Most aesthetic complications are uncommon, but consequences can be serious. Choosing well means looking beyond follower counts, titles and before-and-after photographs.
Pressure, urgency and blanket suitability
Countdown offers, deposits demanded before assessment and claims that a treatment suits ‘everyone’ are warning signs. Good patient selection requires the possibility of delay or refusal.
Vague products and vague credentials
You should be told the exact product, its provenance and why it suits the intended area. Training should be specific to the procedure, not simply ‘advanced’ in a biography. Ask about insurance, premises and current complication training.
No clear prescribing pathway
Prescription-only cosmetic medicines require an appropriate individual assessment and lawful prescription. They must not be advertised to the public. A practitioner who treats prescribing as a remote formality is not demonstrating a safety culture.
No plan when something goes wrong
Ask who answers after hours, how quickly you can be reviewed and what emergency kit and referral arrangements exist. ‘Message me if worried’ is not a complete protocol.
Content that feels wrong
Be cautious around edited results, immediately-after photographs presented as healed outcomes, identifiable clients without clear consent, humiliation-based marketing and practitioners publicly attacking competitors. Professional conduct is part of trust.
The bottom line
The greenest flag is not confidence. It is a practitioner who explains limits, welcomes questions and has a credible plan for care after you leave.Editorial note: information checked August 2026. This article is general education, not personal medical advice. Suitability and risk must be assessed individually.