Finding a Botox Injector - What Sort of Credentials Should I Look For?

asked 3 years ago by Lizamariep in london, uk
Latest answer by Harold J. Kaplan, MD
Question viewed 2,192 times
Tags: credentials

I will be in Santa Monica for 10 days over Christmas and want to make an appointment for Botox. I have no idea who to go to and what credentials for the procedure I should be looking for when searching for someone in the area; all the credentials listed sound good, but what tells me they are really good?

8 answers to Finding a Botox Injector - What Sort of Credentials Should I Look For?

How to Pick a Botox Practitioner

The physician's on this site are probably a reasonable starting point. Beyond the board certification and the number of years in practice, you may want to consider the training that the injector has undertaken. Does he/she have ongoing credits for injection training, do they attend industry workshops to keep up with best practices? These are questions you can ask in a first consultation and we suggest you attend at least two or three in that 10 day period before making a decision. The... more

Harold J. Kaplan, MD
Los Angeles Facial Plastic Surgeon

www.celibre.com

Find an injectionist that is fully trained and experienced!

So who is better qualified to do your botox injections? Let’s keep this practical as possible; it is about the individual…the injectionist. I would recommend a board certified plastic surgeon, facial plastic surgeon, or dermatologist. Do your homework and thoroughly check into his/her background. Specifically: Find out where he/she went to medical school, residency training, and fellowship training. Confirm that she/he is board certified and by what organization.... more

Stephen A. Goldstein, MD
Englewood Plastic Surgeon

Botox and injection

Check the doctor for board certification in one of a few fields. They should at least be a plastic surgeon, a facial plastic, and oculoplastic or a dermatologist. Period, end of story.

Steven Wallach, MD
Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

Check for board certification

Botox treatment is an art and a science. The provider should be very knowledgeable about the anatomy, the chemistry and side effects. The artistry comes from both experience and an innate sense of observational skills and an interest in the physician or provider to learn constantly and improve on the outcome. There are nurses and physician assistants who perform these treatments but they should be under the supervision of a licensed physician. Dermatologists have been performing Botox for... more

Ronald Shelton, MD
Manhattan Dermatologist

See a Board-Certified Specialist in their office

Liz, First of all, many types of doctors are now doing botox injections (including family practice, OB GYN, anesthesia, etc.) that are not formally trained to do the injections (they may have learned it in a weekend course). Also, many health spas and medi-spas may have individuals (often not doctors) that are also doing Botox injections in a casual environment of a spa rather than in a medical office. Finally, some doctors utilize "nurse injectors" that actually do the... more

James F. Boynton, MD
Houston Plastic Surgeon

A Personal Reference From UK Journalist Ms. Kate Spicer

Hi Lizamarie, In choosing a physician to administer Botox, you want someone who is preferably trained, experienced, and board certified in a cosmetically oriented specialty such as facial plastic surgery, plastic surgery, ENT, opthalomoplastic surgery, or dermatology. This past summer I treated UK correspondent Kate Spicer on her BBC documentary "Super Botox Me" when she visited Los Angeles. "SuperBotoxMe" aired on your Channel 4 in August. You can see that clip at... more

Michael A. Persky, MD
Los Angeles Facial Plastic Surgeon

I agree, a personal reference is best, but experience is something to look for.

Liz: You really want to find out how long the practitioner has been injecting Botox. Remember that there are many varieties of "plastic surgeons" and not all are equally experienced. There are Facial Plastic Surgeons, General Plastic Surgeons, and Ophthalmic Plastic or Oculoplastic Surgeons. Many of these plastic surgeons, and dermatologists have a lot of experience injecting Botox, but individuals within each subspecialty may not. The question is whether they have been... more

Sean M. Blaydon, MD
Austin Oculoplastic Surgeon

A personal reference is probably the best

Liz, A personal reference is probably the best answer. Beyond ensuring that the injector is a plastic surgeon or dermatologist, there is no real "certification" that can help you determine who is the best injector in your area. On my website - linked below - I list several questions to ask your injector prior to undergoing the procedure. Good luck. David Shafer, MD New York City