A sense of professional identity?

In my article last month, ‘Looking to the future: professionalism and the role of the Joint Council of Cosmetic Practitioners’, I wrote ‘… nor has it [the aesthetics sector] found a common-sense professional identity’. Many people who work in the sector and write or speak to me claim to be passionate professionals. I do not disagree with their passion and, indeed, applaud their aspirations, but I do argue that their claims should be backed by behaviour that will earn the respect and description attributed to the term ‘professional’. Unfortunately, it has been my experience that some members of the aesthetic sector have more to do to confirm and demonstrate that their practice accords with the spirit, values and behaviours associated with professionalism.

Professionalism can be defined in several ways, and some of its core conditions are not met within the aesthetics sector, leading to a lack of professional practice and patient safety