Collaborating with a nurse to offer more invasive aesthetic treatments in salon could boost your profits and client base, but it has to be done correctly. Dr Kim Prescott explains how to set up this partnership

It’s not uncommon for beauty salons that already offer advanced skin treatments such as chemical peels, microneedling and laser to consider partnering with a medical practitioner to introduce more invasive services like botulinum toxin (botox) and filler. This type of collaborative relationship is becoming more common in the beauty and aesthetics industries than you may think.

While the majority of aesthetic treatments are safe and tolerable for beauty therapists to do, some come with the risk of serious complications, several of which can occur months or even years after the treatment has taken place. This is where having an in-house medic who can safely perform these treatments is important.

Unlike in the majority of other countries, UK law does not mandate that these more advanced beauty treatments should be carried out by a medically trained healthcare professional (HCP). In spite of the legalities, the majority of UK aesthetic therapists choose to partner with a HCP to undertake the more medical – and more risky – procedures in their salons, and to be available to consult with clients should complications occur.

This is how to find the right medical practitioner to partner with in your salon, making it mutually beneficial for both parties.

1. Choose a nurse or doctor who shares your ethos

Never compromise on the quality of what you deliver to your clients. Partner with a medical professional who will offer the same level of expertise, proficiency and experience as you do. For example, look for someone who is likely to spend enough time explaining the procedures and putting clients’ minds at ease prior to treatment. A reassuring personality will go a long way to ensuring client satisfaction.

2. Quality and commitment really is everything

With the changing nature of aesthetic medicine in the UK, and growing scrutiny at all levels, it is increasingly necessary to change the way aesthetic treatments are practised. The first requirement is to ensure that the space used for these treatments meets medical standards and is equipped with emergency protocols and supplies.

In most salons where medical treatments are being introduced, it is good practice for all staff to undergo basic life support training, and the Joint Council for Cosmetic Practitioners (JCCP) has guidance around these requirements. Take time to find a partner who takes their aesthetic practice seriously, is highly trained and insists on working with high-quality, well-researched products.

Medical professionals are still learning about the long-term implications of many cosmetic procedures, so it is important that your partner remains up to date with the extensive research happening in the arena of aesthetic medicine.

Spend time with potential candidates and ask them questions about the procedures they offer as well as details of their training. The Level 7 Certificate is something quite new, and anyone who has invested in this level of training will be an asset to your salon.

However, those who have been in the field for a while, and therefore have more experience, are unlikely to have completed a Level 7 Certificate so you will need to look at their qualifications and experience on an individual basis.

Your team will also need to have a good idea of the procedures and the frequently asked questions (FAQs) that come with them, so getting candidates to do a presentation to your therapy team could be part of the interview process.

3. Look for specialists in your area

Work with someone local to your salon because they need to agree to be available after hours should a client have concerns – anyone worried about a potential complication should be reviewed immediately. As rare as these complications may be, when they do occur they can be serious. There can also be negative consequences for your business and reputation, not to mention your insurance, if a client is unable to be seen immediately.

4. Building a client base will take effort from both sides

It is not enough to have a medic coming in for a couple of hours twice per month – setting aside time weekly is ideal, even if sessions are not filled straight away. A client requiring an urgent review will not be happy to wait.

It can take time to build up your clientele so you will need to find a nurse or medic who is flexible enough to build this side of your business with you over time. This can be the biggest challenge because a doctor or nurse without much experience in aesthetics may have more availability, but it takes time and practice to ensure consistently good results.

You may need to consider making the financial viability as attractive as possible for the doctor or nurse for the first couple of months, and changing the terms as this side of the business grows.

5. A written contract is crucial

Make sure you spend time discussing your working relationship and put together a written contract. Aspects that frequently end up being problematic include financial arrangements, so consider factors such as what happens when clients don’t turn up for appointments or when they want to see the HCP outside of your salon.

There is little standardisation around financial arrangements, and with the increasing emphasis on overall skin quality improvement rather than isolated injectable treatments, one of the tricky areas is how to compensate the doctor or nurse who takes the time to suggest products and courses of treatment to be delivered by your therapists.

Non-refundable booking fees should cover the appointment slot so that the doctor or nurse’s time is covered. Time should also be considered as a cost for those discussing profit sharing.

Dr Kim Prescott practices, lectures and trains in aesthetic medicine, and has a special interest in skincare product development.

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