Fear of Injecting? We can help…
First things first, fear of injecting is nothing to be ashamed of.
It is a sign that you care about your work, the patient and their safety; something all aesthetic practitioners should aspire to. Even the most advanced practitioners can be subject to feelings of trepidation, injection anxiety and uncertainty from time to time.
The good news is there are several effective ways you can increase your injection confidence and take your aesthetics career to the next level. So, let’s leave anxiety at the door, take pride in our conscientious nature, and develop ways to better manage our injection fears.
Why we fear injecting
Fear of injecting can present itself in a number of ways and for many different reasons. Perhaps you have a very nervous or exacting patient. Or perhaps the patient presents with challenging disproportions, signs of ageing, or complex anatomy. Empathetic and sensitive injectors will often feel pressure when trying to meet their patients’ expectations and whilst ensuring safe practice.
Probably the greatest cause for injection anxiety is the fear of complications. Complications can arise despite our best intentions and practise, and should rightly be at the forefront of our minds. With rising rates of serious adverse events, including visual loss and skin necrosis, if you don’t feel confident about your complication avoidance and management, fear or injecting can strike the best of us.
Fear of injecting can also present if we feel we have lack of experience or gaps in knowledge. Fear of the unknown, or the unpredictable, is a very common trigger. No two patients are ever the same, and we must always approach our treatment planning with this in mind.
But rather than letting these fears hold us back, we can make these fears our professional guides and allies. And how do we do that?
How to conquer your fear
At By Design Academy, we believe the keys to conquer your fear come down to the following skills:
Knowing your anatomy
When it comes to managing risk and harnessing your patient’s unique features to your artistic advantage, anatomical knowledge is your superpower. It should underpin everything that you do. Remember that understanding anatomy is not just for complications management, but for empowering you to achieve safe yet stunning results.
Patient selection
When assessing your patient, there are certain red flags to be aware of when deciding an appropriate treatment plan. These include unrealistic expectations, dictating treatments, and severe disproportions and signs of ageing. All of which may present unacceptable risk for the patient.
Remember that all facial aesthetics treatments are elective medical procedures that carry risks and benefits. We should always ask ourselves if the risks outweigh the perceived benefits. Your anxiety will soar if you neglect your better judgement and duty of care as medical professionals.
Planning
The adage ‘failing to plan is planning to fail’ has never rung so true. Whether you are planning a multiple or single area procedure, treatment planning is fundamentally the process of identifying your patient’s areas of excess and deficient volume, relative to their desired appearance. Once you know this, your anatomical knowledge will inform your filler selection and plane of delivery. Don’t be afraid to get your marking up pens out!
Experience
Although theoretical knowledge is crucial to becoming an expert practitioner, this is ultimately a practical discipline. With practical experience comes a deeper understanding of tissue quality and response. Likewise, filler properties, tissue impact and healing variances. The more successful treatments you perform, armed with this knowledge, the more your confidence will be reinforced, and your fears tamed.
Don’t let injection fear hold you back!
At By Design Academy, all our courses are led and supervised by expert practitioners with a wealth of knowledge and experience. We have devised our own highly effective treatment screening and planning methods that make successful planning a piece of cake. Likewise, all our courses are underpinned by a unique understanding of applied anatomy that empower you with the skills and knowledge to inject with confidence. We may all find ourselves subject to injection fear for time to time, but with the right training and a comprehensive professional toolbox at our disposal, we can turn that fear into a superpower and take our aesthetics careers to the next level.
Why not join us on one of our advanced aesthetics training courses and become part of an ever-growing community of incredible injectors.
