#AskCharlotte: How We Choose Our Experts

Last Thursday, we had the pleasure of being a guest on Dr. Doris Day's hour of Doctor Radio on SiriusXM (Ch. 81). If you haven't tuned in to her dermatology segment yet, we highly suggest you do. Besides being on the best cosmetic dermatologists in the country, she's a natural born radio host. One important topic we discussed: How do we choose who goes into The Book? Our directory of the best cosmetic dermatologists, aestheticians, nutritionists, health coaches, and other wellness providers is an invitation-only opportunity. So how do we decide who to invite? By sticking to Charlotte's Code, a set of stringent guidelines that we created while developing The Book.

But first, here's why we created The Book in the first place. The difference between being overjoyed with the results of an aesthetic or wellness treatment and experiencing devastating regret with potentially long term health hazards often lies in the hands of the doctor or expert you’ve chosen. That’s a pretty important decision that shouldn’t be taken lightly. In such a highly saturated and misleading marketplace, where it seems anyone with an inkling of medical training can wield a syringe, figuring out whom to go to for safe, effective and successful aesthetic and wellness services requires a lot of homework. That’s what The Book is all about.

The research we've done in creating The Book saves you from the daunting process of finding a qualified doctor or expert. Our mission is to meaningfully help you have the best experience and outcome imaginable of any skincare, cosmetic health or wellness service you are interested in. All of our providers are hand-selected because they meet or exceed these specific, rigorous criteria:

CERTIFICATIONS

All experts must have all the proper credentials and certifications to practice their particular expertise. Read Credentials We Abide By for more specifics, but trust us, all of our experts have all the right diplomas and certifications from national and industry organizations required. In fact, many have more credentials than the average practitioner.

QUALITY OF SERVICES We dig deeper than just making sure our experts credentials are up to date. We look at how hands-on they are with their patients, the quality of their staff and how they manage their practice. Here's our checklist:

• Doctors only administer injectables, lasers and other non-invasive treatments that have been FDA-approved.

• Doctors buy injectables, lasers and other non-invasive treatments and devices directly from their respective manufacturer.

• All Premier Providers keep accurate records of all treatments performed for each patient.

•  All Premier Providers require patients to sign informed consent agreements prior to their procedures, ensuring they are aware of the associated benefits, risks, longevity of results and what to expect during treatment.

•  All Premier Providers have instituted appropriate protocols within their practices to manage potential adverse reactions associated with their treatments.

•  All Premier Providers have the expertise to manage the infrequent complications and problems that may occur with any of the treatments they offer.

• All Premier Providers offer patients a variety of treatment options, explaining the pros and cons of each one, so patients can make informed decisions before undergoing treatment.

•  All Premier Providers’ staffs adhere to the stringent standards they have established within their practices, and they either personally perform or oversee all treatments administered.

• All Premier Providers’ offices and locations are held to the strictest level of cleanliness, are immaculately maintained and offer a safe, comforting environment for the most discriminating patient.

BEDSIDE MANNER Getting an aesthetic or wellness treatment is a very personal decision that requires a polite, courteous practitioner who will really listen to your needs and concerns. A Charlotte’s Book team member has personally met with every one of our listed Premier Providers to make sure they not only meet the proper certifications and level of quality that we expect, but to also ensure that they’re nice. Yes, it’s that simple.

REPUTATION Let’s be honest. Charlotte is snobby when it comes to skincare. Some doctors and experts look great on paper, or rather on a slick, high-tech website, but there’s a lot of smoke and mirrors out there. On the flipside, some doctors are quoted in countless magazines, but when you actually meet them in person, they’re sort of pushy, brisk and intimidating. Charlotte talks, a lot, and not just to doctors and experts, but also to countless women who’ve tried the latest and greatest, good or bad. Charlotte listens…and tells.