Aesthetic and Cosmetic Procedures and Their Skin Implications
What you must understand
This domain covers injectables (neuromodulators, dermal fillers), threads, and adjunct procedures, focusing on skin implications rather than technique. Know common sequelae: bruising, swelling, nodularity, Tyndall effect, and vascular occlusion as an emergency. Understand how these procedures affect subsequent skin treatments - timing of peels, lasers, and massage after fillers or neuromodulators. Recognise that skin therapists often see clients after procedures and must identify complications requiring urgent escalation.
Traps in questions
A key trap is treating a complication as a cosmetic nuisance. Pain, blanching, and mottled discolouration after filler suggest vascular compromise and demand immediate referral, not massage or heat. Another trap is assuming a recent injectable is irrelevant to a facial; pressure, heat, and vigorous massage can affect filler placement and bruising. Questions may test timing: avoid aggressive treatments over recently injected areas until settled. Also do not assume all products are reversible.
Rule of thumb
Use the "new pain, colour change, or vision symptom equals stop and escalate" rule. These signs are never managed with a wait-and-see approach in a skin therapy setting.
Worked example
A client arrives for a facial two days after cheek filler, reporting increasing pain and a pale patch. The facial is abandoned, the finding is documented with time, and emergency medical referral is arranged. A client with simple bruising and no colour change would instead be rescheduled.