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The platform making aesthetic treatments easier and safer to book

Photo credit: Glowday
Photo credit: Glowday

From Harper's BAZAAR

The aesthetics industry is experiencing extraordinary growth in the UK, with the normalisation of treatments such as fillers and Botox spurring a new generation to embrace procedures. Nine out of 10 cosmetic procedures in the UK are now non-surgical, accounting for an annual revenue of £2.75 billion.

However, the industry remains largely unregulated, and such a significant popularity boom has led to a worrying rise in untrained practitioners operating across the country.

Aiming to bring new clarity to the cosmetic treatment market is Glowday, a platform that provides users with access to accredited practitioners who are leaders in their fields.

Describing itself as a ‘tech-driven marketplace', Glowday aims to simplify the treatment-booking process, allowing users to quickly find, book and read reviews of aesthetic practitioners across the UK.

The UK aesthetics market is considerably fragmented: research by Glowday states that an estimated 22,000 practitioners are currently operating in the UK, with only 10 per cent being made up by widely recognised clinic groups such as Sk:n and The Harley Street Clinic.

On the site, qualified doctors, dentists and nurses can showcase their portfolio and, crucially, provide a transparent breakdown of pricing structures, so users can book with total confidence. Reviews and before-and-after photos are also available to browse, while comprehensive breakdowns of each treatment ensure each potential customer knows exactly what to expect. Considering that a recent survey by the brand indicated that 47 per cent of women did not know how to determine if a practitioner is qualified, this sounds like very welcome help.

“The risk of not going to a medic is huge for when things go wrong, and I think people feel it wouldn’t happen to them but 15 per cent of the people in our research had had an allergic reaction to a treatment in the past. If that was you, wouldn’t you want someone there who could administer the antidote? This can’t be done unless you’re medically trained,” explains Glowday’s founder Hannah Russell.

Before appearing on the site, every professional has their qualifications accredited, with regular resubmission a requirement. Furthermore, a review can only be left by someone who has booked and attended a treatment via the site, negating the risk of disingenuous comments.

The treatments on offer span the non-surgical spectrum and include dermal fillers, Botox, Profhilo, microneedling, chemical peels and laser hair removal.

“I’m confident that Glowday will be a beacon of light to the industry which is currently a dangerous, unregulated market," says Russell. "At present, £3bn is spent each year on anti-wrinkle injections and dermal fillers – these treatments equate to almost 80 per cent of all aesthetic treatments. Current industry standard allows for almost anyone to be able to inject fillers into someone else without consequence and sadly, the real victims are the individuals who end up with botched procedures."

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