Oct 06, 2021

How to Advise Your Patients Before Their Aesthetic Treatments

When it comes to patient satisfaction, the journey begins well before your client shows up for their treatment.   Beginning with the consultation, you   have the opportunity to   guide patient expectations, make the right choices for their aesthetic goals, and make sure   they re   getting the most out of their clinic appointments by practicing the proper preparation and aftercare.   Below, we cover the essential steps to follow to prep patients before their treatments   in order to   ensure a positive experience.  

Perfecting the Consultation  

Here s   what you can do to make the most out of your   initial   consultation with each client:    

Listen.   The key to a successful doctor-patient consult is to listen.   They ve   already chosen to come to your clinic, so   there s   no need to dwell on your credentials or past successes beyond a quick introduction. Patients want to feel like they are being listened to, especially since discussing aesthetic concerns can make some people feel vulnerable .      

Identify   the priority concern.   Potential clients will come to you with a variety of aesthetic concerns which may fall into one of the following four major categories:   beautification , transformation, correction, or positive aging. They may have very general or   very specific   ideas of what   they d   like to address. During the consultation,   it s   your task to discern what their needs are and if your services or offerings are a good fit for them. Once you have,   you ll   be   in a position   to discuss more specific   possible   treatments , and   begin to develop a customized aesthetic treatment plan.  

Discuss treatment options.   Once   you ve   assessed the client s needs, inform them about the treatment options that will best address their concerns. There may be more than one, or   a range of invasive vs. non-invasive treatments for them to choose from . Be upfront about procedure outcomes and   do wntime,   and   use plain language. Th ere s n o reason to be covert about the science behind medical aesthetics your clients will simply google the information for themselves, so it s b est if they receive the correct info from you first.  

Make a plan .   Once you and your client have chosen a treatment, use it as a jumping-off point to create   a customized plan that incorporates both their short-term and long-term aesthetic goals . Having a plan personally tailored to their needs makes patients feel   heard and   does good for your business by creating a reason for them to return.   

Important Points  to  Discuss  with  Patients Pre-Treatment    

Besides getting a basic medical history, here is the key information   you ll   want to discuss with clients before each treatment:    

  • Their g oals and expectations   
  • Their   s un exposure history ,   past   and recent , and whether they have had cause to see a dermatologist  
  • Their h istory of skin conditions   
  • If   they ve   had any   pr evious   fillers   or injectables like   Botox , and   where  
  • Their s kin care routine   including specifics about which products they use  
  • Their m ost recent use of retinol   and when they last had a   chemical peel  
  • What their l ast   aesthetic   treatment   was and its outcome  
  • For hair and body treatments , discuss their goals and expectations and any prior treatments th ey ve h ad  

Managing Patient Expectations Before  A  Treatment  

Asking your patients about their expectations for each treatment is a necessary step on the path to patient satisfaction. When results fall short of expectations; this is where dissatisfaction creeps in. That makes it your responsibility to   manage patient expectations from the start , and this can be done through simple discussion. Ask them how they expect to look and feel after a single treatment, or after several treatments if that is part of their treatment plan, to de termine i f their expectations are reasonable. Then, adjust accordingly by explaining the results that can be achieved. Ab ove all, be f orthcoming about all aspects of the aesthetic treatment your client has chosen to undertake. They should know what to expect in terms of cost, results, re quired d o wntime,   and the experience of having the treatment itself. That way, when everything goes better than planned, they will leave your clinic more than satisfied.  

Discuss Post-Treatment Care  

The best time to discuss aftercare with your patients is   actually before   the treatment itself. Be sure to emphasize the   importance of aftercare   and   especially sun care   for your patients to secure the best results from their treatment. Offering them some post-treatment literature is a good way to ensure they ll be able to follow your advice at home. This can be a brief list of what they should do in the weeks following a procedure, customized for each treatment. Educate them on possible side effects and what to do if these occur, including informing them if you offer an after-hours emergency line.    

We hope that this guide has left you feeling more than prepared to set your patients on their aesthetic journey on the right foot.

Venus Versa™ Pro webinar
By Josh Wiersma 28 Mar, 2024
Watch the recording now for our FIRST Venus Versa™ Pro webinar, featuring KOL Cheryl Haseeb, DNP!
By Josh Wiersma 11 Jan, 2024
Journey into the forefront of aesthetics with our highlight reel from the Venus NEXThetics event, in Texas. Attendees were the first to witness the launch of our latest advancement, Venus Versa™ Pro; offering 10 applicators, 25 treatments, and over 100+ aesthetic goals to grow your aesthetic practice. Renowned speakers, including the esteemed Cheryl Haseeb, DNP, shared invaluable insights alongside industry leaders such as Gilly Munavalli, MD, MHS, FACMS, and Scott Gerrish, MD. This is just the beginning. Stay tuned for upcoming Venus NEXThetics events, where we continue to redefine the landscape of aesthetics…
15 Sep, 2023
Watch this webinar recording featuring Dr. Scott Gerrish to discover the best-in-class technology behind Venus Bliss MAX™, the advanced 3-in-1 body shaping platform, and how to effectively integrate it into your practice to offer a complete body solution.
Share by: