Cosmetic procedures are here to stay. Although there was a stigma surrounding Black women using injectables for facial enhancements, it’s now a growing trend that many are unapologetically engaging in. In 2020, the American Society of Plastic Surgeons reported that 1.78 million Black people received cosmetic procedures. With this number increasing from the years prior, it’s imperative for Black women to find the perfect cosmetic provider to safely make their dreams come true.
“I see women of color from all over the world,” said Ginille Brown, an aesthetician and nurse practitioner. “They fly in and tell me they’ve never seen someone that looked like them until they came across my page.”
From lip fillers to botox on your edges, there’s a lot of enhancements that the right cosmetic provider can give you. While there’s many resources available on the types of procedures, there’s less information about the providers behind these treatments. Here’s what to know about securing a qualified cosmetic injector, according to Brown.
Don’t Rush The Decision
Brown’s first tip on finding a cosmetic provider is to take things slow. This includes doing multiple consultations with a provider and meeting with more than one to get multiple opinions. In a lot of ways, getting facial injections is like shopping for a house. You should talk with different providers and research different treatment options to settle on a choice.
“By the time they come in to see me, we’ve already done a virtual consultation,” Brown said, referring to her clients. “We can have time to go through questions, concerns, goals, tips, what to expect and how to prepare treatments. I want [my clients] to make an informed decision, not a rushed decision.”
Research Your Provider
The next tip Brown recommends is researching your chosen provider like your life depends on it. The truth is that your appearance, specifically your face, is left in their hands. Make sure that they’re licensed, figure out how long they’ve been practicing and research clientele reviews.
Brown also shared that while finding a Black provider is ideal, you may not find one right away. Instead make sure your chosen provider knows how to deal with Black features and has a diverse client roster. Looking at before-and-after photos from their previous work and reach out to previous clients for testimonials.
“There’s not a lot of people of color in this space that are providers,” she told 21Ninety. “Make sure they treat people who look like you. I think that’s a big deal.”
Check-In With Yourself
Emotional health plays a bigger role in your ideas of beauty than people may think. Before getting any enhancements or finding your cosmetic provider, consider why you want to get injections. On the other hand, if you think that getting facial balancing will make you more attractive to other people, that’s probably not a sound-enough reason to go through with it.
“If [a person is] thinking that Botox and filler [is] going to solve their life problems, [then] that’s not it,” Brown said. “Sometimes I will say, ‘Hey, you might need to consider consulting with a mental health therapist.’”