How to check a practitioner is medically qualified and registered

The person injecting your face or reshaping your skin should be able to prove they're qualified to do it—not just "trained" or "certified" by some online course. Before you book, you need to know who you're actually sitting across from and whether they have the legal standing to perform the treatment you want.

Medical qualifications matter because they form the foundation of knowing anatomy, managing risks, and recognising when something is going wrong. A beauty therapist and a doctor have vastly different training, different scope of practice, and different insurance cover. Knowing which one you're seeing, and what they're registered to do, is your first protection.

Check the register and ask for proof

Start by asking the practitioner directly: "What's your registration number?" They should have one and be willing to share it without hesitation. If they say "I'm trained" or "I'm certified" but can't point you to a regulatory body, that's a warning.

For doctors, search the HPCSA register (Health Professions Council of South Africa). Ask them to confirm they're registered and specifically whether they have a scope of practice that covers aesthetic procedures. A doctor's general registration doesn't automatically mean they're trained in injectables or lasers—you need to verify that separately, often through their clinic or their professional insurance.

For nurses, physiotherapists, or other allied health professionals, the same logic applies. Check whether they're registered with their professional body and whether that body allows them to perform the specific treatment. For instance, some treatments can legally only be done under medical supervision or by someone with a specific extended scope. Don't assume; ask and verify.

If they're a beauty therapist or aesthetician without a medical background, they should be transparent about that. Many beauty therapists are highly trained in their field, but their scope is different—usually limited to skincare, facials, and non-invasive treatments. If they're offering injectables or laser procedures without medical credentials, that's a red flag.

Request proof in writing or digitally. A screenshot of their registration, a certificate, or a link to the professional register is reasonable. If they won't provide it, or if you can't find them when you search, do not proceed.

References, insurance and accountability

Ask to speak with previous clients who've had the same treatment. A reputable practitioner will have willing referrals. Ask those referrals how they verified the practitioner's credentials too—if they didn't, that tells you something.

Ask the practitioner about their professional indemnity insurance. This covers them (and protects you) if something goes wrong. They should have current insurance and be able to confirm the provider and policy number. If they don't have it, you're bearing the risk alone if complications arise.

Find out who supervises the treatment or clinic. If it's not medically led, ask whether there's a doctor on call or available for complications. Some non-medical practitioners work under a doctor's oversight; others don't. The arrangement changes what safeguards are in place.

Verify how long they've been practising the specific treatment, not just how long they've worked in beauty. Someone who's been doing facials for ten years is not the same as someone who's been administering injectables for two years.

Phone the clinic and ask questions as if you're a new client. How do they answer questions about qualifications? Do they seem defensive or proud? Do they rush you off the phone? A clinic confident in their credentials welcomes scrutiny.

Once you've checked registrations, asked for references, and confirmed insurance, you'll have a clearer picture of whether this practitioner has the legal and professional standing to do the work safely. Strove's verified practitioners have passed these kinds of checks, so you can find someone medically qualified without running every verification yourself—but knowing what to look for means you're never caught off guard.