Meet the Hourglass Aesthetics team: Dr Hassan Abbas
At Hourglass Aesthetics, our clients are at the heart of what we do. As healthcare professionals, offering a safe and informative service is fundamental to our practice's success and without the right team, this would not be possible.
First in our ‘meet the team’ series, is founder and clinic director, Dr Hassan Abbas, who shares some insights into the world of cosmetics, and how he has brought the first aesthetics training facility to Aberdeen.
How long have you worked at Hourglass Aesthetics?
“I established Hourglass Aesthetics in 2017 and have grown the clinic considerably over the last 5 years.”
What areas do you specialise in?
“My service offering is quite varied. I have my own clients who I see regularly and provide injectable aesthetic treatments to, but I also have the training arm of the practice. This is where I train other healthcare professionals in foundation and advanced medical aesthetics - ensuring that they too are offering a high-quality, safe service to their clients.”
What kind of treatments can you provide?
“I offer a wide range of aesthetic treatments including wrinkle-relaxing treatment Botulinum Toxin (Botox), fillers and DESO fat dissolving. I am particularly interested in advanced filler treatments that require assessing the face as a whole, restoring age-related volume loss and improving proportion.
“This may involve treating several areas e.g. the cheeks, tear trough, temples, chin, jawline, jowls, and/or the perioral area. I also specialise in non-surgical rhinoplasty (filler ‘nose-job’ or ‘liquid rhinoplasty’). DESO fat-dissolving can also be used to ‘contour’ the neck and body, improving proportion in a similar sense, in this case however by targeting stubborn, localised pockets of fat.”
Qualifications and experience
How many years of experience do you have as a health care professional?
“I’ve been a Doctor since 2010, graduating with an MBChB (Medical Degree) and a BSc in Medical Science. I’ve also taken time out to do research at PhD level between 2017 and 2021. I still work as a Senior Registrar in a hospital setting alongside my aesthetics activity.”
What made you decide to pursue a career in aesthetics?
“I’ve always been attracted to procedural specialities and decided to diversify my skill set during my research years. Like many clinicians we are rewarded by helping others – I enjoy consultation, problem-solving and trying to translate concern into an effective treatment plan. I have a huge passion for teaching and training, so developing Hourglass Aesthetics Academy was a ‘no-brainer’. There is a void for high-quality training in aesthetics in the North East – I want to improve safety and standards in the field so this has been a real passion for me.”
Where did you do your training and what did you train in specifically?
“My aesthetics training was with the biggest names and centres in the UK – including London, Manchester, Liverpool and Glasgow. But I believe that your learning shouldn’t stop after initial training, that’s why the entire team regularly attend conferences and training courses.
“I trained in a range of injectable procedures including Botulinum Toxin techniques, Hyaluronic Acid fillers and fat dissolving treatments.”
You and your role
What is the core focus within your role? What’s the goal?
“I have several roles at Hourglass Aesthetics. As an Aesthetics Practitioner my goal is to deliver the highest quality service I can – by that I mean a client-focused, friendly experience with safety, thorough assessment and education at its backbone.
“My approach is scientific and as much as possible, objective. The aim of all treatments is to bring harmony to the face using safe techniques that achieve natural-appearing results. I always take into consideration the psychological impact that a treatment can have, whether that’s positive or negative.
“I want our clients to feel that they are in control and in the safest of hands; that we can always be approached with any concerns. I’m interested in changing the culture of aesthetics, not just delivering the treatments – there is a lot of anxiety (and rightly so) around aesthetics, due to its poor regulation in the UK, the rogue practices we hear about as a result of this, and the lack of support to clients from lay or ‘visiting’ practitioners.
“This ethos resonates through the training I deliver to other Healthcare Professionals, at Hourglass Aesthetics Training Academy. In addition, I aim to create a supportive, collaborative network with my Trainees beyond the training programmes, so that clinical excellence and safety are continuously infused into the culture of Aesthetics.
“As Clinic Director, my main focus is to ensure the above values are shared by the entire team. I believe in life-long self-development, so continuously improving the experience and training of our staff is a top priority. We regularly meet for ‘in house’ training to refine our skills, and the team is supported to attend further training courses and conferences. We study and reflect on any complications as they arise, without which nothing is learnt.”
What’s your favourite part of your job?
"Volume restoration! Bringing those years back by restoring volume exactly where it’s lost, with advanced filler techniques. This requires applying knowledge of anatomy, ageing and aesthetic principles (I am a hopeless geek). I find it very rewarding to see a positive reaction from clients and an instant lift in their self-esteem.
“I also like being in a position to influence the negative culture and misconceptions relating to aesthetics. Some ‘traditionalisms’ really need to be challenged, like the notion that aesthetics is ‘only for women’.
“Likewise the gender and ethnic spectra and how this translates to planning aesthetics procedures is something I’m passionate about.”
How would your friends or colleagues describe you?
“To many, I’m a safe pair of hands. I’m extremely honest in my approach, and if I don’t feel that a treatment is required or suitable for a certain person I’ll tell them, even if it means they go elsewhere.
“I’m passionate about my work, and because of this, I dedicate a great deal of my time to researching and identifying ways to improve the industry and its culture. I put the integrity of my work and my practice ahead of my own personal gain, which is how it should be when you’re a medical professional.”
What advice/reassurance would you give to a potential client who’s looking to get a treatment from you but feels apprehensive?
“It’s normal to be apprehensive. In fact, I’d worry if a client had no concerns before embarking on a treatment, particularly if injectable. I call this ‘healthy anxiety’ which means you care about safety and results. My advice would always be to take your time, read up on the procedure and ask plenty of questions.
“We offer consultations with no obligation to proceed with treatment. Even if a client has booked a procedure, they have every right to change their mind on the day and simply have the consultation part.
“I would strongly recommend that regardless of where you go for treatment, it should be with a regulated Healthcare Professional (e.g. a Doctor, Nurse, Dentist with an active GMC, NMC, GDC number). There are government-recognised registers of Aesthetic Practitioners and Save Face is one of them. These voluntary organisations try to set standards in aesthetics that push practitioners to ‘step up’ and protect clients at the same time.”
Ready to start your aesthetics journey with Hourglass Aesthetics? Discover our available treatments below…