Five questions before you book anti-wrinkle injections in London.

“Doctor-led” is not a regulated term. It can mean a GMC-registered doctor owns the company, supervises the clinic remotely, or — at the strict interpretation — signs the prescription. The person performing the injection may be a nurse, an aesthetic practitioner, a dentist, or another person acting under the prescriber’s direction. Ask who is doing each role and which professional register and standards apply to them.

What to ask for: a named individual, their professional registration number (GMC for doctor, GDC for dentist, NMC for nurse), and a willingness for you to meet them at the consultation rather than only at the injection appointment.

You can verify the registration yourself in 30 seconds at gmc-uk.org, gdc-uk.org or nmc.org.uk.

Several licensed botulinum toxin products are available in the UK. They are pharmacologically similar but not identical, and unit dosing scales differ between products. A clinic that cannot tell you which specific product they will use, which batch, and from which licensed wholesaler, is giving you less information with which to make an informed decision.

What to ask for: the specific product name, an approximate unit count for your treatment plan, and an invitation to see the sealed box at the appointment so you can confirm batch number and expiry.

Botulinum toxin is a Prescription-Only Medicine and must be supplied against a valid prescription following an appropriate assessment. Ask when and how the prescriber will assess you before any medicine is supplied (more on this in question 04).

Complications can occur. Ask the clinic to explain its complication and escalation arrangements in writing, who will assess you, and what you should do if you need urgent help.

What to ask for: a named clinical contact, clear instructions for urgent and non-urgent problems, and a written explanation of what follow-up or corrective care is included and who pays for it.

If the answer is vague, ask for the written aftercare and escalation information before deciding whether to proceed.

The assessment must be sufficient for the prescriber to decide whether prescribing is appropriate. For doctors, GMC guidance specifically requires a physical examination before prescribing injectable non-surgical cosmetic medicines. Standards for other prescribers come from their own professional regulator.

What to ask for: enough time for a proper assessment, your questions and informed consent, with the prescriber identified. Ask whether you can take information away and decide without sales pressure.

Follow-up arrangements differ by clinic and treatment plan. Ask whether a review is included, when it takes place, what happens if the result is uneven, whether photographs form part of your clinical record and which costs are included.

What to ask for: written aftercare, a named contact, a clear review window and clarity on who pays for any follow-up at each stage.

Fair. Most patients don’t. That’s why we built Unmist. Search for a London clinic on Unmist and you’ll see: the practitioners the clinic names on its own website, each with a link to check them on the GMC, GDC or NMC register; a link to the official CQC record where we have matched one; and what the website says (and, pointedly, what it doesn’t say). Each factsheet also links to a printable consultation kit with questions to ask about whatever the website leaves unclear.

Background reading on why this gap exists in the first place: Why Unmist exists.