Why I Chose to Join Save Face – And Why It’s Worth Considering for Your Aesthetics Practice

The aesthetics industry can be a strange place to work as a healthcare professional.

On one hand, we bring years of medical training, governance and ethical practice. On the other, we’re operating in an environment where non-medics can inject, regulations are inconsistent and patients are understandably confused about who to trust.

For me, that tension is exactly why I decided to pursue Save Face accreditation – and why I think it’s worth other medical injectors considering as well.

This isn’t a sponsored post, just my honest reflection on the benefits.

What is Save Face – in practitioner terms?

Save Face is a government-approved accredited register for doctors, dentists, nurses and prescribing pharmacists who provide non-surgical cosmetic treatments. The register is accredited by the Professional Standards Authority, the same body that oversees organisations like the GMC and GDC. PSA+1

Crucially, it’s not just a paid listing. Every practitioner and clinic undergoes an in-depth, in-person assessment against a detailed set of standards covering training, environment, governance and patient information. Save Face+1

1. External validation and credibility

In an unregulated space, patients are actively looking for shortcuts to trust. Being Save Face accredited gives you:

• A recognised quality mark that patients increasingly know and search for

• The reassurance that your standards have been checked by an independent organisation, not just self-declared

• Alignment with a PSA-accredited register, which carries weight with regulators, insurers and the media Save Face+1

I’ve found it helpful in consultations: rather than listing every policy and qualification, I can explain that the clinic has been inspected and accredited by Save Face – and patients immediately understand the standard that implies.

2. A structured framework for compliance

If you’re running a clinic alongside a busy clinical role, keeping on top of governance can feel overwhelming.

One of the biggest benefits of Save Face membership is access to:

• A large library of templates, policies, protocols, consent forms and patient information (over 200 documents in their dashboard) Save Face+1

• Regular updates to reflect changes in guidance, legislation and best practice

• Support if you face patient complaints or complex clinical scenarios

Instead of reinventing the wheel, you can align your practice with an established, medically-led framework. For me, the assessment itself was like a practical audit of my systems and environment – it highlighted a few small gaps and gave me a clear structure for continuous improvement.

3. Visibility and new patient enquiries

From a business perspective, Save Face isn’t just about standards; it’s also a patient-facing platform.

Accredited practitioners receive:

• A SEO-optimised profile on the Save Face website

• The ability to showcase photos, testimonials and details of your clinic environment

• Exposure to thousands of patients every month who are specifically searching for accredited practitioners Save Face+1

Used well, that profile can generate a steady stream of enquiries from people who already value safety and quality – the type of patients most of us want in our clinics.

Save Face themselves point out that a single new patient can cover the cost of membership, and many members report a clear return on investment once they lean into promoting their accreditation. Save Face+1

4. Education, support and community

As aesthetics evolves, it’s vital to stay up to date. Save Face members have access to:

• Regulated qualifications in the safe use of botulinum toxin and dermal fillers, awarded by the Royal Society for Public Health Save Face

• Webinars, blogs and clinical updates focused on safety and best practice

• A network of like-minded medical practitioners who share a safety-first ethos

For me, there’s huge value in being part of a community that is actively trying to raise standards in an unregulated industry, rather than simply working in isolation.

5. Aligning your practice with your values

If you’ve come from an NHS or traditional healthcare background, you’re likely used to:

• Clinical governance

• Audit and reflection

• External inspection and accountability

Aesthetics can feel uncomfortably different at times. Joining Save Face is one way of bringing your aesthetic practice back in line with your professional values:

• Transparency

• Patient safety

• Evidence-based practice

• Ethical marketing and informed consent

For me, passing the Save Face assessment felt less like “adding a badge” and more like formalising the standards I already wanted to uphold – and making them visible to patients.

Is Save Face right for you?

It’s a considered decision and not the only route to running a safe clinic, but it’s worth asking yourself:

• Do I want independent reassurance that my practice meets high standards?

• Would I benefit from structured governance support and ready-made templates?

• Could I make better use of a patient-facing register to attract the right kind of enquiries?

• Do I want my branding to reflect a clear commitment to safety and medical professionalism?

If the answer to most of those is “yes”, then Save Face is worth exploring.

You can read more about their accreditation process and benefits on the Save Face website, including details of the assessment, resources and membership tiers. Save Face+1

Final thoughts

In an industry where almost anyone can set up an Instagram account and call themselves an injector, independent accreditation really matters – for patients and for us as professionals.

For me, joining Save Face has:

• Strengthened my clinic governance

• Clarified my processes and documentation

• Increased patient trust and enquiries

• Given me a supportive framework to grow within

If you’re a medical aesthetic practitioner who wants to practise in a way that feels aligned with your training and ethics, Save Face is a powerful way to show that to the world.

@itsdranya