Guide to Cosmetic Treatment - Which Treatment?

Ask yourself, why are you interested in having a particular treatment or procedure?

There are numerous reasons why people choose to have medical, non-surgical and surgical cosmetic procedures or treatments for their face, body, teeth, hair or eyes. At the end of the day, it’s crucial that you are making the right decision for yourself.

You should be having the procedure because YOU want to make changes.

No treatment should be undertaken on the insistence, suggestion or gift of anyone else, whether that’s a partner, friend, family member or even a practitioner or your employer. Ultimately it’s your body and your health and you should not be persuaded to do anything by, or for, someone else.

Also, do not be tempted to be led by the actions of celebrities, social media trends or a desire to look like a particular idol of yours.

It could end up being something that you later regret.

There is nothing wrong with having a procedure to enhance how you feel about the way people perceive you. If you feel more attractive after treatment, this has been linked with an increase in self-esteem and more successful interpersonal relationships and more confidence in work and life situations.

Whatever your reasons for wanting to undertake a treatment or procedure, it is important that you make a realistic appraisal of what it is that you would like to change and the improvements that can be achieved.

Practitioners are not miracle workers, after all, so make sure your expectations are realistic for the treatment in question.

It’s also worth thinking about whether you have any health issues that you may suffer from which are going to impact anything you choose to have done or the expected results from it. It’s not paramount, but if you do have health issues you may wish to have a chat with your own GP to discuss whether they could cause concerns for you and your plans.

It may also be worth considering whether you need to make any different lifestyle choices before you embark on your journey with a cosmetic treatment, for example reducing your alcohol intake, giving up smoking, eating more healthily and taking more exercise.

Similarly, this is not a decision to be taken lightly or on a whim, you must give it considered thought and even take extra time after speaking to a practitioner to think over your plans – this is referred to as a cooling-off period, and will certainly be required if you are considering any surgical procedure.

If you think that you would like to discuss how you feel about your body, and the area(s) that bothers you, with a professional, before making an appointment at a cosmetic clinic, then you may wish to consider having a session with a counsellor or other specialist with experience in appearance anxieties.

This does not mean to say that you may have a mental health issue, such as body dysmorphia, simply that sometimes getting to the route of our anxieties can help to decide if your current course of action to have cosmetic treatment is actually the right choice for you.

Things to remember when thinking about cosmetic treatment...

Do it for you
Don’t feel rushed or under pressure
Cheap is not always the best option
Do your own research about the treatment and learn as much as you can
Speak to more than one clinic or practitioner
Ask as many questions as you need to feel comfortable in your decision
If it doesn’t feel right, or you don’t fully understand what you have been told, then don’t do it!

Want to read more in our guide to cosmetic treatment series?

Your Guide to Cosmetic Treatment - Which Clinic Should I Go To?

Your Guide to Cosmetic Treatment - Which Questions to ask

Your Guide to Cosmetic Treatment Abroad

Take a look our full Guide to Safe Cosmetic Treatment here.

Guide to Cosmetic Treatment - Which Treatment?

Want to read more in our guide to cosmetic treatment series?

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