The aesthetics industry – whether you have your own business or you’re working in an office – is full of ups and downs. Some days, weeks, or months will be so exciting and full of progress, and then come some struggles that are part of the business. Here are a few of the best ways I’ve found to overcome these challenges. I hope they help!

Complications

Post procedure complications are unavoidable and even the most skilled injectors will have them. Adverse events are a patient’s and an injector’s worst nightmare, so it’s so important to know how to deal with them effectively so that patients feel safe. Luckily, the more you inject the more you will be exposed to, and the more confident you become.

The best first thing you can do is help the patient remain calm. Whether it’s dissolving a filler, injecting neurotoxin in another area to offset a droop, or using a tool to help metabolize the injection, there are different solutions available. On top of that, I do these three things to manage complications effectively.

The first is very clearly stating all the possible adverse effects before the procedure. This helps manage expectations and allows them to differentiate between a normal part of healing, and an abnormal result.

Another thing I always do is ask patients to send pictures or videos after a procedure to make sure it went well. Every once in a while I get patients that love their results so much that they won’t tell me about a complication because they don’t want to undo it! Their health and safety has to be prioritized, so this protects both of us.

Lastly, I have worked very hard to build great relationships with fellow physicians, injectors, and practitioners in my area. I have a few mentors and talented friends that are willing to offer support and recommendations, which makes complication management less stressful.

Unhappy Clients

Unhappy clients are an unfortunate but understandable part of this industry. When someone is relying on you to transform them cosmetically, getting on the same page with expectations requires effort. Usually patients see someone on Instagram with a particular look or have a friend that just got a procedure done, and expect the same results. The reality is that everyone’s anatomy is different and no procedure will ever look the same on two different faces (or necks, or butts).

Just like I do with adverse effects, I tell patients in great detail what they can expect before a treatment. Patients usually come in with an idea of what products or procedure they want, so the first thing I do is make sure I fully understand what outcome they are looking for. That way I can suggest the best way to achieve the result they want based on their anatomical features, and explain the related expectations and risks.

In most cases the right education will get you and the patient in agreement. Unfortunately, in some cases patients have unrealistic expectations because they are experiencing some sort of body dysmorphia. I recommend injectors pay attention to what the patient says during the consultation. If they are fixating on every little thing, very negative, and continue to find flaws all over, use your intuition (and some honesty) to see if a cosmetic procedure is the best thing for them at that moment. When you can’t avoid an unhappy client, the best thing to do is let them go.

Unfriendly Injectors

The aesthetics community can be pretty small. Definitely small enough that you’ll go to the same events or courses and know of them, if not only by their insta handle. In such a small group, you might come across a nurse injector that is not very nice or says negative things about you or fellow practitioners.

The best thing to do to avoid the drama is to bring the community closer together. Include everyone, go to lots of events, don’t indulge patients’ comments about other injectors, avoid gossip, help each other through hard times, and make an effort to get to know these people. Essentially, just play nice in the sandbox. When you build your network of talented and nice people, you’ll glow up faster together than you would trying to get ahead on your own.

Busy + Slow Season

Busy and slow seasons are totally normal parts of the business. Even the established practices will experience lulls around summertime (because some treatments don’t go well with the sun), and then have crazy packed schedules just before the holidays or in the new year.

To deal with the slow times, I focus on creative projects and brainstorming new ideas that will grow my practice. That can look like coming up with a new revenue stream, doing more training, building my network, tweaking my marketing approach, or spending more time with my mentors. All of those things add to my continuing education and growth in the aesthetics world.

To make sure the busy season isn’t totally overwhelming, I have a few boundaries I set. Especially since having my baby, I am very protective of my time. I do not add in extra hours or days during these times, even though more work and new clients is hard to say no to.

Instead, I tell clients to book in advance so they can get their treatment done before an event, holiday, or trip. When the pressure of getting clients on the schedule starts to hit, do not let the stress get to you! It can be tempting to double or triple book, shorten treatment times to fit in more clients, or do so many back-to-backs that the quality of your service suffers. In the short term this might work, but it’s not sustainable long-term. Consider hiring an assistant, automating your marketing, or improving your booking software to find more efficiencies and relieve some of the stress off when your calendar is full.

At the end of the day – all of it is worth it!