Policies
You must agree/ have a full understanding to all of the below before booking/ attending your appointment.
Under 18
Strictly no under 18's for treatment. If you appear to look under 25 you will be asked for photo identification such as a passport or driving licence to confirm you are over the age of 18. This is for legal and insurance reasons - please do not be offended if ask to show!
Booking fee
A non-refundable £20 booking fee is required to reserve your slot upon booking your appointment. This will be redeemable off the full cost of treatment when you come to pay on the day. Appointments cancelled less than 48 hours prior to treatment will require a new booking fee. Booking fees can be moved ONCE provided more than 48 hours notice is given.
Medical
AM I SAFE TO HAVE TREATMENT?
You may need to cancel/ or reschedule if you:
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Are Pregnant/ Breastfeeding
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Are feeling unwell or any active infections - i.e cold, UTI, sinus, tooth etc.
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Are currently taking antibiotics or have just finished a course of antibiotics (please wait 2 weeks since your last tablet.)
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Are on steroids
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Had roaccutane - need to wait 6 months from finishing.
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Have active skin inflammation/ infection on/around the treatment area (including cold sores/ acne./ eczema)
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Are going on holiday within 7 days of your booked appointment (it's important you are in close vicinity to your practitioner incase of complications. You must agree to travel back to clinic for treatment incase this was to occur.)
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Are due to undergo general anaesthesia/ surgery 4 weeks post treatment.
If you have any medical conditions/ known allergies please let us know before booking. If unsure about any of the above please contact us as soon as possible.
For long-term conditions i.e. Autoimmune disorders, please bring a Doctor’s note to your appointment confirming you are medically stable to undergo such treatments. Failure to produce a DR’s note may mean we are unable to perform treatment. If unsure please contact.
Previous Treatments
If you have been elsewhere for treatments and are wanting MKA to treat the same area please ensure you contact MKA and supply information including;
1) the exact month of treatment
2) the name of the filler used.
3) Photos of the treatment area
Regrettably if your filler is heavily migrated or you have lumps then you may need to have the filler dissolved prior. Your first port of call in these instances should be the practitioner who last treated you. Melissa Kate Aesthetics also do 'dissolve and refill' packages in some instances if the latter is not possible.
Pre-care
Important to follow in order to aide speedy healing:
To decrease bruising:
For 7 days prior to your appointment, please avoid all blood-thinning medications and supplements (please check with your doctor first if prescribed/ recommended these before omitting). This includes over-the-counter medication such as aspirin, Motrin, ibuprofen, and Aleve. Please also avoid herbal supplements such as garlic, vitamin E, ginko biloba, St. John's Wort and omega-3 capsules. You can take arnica tablets 5 days prior which may help with bruising, and bromelain tablets for 2 weeks prior.
24 hours prior to your appointment please avoid alcohol.
Please note: even with following the above, sometimes bruising may still occur.
Other:
To avoid aggravating the treatment area, please also avoid topical products such as Tretinoin (Retin-A) retinols, retinoids, glycolic acid, alpha hydroxy acid, for two days before and after your procedure. On the day of your treatment please keep well hydrated and have something to eat before coming to your appointment.
Aftercare
You must agree to follow the aftercare before attending your appointment. The below is not a comprehensive list but main points to follow:
Do not drink alcohol for 48 hours following treatment. Avoid alcohol 48 hours prior to treatment too.
No smoking for 48 hours following treatment.
No touching the area with anything unsterile for a minimum of 12 hours following treatment
No heavy exercise for 48 hours following treatment.
No make up to be worn on the treatment area for at least 12 hours.
Avoid any major social events (such as weddings) for at least 2 weeks following treatment in case of extreme bruising.
No extreme heat/ sunbeds for at least a week.
Please note: arnica gel can be applied after to help with bruising. It is also worth having some ice packs, paracetamol, fresh cotton buds and fresh pot of Vaseline ready for after your treatment to help ease any discomfort.
Side Effects
It is important you read the below and are aware of these prior to attending your appointment, in order for you to make a rational decision on the day.
COMMON
Swelling at injection site
Bruising (mild)
Soreness/ Tenderness
Unevenness/ lumps (during healing stage in the first 1-3 weeks. Usually resolves spontaneously or with massage.)
UNCOMMON
Hematoma (very large blood-filled bruise.)
Infection – (Avoided with aseptic technique and vigorously following all aftercare given)
Numbness (Temporary)
Persistent visible lumps/ Unevenness (Will need to be managed in clinic.)
---------Please note that the below are exceptionally rare, and in most cases can be avoided through careful technique and undertaking treatment by an experienced practitioner, but as with any medical treatment, there is no guarantee and you must be aware of these before consenting to treatment-----------
EXTREMELY RARE
Vascular Occlusion – where filler sits inside a vessel which supplies bloods to parts of the face. If left untreated could result in tissue necrosis (break down of skin/ facial structures.) Your practitioner is trained to manage and recognise this complication in order to treat it in a timely manner, helping to avoid any adverse reactions. The antidote to a vascular occlusion is a medicine called hyaluronidase, which your practitioner is trained to use and will be able to administer in an emergency situation provided you consent and appear not to be allergic following a patch test.
Blindness – exceptionally rare. Where filler travels to a vessel which supplies the eye. This would occur immediately during treatment. Highest risk areas are the nose, glabella, temples and forehead.
Scarring
Failure of treatment (body breaks down the filler in a matter of days.)
Delayed onsent Nodules – an 'infection' which occurs months down the line – treatable.
Nerve Injury/ Numbness
Anaphylaxis/ Allergic reaction –this is incredibly rare due to hyaluronic acid naturally occurring in the body anyway. However, we are trained in first aid/ life support and carry epipens on site.
Rest assured we implement a number of safety measures during our treatments to even further minimise the risk of the above (exceptionally rare) events occurring. We can discuss these with you during consultation.
Covid-19/ Vaccine
Please do not attend your appointment if displaying symptoms of Covid 19 or have been in contact with someone who has confirmed/ symptoms of Covid-19 in line with government guidance. In line with ACE guidance it is important that you;
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Do not have any aesthetic treatments 2 weeks prior to having any Covid-19 vaccination.
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Do not have any aesthetic treatment 3 weeks following any Covid-19 vaccination.