choosing a provider
How do I choose an injector?
Short answer
Judge the consultation, not the price. A good injector asks what bothers you before naming a treatment, shows after photos of faces making expressions, explains what they would not do, and is reachable if something concerns you afterward. Willingness to recommend less is the strongest signal there is.
Sally's take
I'm obviously not neutral here, so take this as what I'd tell a friend looking somewhere I don't work.
The thing I'd weigh most heavily is whether they'll tell you no. An injector who agrees with every request isn't assessing you, they're taking an order. Most of the value in this work is judgement about what not to do.
Second is whether you can actually reach them afterwards. Complications are uncommon but they're time-sensitive, and the gap between a good outcome and a bad one is often just how quickly someone competent picks up the phone.
What actually matters
- Credentials and licensure, and who supervises the practice
- How much of their work is injectables specifically, rather than one service among many
- Whether the consultation happens before any product is discussed
- After photos showing faces in motion, not only at rest
- A clear plan for complications, and a real way to contact them
- Whether they have ever talked a patient out of something
What matters less than people think
- Price per unit. It tells you nothing without knowing how many units and how well placed.
- Brand of product. The injector matters far more than which vial they opened.
- Follower count. Marketing skill and clinical judgment are unrelated.
- Before and after photos taken in different lighting or at different angles, which are not comparable.
Reasonable red flags
- Pressure to decide at the appointment, or a discount that expires today
- No consultation, or a consultation that is really a sales conversation
- Reluctance to discuss risks in specific terms
- No clear answer about who to call if something goes wrong
- A recommendation to treat many areas at a first visit
Quick answers
- Does the injector's background matter?
- It matters a lot, though not always in the way people assume. What I'd ask is how much of their practice is injectables specifically, rather than one service among many.
- Is a higher price a sign of better work?
- No. Price per unit tells you nothing without knowing how many units and how well placed.
- Should I judge by social media?
- Marketing skill and clinical judgement are unrelated. Look at whether the after photos show faces actually moving.
- What's the biggest red flag?
- Pressure to decide today, or a discount that expires when you leave.
Questions worth asking
- How often do you perform this specific treatment?
- What would you advise against for me, and why?
- What is your plan if I have a complication, and how do I reach you?
- Can I see results on someone with a similar face to mine, making an expression?
Related questions
This page is educational and is not medical advice. It does not create a provider relationship. Results vary between people, and treatment decisions are made at your consultation.