New to Aesthetics
Curious, a little wary, and not sure where to begin: that is how most people feel before their first aesthetic treatment. Here is a plain-English starting point: the worries most people bring, how a first visit at ART Clinic runs, and what to ask before you agree to anything.
Five worries, answered plainly
These are the questions people tend to keep to themselves until they are in the room. Here they are, answered up front.
“Will I still look like me?”
Yes, and that is the point of the planning. Your practitioner looks at your whole face and at what is behind the change you have noticed, so the treatment works with your features rather than over them. Done well, the most anyone notices is that you look rested, or well, without being able to say why.
“Will I be talked into something?”
No. You leave a consultation with advice, the reasoning behind it and a plan to take home, and what you do with it is up to you. You won't be sold to, and you won't be pushed.
“What if I only want something small?”
Small is a perfectly good first step, and one area treated well is enough to show what treatment can do for you. Plenty of first plans begin with a single area, a single session or a facial, and grow only if you decide you want more.
“What if I'm not ready?”
Then treat the consultation as information. Booking one commits you to a conversation and nothing else, and the plan it produces will still be there when you are ready for it.
“And if I'm not happy with how it looks?”
We see you again once the result has settled, so anything you would like adjusted is looked at together. Many first treatments are forgiving by nature, too: the effect of anti-wrinkle injections fades on its own over a few months, and an enzyme can break down hyaluronic acid filler.
A first visit, from booking to treatment
i
Booking
Book online, or call if you'd like to ask something first. You can come to the clinic at 14A Lowndes Street in Belgravia, or begin with a video consultation from home. Either way you are seen by one of ART Clinic's doctors or practitioners, for about an hour in person, or 45 minutes by video.
ii
Arriving
You are welcomed at reception, and the consultation begins once you are settled.
iii
Assessment
You talk first and are examined second. You say what has been bothering you, in whatever words come, and your practitioner asks about your health and anything you have had done before. Then they look closely at your skin and face, and explain what they find.
iv
Treatment
Once you have agreed your plan, treatment can often begin the same day if you would like it to. If you would rather sleep on it, your written plan goes home with you, and you book the first appointment whenever you feel ready. Nobody will chase you for an answer.
Questions worth asking, wherever you go
A good clinic will welcome every one of these. Write them down, bring them along, and ask them of whoever you see, here or anywhere else.
1
Who will treat me, and what is their training?
In the UK, whoever holds the needle need not be medically qualified, so it is worth asking. At ART Clinic, injectable treatment is carried out by our doctors and nurse.
2
What is causing the change I've noticed?
The answer should come before any treatment is named.
3
What result should I expect, and when will I see it?
Some changes show within days, others build over months.
4
How will it feel, and when can I get back to my day?
For most first treatments, the honest answer is: mildly, and soon.
5
What are the usual after-effects, and how long do they last?
Most are small and short-lived: a little redness or a tiny bruise. You should hear about them before you consent, not after.
6
What happens if I don't like it?
Ask about the review, and about what can be adjusted or reversed.
7
What will the whole plan cost?
Not only the first appointment: the course, if there is one, and any upkeep.
Before you come
The first-timer's guide
The first treatment itself, told from the chair: how it feels, the first few days, and when the change appears.
Our Approach
The principles every practitioner at ART Clinic follows, and why they make results look natural.
Patient stories
Results from ART Clinic patients, each photographed with consent, so you can see the kind of change we plan for.
Questions first-timers ask
i
Do I need a referral from my GP?
i
Do I need a referral from my GP?
No. You can book a first consultation yourself, online at any hour or by phone during clinic hours, with no letter from anyone.
ii
Can I choose who I see?
ii
Can I choose who I see?
Yes. The online booking shows who is available for a first consultation and when, so you can pick the name and the time that suit you. If you would rather be guided, call the clinic and we will suggest the best fit for what you'd like to talk about.
iii
Is there anything I should have ready?
iii
Is there anything I should have ready?
Only a few facts about yourself: the medicines and supplements you take, any allergies, and any treatment you have had on your face or skin, even years ago. If an old photograph shows the change you have noticed, bring that too, because it helps your practitioner see what has shifted.
iv
Is there a right age to start?
iv
Is there a right age to start?
No. People come to ART Clinic for the first time at every stage of life, some to keep their skin as it is and some because something has recently changed. What differs with age is the plan, not the welcome.
v
Will anyone know I've been?
v
Will anyone know I've been?
Only if you tell them. Consultations are private and one to one, and your notes stay between you and the clinic.
vi
Is the consultation fee taken off my treatment?
vi
Is the consultation fee taken off my treatment?
Yes, if you go ahead within six months of your consultation.
Your first step at ART Clinic
Book a consultation online whenever it suits you, or ring the clinic and put your questions to us first. A first call is a perfectly good way to begin.
Request a consultation 020 3355 2030