Inside Aesthetics Ep 127 What Happened When the Government Regulated Cosmetic Injectables in Holland? | Dr Tom van Eijk
Episode 127 hosts Dr Tom van Eijk (Cosmetic Doctor based in Amsterdam, Holland)
Tom left surgical training in 2003 to focus on injectables and by 2005, had begun teaching students. He is especially well known for his 'ferning' and lip 'tenting' techniques which he has presented all around the world.
In many of our previous episodes we've speculated what a formal pathway in training in cosmetic injectables might look like - and so we found the only country who has done just that.
In 2019 in Holland, cosmetic injectables became recognised as a medical speciality and a training programme was created under governmental control. Tom gives his unfiltered opinion on this and tells us what led to these changes. We explore whether it was necessary and assess what Australian injectors could learn from the Dutch experience.
00:00 Introduction 01:04 Meet Dr Tom van Eijk and His Journey Into Injectables 05:59 Early Days of Fillers and Treatment Evolution 10:56 Developing the Ferning Technique Explained 18:27 Strengthening Skin Versus Adding Volume 26:25 Regulation Changes in the Netherlands 33:29 Why Cosmetic Doctor Specialization Was Created 41:37 Cost, Training Pathway and Industry Politics 48:53 Fear, Credentials and Professional Pressure 52:09 Comparing Global Regulation Including UK and Australia 61:45 Challenges Designing the Perfect Training System 68:49 Common Safety Mistakes and Basic Clinical Standards 76:38 Role of Experience, Mentorship and Ongoing Education 80:09 Emergency Preparedness and Managing Complications 86:34 Final Thoughts on Regulation, Competence and Patient Safety