I keep seeing so much discourse on instagram with aestheticians talking about red flag providers. I thought why not take a positive spin on it and talk about what I believe makes an aesthetician a green flag provider. In this industry, I have had the opportunity to work for so many different types of businesses and alongside so many different kinds of providers. This has given me the insight as to how I wanted to operate as a provider. I have learned so much about what to do and especially what NOT to do when it comes to treating and interacting with my clients.
Being at Exhibit has truly been the biggest game changer for me. My bosses Nicole and Melissa are both owners and providers yet they are so down-to-earth, and honest with their patients. As far as being led by example in the green flag department- I hit the jackpot with them. It’s been such an enriching environment and has given me the confidence to be my most authentic self in and out of the treatment room. That would probably be my first key takeaway about being successful in this field. Especially since it’s become so oversaturated, there’s so many people trying to be like *insert insta-famous provider’s name here* or like the girl from the busy medspa a town over, and it’s just not the answer.
It sounds corny and cliche but you are going to have the most success and best client retention- being yourself. A facade will always catch up with you. At the end of the day, everyone wants to see someone they can genuinely talk to. That is the only way you can build real relationships and trust, because it is a two way street. I feel like people forget about the fact that this is indeed a relationship and just like you wouldn’t want a fake-ass friend or lying boyfriend, your client doesn’t want a bullshit artist for a provider. So yeah, I can’t stress it enough. I have gotten such great feedback from clients about my candid demeanor and I do attribute a large part of my success to that… and take it from me, as someone who has tried to fit in other boxes in the past, it feels so much more fulfilling to earn your clients by being 100% you.
Honesty is key and while I know it can be tempting to push the most expensive treatment or product but it’s not always going to be the best solution. A green flag provider will be honest about how to achieve best outcomes without shoving it down your throat.They will be upfront about the best route to your skin goals but will also give you all of the options. While some roads can lead you the express way, small consistent steps are often better suited. A good provider will be transparent and realistic about all your options.
Being honest about homecare is huge too. Whether it’s crap, decent, or actually pretty damn good, I never shit on a client’s homecare unless it truly is scary. (unfortunately sometimes it is lol) If a client has products with decent ingredients, that I don’t hate- I give them the green light to keep them! We can always adjust your current regimen with some hero products, upgrading or swapping where we see fit. While I hate to think with people’s wallets, I also can’t help but be sensitive to the fact that not everyone can afford a 10-step, medical-grade regimen… or maybe they just don’t have the time or energy for it. This doesn’t have to be intimidating or complicated, we can totally build you a quality regimen with 3-5 pieces, anyone that tells you they can’t- is straight up lying.
The most important part of being a green flag provider is setting realistic expectations. A line I use often that I’m sure people don’t love hearing is “I don’t have a crystal ball” because everyone’s biology and skin accepts products differently. Yes we know from experience and we know scientifically what is usually the best course of action to take but that doesn’t guarantee it will be your experience. There is so much trial and error with skincare and a good provider must be honest about that fact.
There could be so many underlying factors that affect the way skin responds to products and treatments. If there was a magic wand to give you perfect skin, we would all be using it- but there’s not. Lasers, microneedling, and peels can yield some instant improvements but protecting those investments with homecare, to prolong and enhance those results is a huge piece of the puzzle. My clients that commit to homecare 100% have better results than those who don’t, there is just no way around that.
It’s all about TREATMENT STACKING because no one thing is going to do it all. Yes, I lean on microneedling a lot because it is a well-rounded, well-tolerated, results-driven treatment but it won’t check every box. This is why homecare, facials, and peels are great ways to supplement those heavy hitting treatments and give our skin some additional support. To truly have great skin quality, we gotta work on collagen and elastin for that structural support, cell turnover for that glow, and skin function so you can maintain hydration. That is basically the trifecta of good looking, and most importantly healthy skin.
For those that keep it simple with facials: your monthly facial alone will definitely give you some subtle improvements. As they will keep pores minimized, congestion at bay, and provide barrier health support, but they won’t give you that boost of collagen and elastin production needed to maintain our skin’s structural integrity. If we don’t support the production of these important proteins, your skin will inevitably get weaker, thinner, and more fragile. Some topicals help to an extent, like retinoids or a good growth factor but no topical alone can fully rebuild that foundation once it breaks down. This is where the microneedling truly shines. So again, can’t stress enough- treatment stacking.
I say it ALL THE TIME: it’s a marathon and not a sprint. When it comes to skincare- slow and steady often wins the race… and sometimes, it takes a village. It may not be what we want to hear but if your provider is saying these things, it’s the ultimate green flag.