Overcoming The Fear Of Injecting

Fear is a powerful emotion that all new injectors feel to differing extents when first starting out. Here, Dr Kalpna Pindolia, director of education at Harley Academy, offers some helpful pointers on overcoming the fear of injecting.

Her expert advice will help you calm your anxieties and learn why a certain amount of fear can be a positive tool for aesthetics practitioners...

Overcoming the fear of injecting when starting out in aesthetics

Fear is normal at the edge of your comfort zone. It’s useful to remember the acronym: what is FEAR? False – Evidence – Appearing – Real.

This will help remind you that, whilst fear may feel very real to you, it is actually false.

Allow yourself sufficient time with patients

Allow yourself enough time with patients, during both your consultation and treatment, so you can take your time. Make sure you approach and complete every step in a calm and methodical fashion.

Don’t treat unless you have your emergency kit available and ready

Also have your emergency protocols printed out and easily accessible. It’s useful to have them on hand and visible when you’re in a stressful situation.

Trust your instincts

Although you will explore contraindications during the consultation process, remember that you are a medical professional. You have seen patients before. So, if you have a strong instinct that tells you not to treat a patient, take a breath. Pause and remember you don’t have to treat them on that particular day. Knowing when to refuse treatment is a skill every new aesthetics practitioner needs to master.

Practice, practice, practice

Practice is very useful. The more practice you can get in, in terms of supervised mentoring, the more confident you’re going to feel in your day-to-day injecting and patient handling.

Reflection is important

Reflection is really important. If you feel uncomfortable at any point during your consultation or treatment, make sure you stop to reflect, consider the situation and work out why that might be an area of discomfort. Then you may wish to concentrate some further learning around this particular area. You can work with your mentor on this if you are a Level 7 student, or book in additional 1:1 Injectable Training sessions to really focus on specific areas you wish to improve.

A certain amount of fear is healthy and useful

If the fear goes away completely, I’d suggest you may need to check yourself! That feeling of fear is also keeping you safe, so keep in mind that it can be useful. It’s going to help control your pace and the environment you’re working in. A certain amount of fear is healthy and will keep you safe.

Don’t let the fear take over

Whilst a certain amount of fear is healthy and useful, try not to let the fear take over. Remember why you’re working in aesthetics in the first place and the unique effect you can have on people’s everyday lives. That’s why we do what we do and remembering this true impact can help ground you when you’re fearful.

We hope this expert advice will help to normalise any fear of injecting you may have. If you have any questions for Dr Kalpna on this subject, feel free to ask them over on the Harley Academy Comma if you have access to this exclusive student platform. Alternatively, leave your queries in the comments on our Instagram account and we’ll get back to you there.

All information correct at the time of publication