The Four Pillars of Ethics in Aesthetics

The Aesthetic market is largely unregulated in England and Wales, leaving it to practitioners to make ethical judgment calls. To aid, Allergan Aesthetics launched the ‘Aesthetics Ethics’ campaign and guide, and we’ve caught up with Dr. Sophie Shotter, Allergan Aesthetics Key Opinion Leader and Allergan Medical Institute (AMI) Faculty Member on how to maintain ethical standards in practice. Integrating the framework into your practice will ensure patient safety, satisfaction and trust.

1. Practitioner Medical Expertise

Medical expertise in aesthetic medicine is essential to prevent adverse outcomes and build patient trust.

As Sophie Shotter advises, "Poor practice can have a detrimental impact for both patients and practitioners. For patients, bad advice or treatment can erode confidence both in the medical community and in themselves, and creates barriers to treatment whilst for practitioners, it damages trust and can create additional challenges for repairing bad work and supporting distressed patients (1). It is essential that across the aesthetics industry, we are ensuring the education and training provided to practitioners is of the highest quality and meets stringent medical standards."

This can be done through ensuring rigorous education and continuous professional development helps maintain high standards of care, ultimately benefiting both patients and practitioners. Attending trainings, conferences and symposiums can bring plenty of benefits to a clinic

2. The Digital Lens and Its Impact on Patient's Treatment Goals

The influence of the digital world on consumer behaviour and treatment goals is profound. Social media and increased screen time have significantly impacted patient perceptions and expectations. According to Sophie Shotter, "The influence on consumers of the digital world is powerful and mustn’t be underestimated – both from social media, and the increased screen time of the hybrid working world." Save Face, the British government-approved register of cosmetic practitioners reported a 40% increase in site visits since the first UK lockdown in March 2020. Practitioners must guide patients through realistic expectations, countering the often-distorted self-perceptions shaped by the digital world. This involves clear communication about what treatments can achieve “When empowered with the tools to communicate to clients the reality of what treatments can achieve, practitioners can help empower patients, and bring a dose of reality to those whose perceptions of themselves are warped by the digital world.”

3. The Significance of Building Strong Practitioner-Patient Relationships

A robust practitioner-patient relationship is fundamental to ensuring patient safety and satisfaction. Trust, built through every interaction, is the cornerstone of these relationships. Sophie Shotter emphasizes, "The practitioner-patient relationship needs to be based upon trust, which is something that should be reinforced with every encounter." A thorough consultation process, including informed consent conducted by a qualified practitioner, is essential. This approach ensures that patients feel heard, respected, and fully informed about their treatment options, fostering a sense of security and trust. A healthy and strong client relationship is one that grows over several appointments and can span many years, as you retain your client and provide them with advice as their needs change.

4. The Need for Better Patient Education

There is a clear and urgent need for enhanced patient education to enable informed decision-making about aesthetic treatments. A significant proportion of consumers feel underinformed about non-surgical aesthetic procedures. Sophie Shotter notes, "All current and future aesthetic patients should have the information and education they need to feel empowered to make the choices that are right for them." This education should come from credible sources and involve detailed explanations of procedures, potential risks, benefits, and realistic outcomes. The aesthetic industry has a critical role in providing this education, prioritising patient safety and satisfaction above all. Providing such education can help the provider build credibility in the industry and become an expert - encouraging new potential clients.

Ethical practice in aesthetic medicine is not just about adhering to regulatory standards but also about fostering trust, providing high-quality education and training, managing patient expectations, and ensuring informed consent. By focusing on these Four Pillars of Aesthetic Medicine, practitioners can uphold the highest ethical standards, ensuring patient safety and satisfaction while advancing the field responsibly.