The Importance Of Psychological Screening For Non-Surgical Treatments

The Importance Of Psychological Screening For Non-Surgical Treatments

A recent survey carried out by The British Association of Beauty Therapy and Cosmetology revealed that over 60% of respondents believed that the cosmetics industry is regulated; it is not. Although the government plans to introduce a licence for non-surgical treatments, legislation has not yet been passed. In October 2021, we welcomed the Botulinum Toxin and Cosmetic Fillers (Children) Act, which makes it a criminal offence to administer injectables to those under the age of 18, however, the UK’s lack of regulation still leaves many people vulnerable.

Patient safety is paramount at The Lovely Clinic. Our practitioners are highly trained, skilled and experienced and our clinic meets the highest hygiene standards. Before receiving treatment, you will be required to undergo a consultation, during which we carry out psychological screening. Read on to find out why.

Image Conscious Conditions

In January 2023, the UK had 57.1 million active social media users, meaning over 80% of the population regularly views or posts images online. Edited or filtered photos can skew your perception of natural beauty and contribute to feelings of insecurity. Appearance is intrinsically linked to self-worth and comparing yourself to others can be a contributing factor to lowered self-esteem. Seeking cosmetic enhancement to align your look with other people’s touched-up selfies leads to unrealistic expectations and may negatively affect your mental well-being. Our practitioners will discuss your reason for undergoing treatment and are trained to identify feelings of inadequacy, as well as symptoms of more extreme health conditions, including body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), depression and eating disorders.

BDD: an anxiety disorder related to body image whereby a person develops a disabling preoccupation with perceived flaws in their appearance that can’t be seen by others.

Depression: a persistent feeling of sadness that negatively affects how you feel think and act.

Anorexia Nervosa: an eating disorder characterised by extremely low body weight, fear of gaining weight and distorted perception of the body.

Bulimia Nervosa: an eating disorder involving a cycle of binge eating and compensatory behaviours, such as vomiting, use of laxatives or periods of fasting.

BDD And Non-Surgical Treatments

While only 1-2% of the population are thought to experience BDD, 15-20% of sufferers seek non-surgical treatments to correct their perceived flaws. Studies have found that symptoms of the condition can worsen post-procedure as preoccupations shift to other areas of the body. Muscle-Relaxing Injections to smooth away forehead wrinkles may highlight lines around the eyes, for example. With one concern replacing another, the patient is never truly satisfied. It is common for people with BDD to report dissatisfaction with their non-surgical treatments and threaten their practitioners with legal action. Despite this, they may continue to seek out aesthetic procedures, believing that their next treatment will work.

The Role Of Psychological Screening

A simple psychological screening questionnaire allows our team to filter BDD symptoms and other image-conscious concerns. We want you to receive outstanding results from your non-surgical treatments and leave our clinic with your desired look. If we believe for any reason that undergoing an aesthetic procedure may negatively affect your mental health, we will raise this concern with you. If our screening process reveals potential symptoms of an underlying condition, we recommend seeking help from a health professional.

Questionnaires can be a great tool for identifying medical conditions, but discussions during consultations are also incredibly valuable. All questions relate to your treatment and are not intended to be overly personal. If your practitioner suspects that you are undergoing treatment for the wrong reason, be that a reaction to a significant life change, pressure from a partner, or an unrealistic expectation of aesthetic results, we may suggest cancelling your appointment or reviewing the situation at a later date. At The Lovely Clinic, your health comes first and it always will.

Booking Non-Surgical Treatments

The Lovely Clinic offers a wide range of aesthetic treatments, catering for all skin types and concerns. Whether you’re looking to slow down the ageing process, hydrate your complexion or lose weight, we have many solutions that can be uniquely tailored to suit you. To explore our gold-standard treatments or book in for a consultation, call 020 3695 5400 or complete our online contact form.

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Please note the following points before proceeding to the booking site:

 

  • For new patients making their first booking please note that your card will be charged £150 for the initial consultation fee to be processed.
  • For more information about our specific treatment charges please see our pricing guide or get in touch.
  • Following a consultation appointment, if you choose to undergo treatment within three months of the original consultation, the £150 consultation fee is redeemable against the cost of treatment and will be held on your patient account.

  • For our existing patients, your card details will be captured at the point of booking and are held on your patient file but no charges will be applied except in the event of a late-cancellation or no-show (see below).
  • The Lovely Clinic’s Cancellation & Rescheduling Policy applies to all appointments which are cancelled or rescheduled with less than 48 hours notice. All such cancellations or rescheduling will incur a cancellation fee of £150. This charge will be levied against the card details taken at the time of booking and no further appointments will be arranged until the cancellation charge has been settled.
  • If you arrive more than 10 minutes late for your appointment, we reserve the right to cancel the appointment and charge the late-cancellation fee of £150 to avoid unfair impact on our other patients.

  • Certain services - such as Sculptra®, Lanluma® and Desirial® - will require payment in full prior to booking.

  • Packages, once commenced and the first service is taken, are strictly non-refundable. If a package is cancelled prior to commencement, the cancellation must be received within 48 hours of the first appointment, otherwise a cancellation fee of £150 will be incurred.

  • Botulinum toxin review appointments must be taken within four weeks of the original appointment. Any other timescale must be agreed with the clinic by prior arrangement.

  • Payment rendered is for the services performed only and no guarantee is given regarding any specific outcomes.

  • New patients are seen for consultation and assessment. In order to comply with General Medical Council guidelines, in exceptional circumstances, certain treatments may be carried out on the day of consultation at the agreement of the patient and clinician. More invasive treatments must be scheduled for an appointment at a later date. There is an option for an online consultation should you be travelling a long distance.

  • Treatment is granted at the discretion of the clinician. No guarantee is given that treatment will be provided for a service booked online as it may be unsuitable.

  • Your card details will be securely stored on our payment system for your convenience. This information can be removed at any time upon on request.

  • Please click here to read our full terms & conditions. https://thelovelyclinic.co.uk/terms-conditions/