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Allergan and Pfizer merger – what does it mean for the cosmetic industry?

The news is finally out. Botox maker Allergan and US drug giant Pfizer have announced they are to merge in a deal worth a staggering $160 billion.

Allergan LogoThe merger between the two former rivals creates a new pharmaceutical ‘supercompany’ which is set to be officially the world’s largest pharmaceutical company by sales.

There had long been talk about an Allergan buyout. Indeed, on our blog last year, we covered the unsuccessful takeover bid made by Valeant.

Now this new deal secures the long-term future of the company, and ushers in exciting new possibilities to research, discover and deliver more medicines and therapies.

The future for Allergan

The new company has a combined pipeline of more than 100 mid-to-late stage programmes currently in development.

And with dramatically increased resources to invest in R&D and manufacturing in future, we’re likely to see some incredible innovations in the cosmetic industry in the not-too-distant future.

As Brent Saunders, Chief Executive Officer of Allergan, says:

“The combination of Allergan and Pfizer is a highly strategic, value-enhancing transaction that brings together two biopharma powerhouses to change lives for the better. This bold action is the next chapter in the successful transformation of Allergan allowing us to operate with greater resources at a much bigger scale. Joining forces with Pfizer matches our leading products in seven high growth therapeutic areas and our robust R&D pipeline with Pfizer’s leading innovative and established businesses, vast global footprint and strength in discovery and development research to create a new biopharma leader.”

What does it mean for you?

This soon after the event, it’s difficult to say what – if any – impact the merger will have on you and your business in the coming months. 

But at Cosmetic Courses, we have a great relationship with Allergan and are in frequent close contact. As soon as we know about any changes that are likely to affect you, we’ll of course be sure to let you know as soon as we can. So do keep an eye out on our blog, newsletters and social media channels.

For the time being, it’s business as usual – albeit with some exciting new possibilities on the horizon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Could better cosmetic training help ‘clean up’ the aesthetic industry?

 

Newsletter (7)

 

With shocking celebrity photos and a never-ending supply of horror stories on Botched Bodies, as aestheticians we’re up against it. But what can we do to clean up the reputation of the cosmetic industry?

The long-awaited Keogh Report, published in 2013, found what most of us in the industry already know. Non-surgical cosmetic treatments are grossly under-regulated.

And while the report made several recommendations, so far it hasn’t translated into new legislation.

So in the absence of strong regulations, it’s our responsibility as practitioners to do what we can to reassure patients. And there’s a couple of important ways we can do that.

Cosmetic Training

UntitledUnfortunately, lax rules have created conditions where unqualified, unscrupulous practitioners have been allowed to flourish.

It’s hugely disappointing that Botox and fillers can be legally injected by people without any medical training. So if we want to raise standards, those of us who recognise the need for proper training need to make our voices heard.

Pursuing the best, most comprehensive cosmetic training we can, and displaying our credentials, is vital. We need to create a ‘race to the top’, where the best practitioners help decide the new norm.

Talking to patients about our training, in the form of newsletters and displayed certificates, will help raise awareness – and put clear water between us and unqualified practitioners.

We need to make sure patients expect their practitioners to be medically qualified, and have pursued additional cosmetic training.

Our patients trust us. So it’s our duty not only to make sure we’ve pursued the best training we can, and are updating it as needed, but to make sure they know how important that is.

Accreditation

Cosmetic Courses: Save Face Certification LogoAccreditation is voluntary, so by seeking it out you’re sending a powerful message to your patients, and by extension, the industry. The bare minimum is not enough.

The organisation Save Face was founded in 2013 as a direct response to the Keogh Review of the Regulation of Cosmetic Interventions.

Their Save Face Scheme is a voluntary register of cosmetic practitioners who have been thoroughly vetted by doctors.

It gives independent accreditation to practitioners and clinics who complete a rigorous cosmetic training programme and demonstrate that their practice complies with robust standards.

They check professional credentials, interview practitioners, and visit clinics to ensure they’re fit for purpose, all products are stored correctly and data protection is adhered to.

Accreditation is a reassuring ‘shorthand’ for patients. A prominent logo lets them know that their practitioner conforms to certain standards, and has nothing to hide.

The more practitioners seek and achieve accreditation, the more patients will start to look for it as a minimum standard.

At Cosmetic Courses, we’ve teamed up with Save Face to promote their enhanced accreditation programme to our delegates. All those who meet the criteria and achieve Save Face accreditation are entitled to a discount on further training with us.

As professionals, the power is in our hands to bring about the changes we want to see in the industry.

Educating ourselves and our patients, and seeking accreditation, are powerful tools to help raise the bar when it comes to patients’ expectations. And in time, those clinics and practitioners who don’t measure up will either have to take steps to improve, or fall by the wayside.

Cosmetic Courses offer cosmetic training to medical professionals looking to move into the aesthetics industry. We have training centres throughout the UK, including Bucks, Birmingham, Leeds, London, Kent and Essex. For information on any of our cosmetic training courses, call the team on 01844 318317 or email us at [email protected].

 

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We won Best Training Programme at MyFaceMyBody Awards!

We’re absolutely delighted to be able to share our good news. On Saturday night, Cosmetic Courses was awarded ‘Best Training Programme’ at this year’s MyFaceMyBody Awards!

We’ve a very excited (if a little tired) team this morning, after a fantastic weekend spent celebrating. There’s a definite buzz in the air at CC HQ!

Cosmetic Courses win Best Training Programme at MyFaceMyBody Awards

The awards night is always great fun, but the highlight this year – even more than seeing hairdressing legend Nicky Clarke in the flesh – was the moment we found out we’d won.

You might have heard the whoops and cheers from where you were.

We were eventually chosen from a shortlist of 9 great finalists, all of whom had great entries. So our team is completely honoured to have won.

A huge thank you to the MyFaceMyBody team, all our delegates, models, colleagues and friends. We couldn’t have done it without you!

Best Training Programme Award certificate
About The ‘Best Training Programme’ Award

Our award was judged by a panel of industry professionals and peers, who made their final decision based on the following criteria:

  • Does the training programme effectively demonstrate advancements in the knowledge base of aesthetic medical professionals?
  • Does it engage with delegates and is it well received?
  • Does it demonstrate a breadth of knowledge in the subject being taught?
  • How much time is allocated to practical hands-on assessment?
  • What support is offered after training – for example e-learning, videos or mentoring?
  • Is there a wide range of training workshops within Aesthetics?
About MyFaceMyBody

The prestigious MyFaceMyBody Awards is the only consumer awards dedicated to the cosmetic, aesthetic and dental industry to recognise and reward brands for their product innovation and popularity. 

Clinics were also rewarded for exceptional experiences and outstanding service to their consumers. The awards were attended by 400 leading industry professionals, brands, journalists and celebrities.

Other big winners included our product partner NeoStrata, who won Best Cosmeceutical Range with their Skin Active line, as well as Best Anti-Ageing Product with their Triple Firming Neck Cream. Congratulations to them and all the other worthy winners on the night.

A massive thank you for all your support this year. We do what we do because we love it, but being recognised by our valued colleagues and friends makes it even better. Roll on next year!

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5 reasons to choose our Aesthetic Training Courses

 

With demand for aesthetic treatments growing fast, and more professionals looking to enter the industry, the number of aesthetic training providers is expanding too.

Which means if you’re a medical professional looking to train in aesthetics, you’ve more choice than ever. But given the number of providers out there, it’s important to do your research and find the right provider for you.

If you’ve landed here, we guess you’re considering us (thanks!). So to give you a flavour of what you can expect, here are 5 reasons to consider our Aesthetic Training Courses…

1. Our team 

We think the number one reason to choose us is the thing we’re most proud of – our people. The Cosmetic Courses team, handpicked and led by Consultant Plastic Surgeon Adrian Richards, go the extra mile for our delegates.

All of them have excellent medical credentials and bags of experience. That’s a given. But what sets them apart – and what we consistently receive great feedback for – is their approach.

Our team understand that you need a little hand-holding while you’re learning, and in the early days after training. So we’ll always be there to help and support you throughout. We don’t just provide training – we see ourselves as a lifelong learning partner for our delegates.

2. Our history

We’ve been doing this for a long time. We’re the UK’s most established provider of aesthetic training courses, starting life back in 2002.

Over those 13 years, we’ve continuously refined and developed our courses, and added several new ones, in order to make sure we’re offering the best aesthetic training available in the UK.

To date, we’ve successfully trained and mentored over 3,000 Doctors, Dentists and Nurses, many of whom are now running their own successful businesses – and 72% of whom came back for more training.

3. Our comprehensive service

There are plenty of challenges involved in changing career. So we’re determined to make the training part as easy and hassle-free as possible for our delegates.

We provide all the models and resources you need for your training. All you need to do is turn up on the day, ready to learn.

We also offer a bespoke, tailored service that lets you piece together a comprehensive training plan to suit your specific needs.

4. Our business support

As a medical professional, the practical side to aesthetics should come easily to you. But if you want to work for yourself, you’ll need to know about the ins and outs of running a business too.

So we’ve put measures in place to help you.

Once you’ve completed one of our aesthetic training courses, you’ll get access to the Members area of our website. Rather than having to create patient medical history and consent forms, treatment information sheets and other essential documents yourself, you can simply download them from here.

We’re also partnered with a pharmacy to give you a convenient way to access the products and supplies you need to run your practice – with cost savings too.

5. We’ll help you find new clients – for free

Training is only part of the picture. We know it can take time to build up your client base in the early days. So after you complete a course with us, we’ll automatically give you a free listing on our National Cosmetic Network (NCN) website.

The website is targeted at patients looking for safe, insured and accredited aesthetic practitioners in their local area. You can update your profile as you complete more training with us, so any prospective patients can see your expert credentials at a glance.

We only list practitioners that we’ve personally trained, so a listing on the NCN is a vote of confidence from the most established aesthetic training company in the land. Priceless!

Find out more about our Aesthetic Training Courses

At Cosmetic Courses, we offer a broad range of aesthetic training courses at several centres across the UK, including Bucks, Essex, Kent, Birmingham and Manchester. For information on our training, or to book a place on a course, please call us on 01844 318317 or email us at [email protected].

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