How To Establish Realistic Expectations About Botox

Patients coming in for Botox treatment usually have an idea of how they want their results to look. It may be a subtle blurring of wrinkles or just a youthful makeover. Either way, establishing realistic expectations about Botox injections is an important part of an aesthetic practitioner’s job. To set these realistic expectations, here are some ways to talk with your patients about what to expect.

Communication With Patients

Communication with your clients is key. When someone is looking to get non-invasive cosmetic injections, the results they envision may not be possible with injections alone. Discuss with your patients the dos and don’ts with Botox treatments. Make sure you understand their vision, and make sure they understand how you plan to achieve it.

See how AAAMS President Dr. Sam Assassa manages patient expectations at his practice:

As a practitioner or medical professional wanting to enter the field of aesthetics, having experience in Botox is important to meet your client’s needs. Getting formal Botox training will help. The Botulinum Toxin (Botox) Training 101 course offered by The American Association of Aesthetic Medicine and Surgery (AAAMS) is a comprehensive program that provides an overview and training in Botox and neurotoxins and a Botox certification upon completion. 

In this virtual self-paced course, you will learn about topics including facial anatomy, clinical application of neurotoxins, and proper injection techniques. This class includes a series of videos that will expose students to a wide range of important lessons, which they can learn at their own pace from the comfort of their own homes. The participants will receive first-hand demonstrations of injection techniques for different areas of the face. The final collection of videos teaches the art of injecting with a focus on different sections of the face such as the forehead, droopy eyebrows, crow’s feet, frown lines, bunny lines and more. 

Discuss Multiple Appointments

Be transparent about the number of appointments necessary to get your client’s desired results. Oftentimes, the first appointment should be used exclusively to assess the patient and review a treatment plan. While one treatment-focused appointment may be enough to get some patients’ appearance to where they want, other times more injections are necessary. Walk through during the consultation about how many touch-ups are required for optimal results. Botox wears off over time, and patients might not know how long theirs will last. Having this conversation upfront will allow the patient to better conceptualize their results. 

Related post: The Consultation Process: 5 Tips For Assessing Aesthetics Patients’ Mental Health

Budgeting and Various Treatments

Another important topic that makes the patients come back to the doctor’s office is the cost of the procedure. Treatments can range from $100 up to $400 to treat a single area. While a patient is willing to do one treatment, their concerns might need to be treated with more than one session. Since Botox is temporary, it is important that your patients know that your treatment is not permanent. For long-lasting results, they will need to come back for more sessions more often which will add up. If that is not a financial obligation and they are willing to commit to it, the practitioner must notify the patient of their expectations.
Establishing realistic expectations for your practice can be met with some difficult decisions, however, it is important to set boundaries with what Botox injections can and can’t do. With the knowledge you will gain through aesthetic training, practitioners can be one step closer to helping their patients achieve their dreams.