Chemical peels, botox, fillers: What you need to know before booking a treatment

Chemical peels, botox, fillers and other aesthetic procedures might be the way to go when a fancy face cream just won’t do the job.

Age, sun damage and everyday stress can take its toll on the skin and body, and with Christmas around the corner, women in South Africa might be looking to get a little (or big) boost.

Here, Dr Ellen Moila – owner of Orchid Aesthetic Clinic, the first woman- and black-owned aesthetic clinic in Polokwane – talks shop about what South African women are into, and what they need to look out for when booking a treatment.

What are some of the main treatments women are booking for?

Most women, especially younger women, book for skin rejuvenation treatments like chemical peels and facials. The older women book for non-surgical facelifts like botox and dermal fillers to treat wrinkles and ageing skin or loss of volume on their faces. 

What should women look for when booking an aesthetic treatment at a clinic? 

Though most aesthetic treatments are safe and effective, it is always important to make sure your aesthetic practitioner is fully qualified and licensed to do the treatments you require. While facial treatments and laser can be done by therapists, only injectables or treatments that have to do with injections should be done by a medical doctor who is qualified to do aesthetic treatments. 

What are red flags?

• No aesthetic practitioner’s credentials or qualification available.
• No consultation prior to treatments or explanation of the procedures. 
• Price lower than the market price. 

Are South African women conservative in their approach or are they going for some of the bigger treatments?

More and more women in South Africa are warming to the idea of aesthetic treatments and are doing more drastic treatments like butt lifts and nose jobs, as long as their pockets allow. This is across all races. Those that stay conservative would go for bigger treatments if their budget allowed. 

Please explain what a non-surgical facelift is?

A non-surgical facelift is the use of dermal fillers and botox to improve the appearance of facial structures and plump up the face to diminish the appearance of wrinkles and sagging skin.

How did your clinic manage to engage remotely with clients during lockdown?

Covid-19 impacted the aesthetic industry in a lot of ways. We saw a decline in sales because most people were not going anywhere and didn’t see the need to look good. Job losses also had people prioritising their immediate needs and doing away with things they can live without.

It further forced us to be innovative. We opened an online store and introduced virtual consultations to sustain the business. 

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