Should I see a Doctor or a Nurse for my Filler and Botox?

Treatment using fillers and Botox are one of the most common requests from patients in my practice. Often, patients come to my clinic either (1) Knowing they would like filler or Botox or (2) asking what I think would be best for them and their concerns.  My job as a physician is to discuss your options and provide you with information to make the Best Choice for You.  Some people want the most effective treatment, regardless of the risk and some people want the safest treatment, regardless of the effect.

Facial Plastic Surgeons, Plastic Surgeons and Cosmetic Surgeons all receive extensive training in anatomy, physiology and surgery of the face. In addition to this, Surgeons like myself, who also completed Fellowships (subspecialty training) in Facial Plastic Surgery also received even more specialized training in Botox and Fillers, as well as surgery for cosmetic purposes.  Nurses who work in cosmetic surgery clinics also have extensive training in both patient care and medical management of patients. Many nurses who do Botox and Filler injections work alongside a physician or surgeon but are very independent. Many are experts with respect to fillers and Botox.

However, this leads to the question, who should be doing your treatments, the Doctor or a Nurse?

Although controversial, I believe the answer is both working together. In my Cosmetic Surgery Clinic in Ottawa, we have Nurses who are experts in both Botox and Filler treatments.

It is my belief that the key to getting the most effective treatment is getting the appropriate diagnosis and information to ensure you have the opportunity to choose the best and most long-lasting result for you.

To accomplish this, patients meet with both the Nurse and myself (Dr Bonaparte) during consultations. This allows both of us to offer perspective.  As a surgeon, I have an understanding of both surgical and non-surgical options that may be best for you. I can discuss the risks, the benefits and the drawbacks for each method. The nurses offer great insight into the patients’ perspective and how other patients feel after Botox and Filler. Together, you end up leaving like you had all your questions answered and that you have a good understanding of your options for facial rejuvenation. It is important to discuss your concerns with both a nurse and a surgeon as we can highlight the benefits and drawbacks of each different treatment.

For example, people will often come into my clinic and believe that a facelift (surgery) is the best treatment for them, when in fact my opinion (and the nurses) is that fillers and Botox will get even better results at a fraction of the cost, with less downtime and reduced risk for that individual. The opposite is also true. Patients ask about Fillers and Botox, but in the end, I inform them that the reality is, treatment using Botox and Filler will be expensive and likely not achieve the results they desire. We do our best to be honest as we do not want you using a treatment that will not work and of course, we don’t want you to waste your money. In the end, the only real method to get the right information is to discuss with a trusted and qualified Surgeon and Nurse.

In our clinic in Ottawa, once you have your consultation, the nurses complete the majority of the treatments. The nurses spend a significant amount of time preparing you for treatment and then performing treatments using filler and Botox. I am always available for consultations, questions and advice. We have a lot of trust in our nurses and our clinic and we are sure you will too.

In summary, we believe that in order to get the best information, meeting with both a Physician or Surgeon as well as a nurse is the safest and most effective method.

Dr. Bonaparte