’t medically trained and registered with a professional medical body eg NMC, GMC, GDC perform an injectable procedure on me.
      It’s true that beauty therapists who’ve studied for years have advanced knowledge around human anatomy & physiology but if something goes wrong such as a filler accidentally being injected into an artery (yes low risk but does happen) then I want my clinician to know how to check for capillary refill and how to treat me for any pending risk of necrosis there and then #justsaying
      It’s an prescription-only medicine for a reason. 
    4. Business type & location
      Hospital groups, department store concessions, large corporate businesses, beauty salons and small private clinics are all players in the aesthetics market for injectable treatments and guess what..?..you’ll find different prices according to the type of business you approach and where they’re based.
      Big chains charge more because they can play off their big budget advertising campaigns, small independents tend to be cheaper, city centre locations tend to be more.
      Don’t get sucked in by just paying for a name – check you get everything you expect according to this list and then make your decision. 
       
    5. Jack of all trades?
      Check what other procedures your provider does. Chances are they’ll be tripping over themselves to tell you all the things they can offer you. Is a multi-‘talented’ clinician a good thing though?
      Well, from another angle, the clinicians that treat me ONLY do injectable anti-ageing treatments and nothing else. It’s a bit like going to a seafood restaurant…you’d expect it to be good because that’s where their knowledge lies and its their reason for being all day every day.
      I’m not so keen on providers who can inject me whilst pedicuring my feet, whitening my teeth, and freezing my fat all at the same time. 
       
    6. “Please leave a message after the tone”
      After treatment, your body will be adjusting to the procedure. This may mean a red mark, a bruise or very rarely an allergic reaction. When you get home it’s important you know you can speak to someone straight away even if it’s late at night if there’s something wrong.
      Ask your clinician how you’ll get hold of them if you need help and check do they pick up the phone straight away?
    7. “Maybe next time”
      It’s important to remember that getting your Botox done is not like an appointment on the NHS. The driver to make a profit means that some clinicians might treat you even if they know it’s not in your best interests to do so.
      One way to test this is to ask for something like a frozen look or scandalously large lips and see what the response is. If he/she isn’t giving you any challenge on the risks or the cons of your proposed new look then they’re not doing their job properly. 
    8. Your final price?
      Don’t be afraid to ask for a better price.
      If you’re a loyal customer or if you plan to spend a lot then I for one will always look for a little gesture.
      I might not always get it but like my old ma always says “YOU DON’T ASK YOU DON’T GET”

    About Lee Cottrill

    Lee Cottrill is SkinViva’s Business Development Director and has worked with the company for around 5 years, building up a wealth of knowledge and experience of the non-surgical skin treatments industry.

    SkinViva Manchester

    SkinViva was established in 2008 and has an excellent reputation for offering high quality skin treatments in the North West.

    Their team offer free consultations at their main clinic in Manchester and also at an extensive choice of conveniently located locations across the North West. Clinics are held at salons and centres in Cheshire, Derbyshire, Lancashire, Manchester, Stockport and Bury.

    A consultation is always required prior to any cosmetic treatment and this is arranged with an experienced aesthetic clinician. The same individual would carry out treatment and this can normally be done at the same appointment if required.

    For further information or to arrange a confidential consultation with a cosmetic doctor or dentist, please call 0161 865 1141, email contact@skinviva.com.

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