Dr Beatriz Molina details her route into aesthetics and her constant strive to make it a recognised specialty
“All practitioners should take a step back and say ‘how can I make myself proud of what I do?’’
Dr Beatriz Molina details her route into aesthetics and her constant strive to make it a recognised specialty
Coming to the UK was supposed to be a temporary move for aesthetic practitioner Dr Beatriz Molina, who initially moved here to train as a surgeon, gain some experience within the NHS and learn English. But after falling in love with her now-husband and the British way of life, Dr Molina’s career took an unexpected turn. “I attended medical school at the University of Malaga and then came to England in 1994 to start my surgical training. But after five years of learning I woke up one morning and decided that I didn’t want to do it anymore,” explains Dr Molina. Her sudden change-ofheart left her family and friends in shock, “I had a bit of a breakdown and thought ‘what am I going to do with my life?’ and then some friends suggested that I go into general practice temporarily, whilst I made my mind up on what I wanted to do.” Becoming a general practitioner was a new adventure for Dr Molina and, as she explains, less stressful than being a trainee surgeon, however the problem was, she wasn’t ‘in love with it’. “It wasn’t enough to keep me excited everyday – but then I found cosmetics.” Dr Molina heard about treating hyperhidrosis with botulinum toxin and wanted to learn more, “I did a course and found out you could also use botulinum toxin to treat lines and wrinkles – it was like a wake-up call!” Dr Molina had been practising medicine for 11 years when she finally discovered her passion for aesthetics. “I got really excited and booked myself onto courses in botulinum toxin for lines and wrinkles, and then for dermal fillers, and then lasers; that’s when my journey really started.” After two years of training in aesthetic treatments, Dr Molina decided to open her own clinic, and, in 2005, Medikas in Somerset was launched, followed by her Bristol establishment in 2014. “In those days, in Somerset, where I was working as a GP, there wasn’t really anyone offering aesthetic services and I realised there was a gap in the market.” Dr Molina wanted to make sure her clinic offered a variety of treatments and that she had the knowledge and expertise she needed in order to deliver this. She explains, “If you want to offer a service, you have to know everything about it. Sometimes we think ‘we’re doctors and we know it all’ – but we don’t! It is a very specialised industry; you have to study a lot, you have to learn and I took it very seriously.” In 2015, Dr Molina was appointed vice president of the British College of Aesthetic Medicine (BCAM), by the committee board. As vice president, she is a firm believer in keeping yourself as up-to-date as possible within the industry. “It’s fast evolving and there are new techniques coming in everyday, a lot more new products, and you need to have a solid understanding to know what looks good and will work and what sounds a bit crazy. You have to be very selective and that’s important for your patients.” BCAM and the British Association of Cosmetic Nurses have been working together with Health Education England (HEE) to establish a new regulatory body for the cosmetic sector in England – the Joint Council for Cosmetic Practitioners (JCCP); a venture Dr Molina is particularly excited about and proud of.
“Being part of the committee for BCAM, I was talking to nurses, dermatologists and surgeons, trying to get everybody together to work with HEE. At the time, we were at opposite ends of the table, but having been in the industry for a very long time and knowing people quite well personally, it was easier for me to speak to people and say ‘look, we have a common aim here, we need to join forces’ and that was a big achievement.” Dr Molina advises anyone looking to get into the industry to, “Choose your courses extremely carefully. Work with someone closely and if you can, have a mentor and get properly trained. Do it very slowly, carefully and don’t take it as a side job. If you want to do it because you love it, go for it, but it is going to take a lot of your time.” Although Dr Molina is proud of her achievements, she continues to strive for better, “We need to stop people from doing a half-a-day course and then going out there thinking they can do the treatments. Things are improving, but very slowly. Our next big goal is to make aesthetic and cosmetic medicine an approved speciality. It’s going to take time, but I think by carrying on with the hard work, we’ll be able to achieve it.”
What treatment do you enjoy giving the most?
I love using dermal fillers and feel like an artist when I’m treating patients with them. I combine my medical knowledge with my artistic flair and I love how you can transform someone’s face. You can see the changes straight away and it’s just incredible.
What technological tool do you think best compliments your work?
At the moment, it’s the cannulas for my dermal filler. I can achieve a lot and I think it’s enabled me to develop my own techniques and give better results with fewer traumas.
Do you have an industry pet hate?
I don’t like how anybody in this country can perform aesthetic treatments. You see a lot of people traumatised because they’ve had a really bad experience or a bad result and that’s why we are trying to change it. All practitioners should take a step back and say ‘how can I, from the heart, make myself proud of what I do?’
What aspects of the industry do you enjoy the most?
The conferences! It’s great to have these big meetings where you get to see your colleagues and share experiences. You get to talk to people and learn all about different treatments and procedures. It’s nice because you can trust your colleagues and ask, ‘what do you think about that product? What do you think about that treatment?’ and they give you their honest opinion. It’s fantastic!
Dr Beatriz Molina will discuss treating the buttock and thigh area at the Aesthetics Conference and Exhibition 2016. Visit www.aestheticsconference.com/programme to find out more.
Upgrade to become a Full Member to read all of this article.
