Your first treatment: an honest guide.

If you're reading this with a slightly racing heart, you're in good company. Almost everyone feels a flutter of nerves before their first treatment: will it hurt, will it look natural, will people be able to tell? Those are exactly the right questions to ask.

A good first treatment should feel calm, unhurried and honest. You should never feel rushed into a decision or talked into more than you came in for. This guide walks you through what actually happens, step by step, so there are no surprises.

Your first visit begins with a consultation, and at Aesthetics by Gwen it's free. It takes around 20 to 30 minutes, in a private room in Woodford with no waiting room and no one else around. You'll be offered tea or water, and then you and Gwen simply talk.

1. 01Your goalsWhat you'd like to soften or change and, just as importantly, what you'd like to keep.
2. 02Your medical historyA short health questionnaire, so every recommendation is safe for you. Mention any medicines, supplements, allergies or conditions, and whether you're pregnant or breastfeeding.
3. 03An assessmentA careful look at your skin, how your muscles move when you make expressions, and the balance of your features.
4. 04Your planA written plan with options and prices. Book, or go away and think it over: your plan stays on file.

Anti-wrinkle injections are prescription-only medicines in the UK, so a proper face-to-face medical consultation is always part of the process. It's also your chance to get a feel for the person treating you. Gwen is a registered nurse with twelve years in NHS paediatrics and advanced aesthetics training from the Harley Academy.

Whoever you see, a good practitioner will welcome questions. These are worth asking at any consultation:

• Who will be treating me, and what are their qualifications?
• What do you recommend for me, and why?
• What result is realistic for my face, and when will I see it?
• How long will it last, and what does keeping it up involve?
• What's normal afterwards, and what side effects are possible?
• Who do I contact if I'm worried, and is there a review appointment?
• What's the total cost, and do I need to decide today?

If the answers are vague or rushed, or come with a price that's only on offer today, it's perfectly fine to walk away and think about it.

One of the best pieces of advice for a first treatment is to start conservatively. With anti-wrinkle injections, that might mean treating one or two areas rather than three, or a softer dose that keeps more movement. With filler, it often means a modest amount to begin with. You can always build gradually at a later appointment, and it's far easier than living with a result you didn't love.

Subtle doesn't mean underwhelming. Often the best result is the one nobody can quite put their finger on: friends say you look well, or rested, or ask whether you've been away.

• Myth

  You'll end up looking frozen.

  In reality

  A frozen look comes from a heavy-handed dose, not from the treatment itself. Doses are tailored to your muscles and the movement you'd like to keep, so you can still frown, smile and raise your brows, just more softly.

• Myth

  Everyone will know you've had something done.

  In reality

  Anti-wrinkle results build gradually over days, so there's no overnight change for anyone to spot. Any small marks or slight swelling straight afterwards usually settle quickly.

• Myth

  It really hurts.

  In reality

  Everyone's different, but most people find it very manageable. Anti-wrinkle injections feel like a quick scratch and are over in minutes. For filler and skin boosters, a numbing cream is applied first.

• Myth

  If you stop, your wrinkles get worse.

  In reality

  When anti-wrinkle injections wear off, movement returns gradually and your lines go back to how they would naturally have been. Stopping doesn't make them worse.

• Myth

  If you don't like it, you're stuck with it.

  In reality

  Anti-wrinkle injections wear off gradually over a few months. Hyaluronic acid fillers break down naturally over time and can be dissolved with an enzyme by a qualified practitioner if ever needed. Even so, a careful consultation and a subtle start are the best protection.

• Myth

  Treatments like these are only for women.

  In reality

  Plenty of men have treatment too, often for forehead and frown lines or a clenching jaw. Men's muscles tend to be stronger, so they often need a tailored dose.

Arrive with clean skin if you can, and give yourself time so you're not rushing. Your skin is cleansed with a medical-grade antimicrobial cleanser, the treatment points are marked, and numbing cream is applied where it helps. Everything is laid out fresh for you, from sterile gauze to single-use gloves, and products are opened in front of you.

Most treatments take between 15 and 30 minutes. Afterwards there's a cool pack, a mirror check together, and a written aftercare card to take home, so you know exactly what to do for the next 24 hours.

With anti-wrinkle injections the change is gradual, which is part of why it looks natural. Here's roughly what to expect, though everyone's timeline is a little different.

For the first 24 hours, keep things simple: stay upright and skip makeup for four hours, and avoid touching the area, strenuous exercise, heat and alcohol. Your written aftercare card covers everything specific to your treatment.

With filler the timeline is different: you'll see the change straight away, with some swelling for a few days while it settles. Whatever you've had, if anything feels unusual, contact Gwen straight away.