Inside Aesthetics

Episode 191 hosts Cassandra Smith (Aesthetic business entrepreneur) & David Segal (Our co-host of IA & Aesthetic business mentor) Cassandra is a returning guest (episodes 5, 24, 29 and 60) and has been David's business partner for over a decade. She originally trained as a Beautician before qualifiying as Dermal Clinician. She then became the co-owner of three laser, skin and injectable clinics with David for over a decade. They sold these clinics in June 2022. In this episode we do a deep dive into the leadership qualities and team building skills needed to run a sucessful aesthetic business. We analyse Cassandra and David's incredibly successful business partnership to get insights into how they tackled some issues that seem to occur in aesthetic clinics all over the world. We explore: - Cassandra's transition from therapist to manager to multi-clinic owner - How David & Cassandra first met & what their first impressions were of each other - The role of a manager & the need for daily ove

Episode 190 hosts Dr Michael Kane (Facial Plastic Surgeon, New York, USA) Michael's clinical experience with botulinum toxin is unparalleled. Having completed well over 100,000 treatments since 1991, he single-handedly developed many of the toxin protocols and facial muscle treatments; in an era when almost no-one was even using toxins. Michael's experience is so well respected that he has consulted in the trials and launches of every single brand of botulinum toxin. In this mini series 'The Tox Talks', we feature expert injectors who have significant experience in using botulinum toxins. These episodes explore our guests experiences using particular brands, the evolution of their injecting techniques and we get special insights into the subtle nuances of getting the best out of toxins. In chapter 5 we explore Michael's life time journey with the products and his experience as the world’s undisputed ‘King Of Tox’.  We explore: - Michael's story of how and why he first started using Botox as a plastic surgery

Episode 189 hosts Dr Jake Sloane & David Segal, your hosts of Inside Aesthetics. In this episode Dr Jake & David introduce their newest project, 'IA: Business of Injecting Live'. These sessions will be in addition to our regular Friday podcasts and take the form of periodic live Zoom discussions. Hosted by David, we invite our listeners to join us for regular business zoom discussions where topics related to owning, managing and running aesthetic clinics will be discussed. Each session will be different - some exploring individual case studies from our injectors whereas others will showcase expert guests and more specific topics. In this episode we discuss: - Why we're introducing more business support for injectors - Recapping the economic forecast for the next two years - What high interest rates & high inflation rates mean for injectors - The motivations for medical professionals to become injectors in the first place - Why injectors should ask themselves, 'What sort of injector do I want to be

Episode 188 hosts Dr Jake Sloane & David Segal, your hosts of Inside Aesthetics. In this episode Dr Jake & David explore 'The Future Of Aesthetics', a report commisioned by Allergan Aesthetics in 2021. The evolution of our industry continues to accelerate, with new products continuing to be released and injectables becoming more mainstream year on year. But what may surprise injectors and consumers alike is that our market is still very under-penetrated. The report was compiled by interviewing 15 global KOL's and working with Wunderman Thompson Intelligence, a market research company who specialise in future trends. The goal of the report aimed to uncover cultural shifts in aesthetics. Like the beauty and fashion industries, societal views change and have a direct impact on how aesthetics is perceived, accepted and consumed. By understanding and anticipating how the world's behavior is evolving, clinics and injectors will be able to better meet the needs of their patients today and into the future. We

Episode 187 hosts Dr Jenny Kimmins, a GP and Cosmetic Physician based in Melbourne, Australia. Jenny is also the Chair of the Aesthetic Medicine course run by HealthCert. Jenny joins us in the 10th Chapter of our series called 'The Injector Diaries'. These episodes feature in depth conversations, stories and experiences from injectors around the globe. Each injector brings their own unique take on things and we'll showcase every level of type of injector, from newbies to masters. We'll explore how and why they chose to inject, why they favour using certain products, look under the hoods of their clinics and businesses and aim to learn from and inspire our injector listeners. We discuss:  Jenny's background as a GP Her motivations for getting into the industry and the reality of burnout in the public health system  How she learnt to inject and the benefits of mentorship The difference between a medical & an aesthetic clinic  Continual Professional Development and her recent trip to Bangkok for Gal

Episode 186 hosts Jessica Halliday & Maria Reid, both Registered Nurses based in Tasmania, Australia.  Jessica worked as a midfwife for many years before deciding to become a cosmetic injector. She founded 'Eden Cosmetic Therapies' based in Hobart in 2017.  Maria worked as in nurse management role for over a decade in a health business prior to becoming a cosmetic injector.  Jessica originally employed Maria as a contractor in a dual role, as an injector but who running the management aspect of the clinic. Maria's input proved so valuable that in 2020, Jessica invited her to join as an equal partner with a 50% share of the business. In Chapter 4 of 'The Business of Injecting' episodes, we explore the dynamics of working as business partners and shared responsibilites of this type of agreement. We explore: - Why our guests became cosmetic injectors after many years of working as nurses in different fields.  - The aesthetic market and the unique differences of injecting in Tasmania, an island state 240km So

Episode 185 hosts Babak Moini, co-founder of Laser Clinics Australia. Babak previously joined us back in episodes 45 and 59, where he shared his story and his predictions for what the COVID-crisis would mean for aesthetic businesses.  Two years on, we reflect on the post-COVID era and the current as well as predicted global economic crisis that is looming. We explore:  Babak's current view of the Australian aesthetic market Some of the key trends that have emerged since our last podcast We then discuss the financial issues including: Whether the predictions he made in April 2020 were right, wrong or are simply delayed and still going to happen  The post-COVID demand for injectables and what this showed about the resilience of the market What our governments did to cope during COVID and the hang over effects of these including: - stimulus payments and printing money to fund it - borrowing more money, increasing national debt - the effect of lockdowns & stimulus payments on the labour force - why t

Episode 184 hosts Dr Rungsima Wanitphakdeedecha, a dermatologist, laser and injectable expert based in Bangkok, Thailand.  Rungsima has a wealth of experience using all of the commerically available toxins, has led research in the field and has published peer-reviewed journals on the topic. In this mini series 'The Tox Talks', we feature expert injectors who have significant experience in using botulinum toxins. These episodes explore our guests experiences using particular brands, the evolution of their injecting techniques and we get special insights into the subtle nuances of getting the best out of toxins. In chapter 4 we focus on a niche use of toxins most commonly referred to as 'micro-toxin treatments'.  We explore: - What we mean by micro-toxin treatments - Who started doing micro-toxin treatments - Why micro-toxin treatments are so popular in Asia - The proposed mechanisms by which micro-toxin treatments work  - Which toxins seem to work best for micro-toxin treatments - The main uses, techniques, do

Episode 183 hosts Dan Julien, a Nurse Practitioner from Ottowa, Canada. Dan joins us in the 9th Chapter of our series called 'The Injector Diaries'. These episodes feature in depth conversations, stories and experiences from injectors around the globe. Each injector brings their own unique take on things and we'll showcase every level of type of injector, from newbies to masters. We'll explore how and why they chose to inject, why they favour using certain products, look under the hoods of their clinics and businesses and aim to learn from and inspire our injector listeners. We discuss:  Dan's background and how he became an injector How he trained and who his inspirations were The problem of proving competence when training as an injector What the injectables market of Canada is like His injecting philosophy and the dynamic of art vs science His thoughts on dissolving other injectors work and 'starting again’ Using phi dimensions and calipers to assess a patient Aesthetic ultrasound and where it f

Episode 182 hosts Dr Simone Doriean, a Cosmetic Physician from Melbourne, Australia. Simone is one of Australia’s leading aesthetic physicians with over 18 years of aesthetic practice. She is an KOL for Galderma and shares her knowledge, facial assessment expertise and techniques at local and international meetings.  In Chapter 3 of 'The Business of Injecting' episodes, we focus on the unique challenges that a very experienced injector might face - including some of the aspects of their business that they may have never properly addressed or understood.  We discuss: - Where she first began injecting and why - Transitioning from working for someone else to your own clinic and the pros and cons of this - The benefits of converting to paperless clinic and automating bookings - The advantages of employing a virtual PA - Recognising and acting on not having the right business structure set up (and the tax implications of this) - What happens when an injector wants to stop injecting - Exit strategies: Debating the

Episode 181 hosts Professor Sebastian Cotofana, Associate Professor of Anatomy at the Mayo Clinic, USA. Professor Cotofana is the world's best well-known anatomist for facial aesthetics, a prolific researcher and has published well over 100 peer reviewed articles and book chapters.   We discuss: Sebastian's background and training What a typical day looks like for him  Who does his research and how he coordinates this The hierarchy of authorship on academic papers We then do something different for this episode and drill down into the details of four of his recent and best known clinical papers. We discuss for each paper: - What the paper is about and why it was done? - What were the methods and the main outcomes? What is the learning point and relevance to injectors? Paper 1: ‘To click or not to click – The importance of understanding the layers of the forehead when injecting neuromodulators – A clinical, prospective, interventional, split-face study’ (30 November 2020) https://doi.org/10.1111/jocd.13

Episode 180 hosts Kylie Duncan, a Registered Nurse based in Orange (rural New South Wales), Australia.   Kylie joins us in the 8th Chapter of our series called 'The Injector Diaries'. These episodes feature in depth conversations, stories and experiences from injectors around the globe. Each injector brings their own unique take on things and we'll showcase every level of injector, from newbies to masters. We'll explore how and why they chose to inject, why they favour using certain products, look under the hoods of their clinics and businesses and aim to learn from and inspire our injector listeners. Kylie was incredibly kind to join us at the very last minute and this was recorded completely unplanned! We explore: How and why Kylie became an injector Insights into the rural Australian injectable market Reflecting the rural attitude to aesthetics vs the cities  Her journey from leaving surgical nursing to working as an injector The challenges of setting up a clinic in a rural area What her typical patie

Episode 179 hosts George Kypreos (Managing Director of Dermocosmetica) and Dr Cara McDonald (Dermatologist), both based in Melbourne, Australia. In this episode we showcase the long anticipated Australian launch of Profhilo, a new 'bio-remodelling' filler made by IBSA. We discuss: - George's background and his company, Dermocosmetica - We welcome back Dr Cara McDonald (previously on episodes 89 & 166) as one of Australia's new KOL's for Profhilo - The lengthy approval process of a new filler in Australia - Who are IBSA? - A recap on skin aging and how the key changes that we see - What 'bio-remodelling' means and how this differs from 'skin booster' fillers - How Profhilo differs from all the other hyaluronic acid fillers on the market: it's unusual method of production and crosslinking - Why this is important when it comes to rheology - What comes in a box of Profhilo? - What types of patient are ideal for Profhilo - How Profhilo is injected and what the 'BAP' technique is - What areas of the face and bo

Episode 178 hosts Natasha Keeping, an Independent Nurse Prescriber based in Nantwich, UK. Natasha was an NHS nurse for over 20 years with experience in Emergency Care, Sexual health and Primary Care. But like many other health professionals that we've hosted on IA, she has re-defined her career and has been a part-time cosmetic injector for almost a year. 'The Business of Injecting' episodes host injectors to discuss all aspects of their business. We analyse their struggles and challenges, difficult decisions, friction points that aren't yet solved, financial concerns, staffing, hiring, firing and other relevant topics for aesthetic business owners. In Chapter 2 of 'The Business of Injecting' episodes, we focus on the challenges that a new injector like Natasha faces.  We discuss: - Her motivations for becoming a cosmetic injector - The mental hurdle of leaving clinical practice and the NHS - The feelings of fear and overwhelm when starting a new business - The concept of a business plan - Choosing where set

Episode 177 hosts Dr Jake & David, your co-hosts of Inside Aesthetics.  In this episode Dr Jake & David introduce their new series of episodes, 'The Business of Injecting'. We'll be stepping away from the nitty gritty of injecting technique to instead focus on the business side of things. In future episodes of 'The Business of Injecting', we'll host injectors to discuss all sorts of aspects of their business model. We'll analyse their struggles and challenges, difficult decisions that need to be made, the friction points that aren't yet solved, financial concerns, staffing, hiring, firing and all the other issues that crop up when working in or owning an injectables clinic. We'll also celebratrate some of the success stories of the barriers that injectors have overcome and showcase learning points that can be put into action by other injectors. In this introductory episode we use Dr Jake's beginnings as an injectors to illustrate some of the issues that these episodes will discuss including: - Why he

Episode 176 hosts Dr Stephania Roberts (Phlebologist & Cosmetic Physician from Melbourne, Australia) & Dr Niamh Corduff (Plastic Surgeon from Geelong, Australia) In this mini series 'The Tox Talks', we feature expert injectors who have significant experience in using botulinum toxin. These episodes explore our guests experiences using particular brands, the evolution of their injecting techniques and we get special insights into the subtle nuances of getting the best our of toxins. In chapter 8 we discuss the poorly understood topic of toxin resistance. In what was one of our most engaging podcasts to date, our expert guests debated the topic and we covered: What we mean by ‘resistance’? Whether there's a difference between being resistant and being a ‘non-responder’?  What’s a primary non-responder vs secondary non-responder?  The incidence of toxin resistance - and the difficulty in quoting this rate  The main steps in how Botox (Allergan brand) is manufactured and why this is relevant to the top

Episode 175 hosts Dr Leonie Schelke (Dermatologist, Amsterdam, Holland), Dr Stella Desyatnikova (Facial Plastic Surgeon, Seattle, USA) & Stuart Turner (Managing Director of Real Time Ultrasound Machines, Australia)  Leonie was one the earliest pioneers in using ultrasound for facial aesthetic treatments. She co-founded the globally-renowed complications centre at Erasmus University in Rotterdam where she and her colleagues manage national & international referrals. She also co-founded 'Cutaneous Facial Ultrasound' in 2019, a world-renowned course that teaches injectors the skill to use and interpret facial ultrasounds. .  Stella is a leading facial plastic surgeon and taught herself facial ultrasound independantly in the USA. She has incorporated this fully into her surgical and injectable consultations and is considered one of the leading experts of the technique in the world. Stuart's background in physiotherapy taught him the foundations of musculoskeletal ultrasound long before it was being used

Episode 174 hosts Dr Jake & David, your co-hosts of Inside Aesthetics.  We start by discussing the economic strain we're experiencing globally and try to predict how hyper-inflation and rising interest rates might affect injectors and clinics. We then explore Dr Jake's key takeaways from his European trip to his ultrasound and injecting course, IMCAS, Science of Aging & the Beauty Through Science conferences including: - Ultrasound in facial aesthetics - New toxins - New fillers with new crosslinking technology - Allergan's new hybrid injectable, 'HarmonyCa' - Fat dissolving, the forgotten treatment! In the second half of the podcast we explore the phenomenon of tribalism and polarisation within aesthetics. After an aesthetic injectors story on Instagram went viral amongst the aesthetic community last week, we explore why emotions run so high and try to make some sense of it all.   IA PATREON: Did you know that we have an online injectable education and business mentoring service called IA Patreon? Ge

Episode 173 hosts Dr Ben Talei from Beverley Hills, USA.   Dr Talei is a globally-renowned Facial Plastic Surgeon. He specialises in face lifts, rhinoplasties, peri-ocular surgery and in particular, has become world-famous for his own modified approach to the surgical lip lift.  The lip lift is a surgical treatment that has come back into vogue after first being invented in 1973 - but it never took off due to the unpredictable outcomes and unacceptable facial scarring. Dr Talei has revolutionised this type of surgery and trains surgeons in his technique. Being an injector as well as a surgeon, Dr Talei offers unique insight into the limitations of lip fillers and when surgery should be considered.  We discuss:  - Dr Talei's practice - How and why he learnt to inject as a facial plastic surgeon - Basic lip anatomy - The common peri-oral signs of aging - Racial differences in the peri-oral layers - What lip fillers Dr Talei prefers to use - Dr Talei's thoughts on lip filler migration - Hyaluronidase and the imp

Episode 172 hosts Dr Jake & David, your co-hosts of Inside Aesthetics.  With Dr Jake being away in Europe for a few weeks, we thought we'd do something a bit different. In this episode we first discuss some big news regarding our studio and David’s businesses. We then find out where Dr Jake is going and why. We then take a break from our usual injecting topics to discuss a serious issue that seems be plaguing injectors, clinics and businesses all over the world - the weird world of Instagram hacking.  Imagine this scenario - you're an injector who's painstakingly built up your Instagram account to several thousand followers. You have real, engaged and loyal patients who stay in touch with your business via your Instagram profile. You're posting regularly, the likes are growing, you're making connections and networking with other similar businesses, your profits have grown post-COVID and life is good.  Then one day, out of nowhere, you notice that you've been logged out of your Instagram account. When you