DR AHMED EL HOUSSIENY

GETTING TO KNOW DR AHMED EL HOUSSIENY

FROM ANAESTHESIA TO AESTHETICS

Dr Ahmed El Houssieny, known to colleagues and patients as Dr A, has become a respected voice within UK aesthetics. Before building a successful clinic and training academy, however, he spent years working as an anaesthetist, a specialty where precision, preparation and patient safety are paramount.

The role demands an in-depth understanding of anatomy, physiology and pharmacology, often in high-pressure environments where clinicians must remain vigilant and ready to respond instantly when complications arise.

It is perhaps no surprise, then, that these principles would go on to shape Dr El Houssieny’s approach to aesthetic medicine.

After several years in anaesthesia, he began looking for a new challenge. While he briefly considered general practice, aesthetic medicine was emerging as a growing field and one that offered a unique combination of science, artistry and patient interaction.

After shadowing a colleague who had already established an aesthetics practice, he realised the specialty offered something different.

“I was attracted to the artistry and working with your hands, as well as the consultation process and getting to the bottom of why patients want treatments,” he says. His medical background proved invaluable. “My background has a big influence on everything I do. When I first started learning about aesthetics, I was very fortunate that my knowledge in anatomy, physiology and managing complications helped tremendously.

“I was very conscious of the safety element and the governance.

What do you do if things don’t go as planned? How do you handle and inform the patient about possible adverse events? How do you handle consent?”

His experience also meant he was already highly comfortable with the meticulous use of needles and syringes. What proved more challenging was adapting to a sector that, at the time, lacked the clear educational pathways and standardisation he had been accustomed to in medicine.

“When I started in 2014, there wasn’t the structure that exists today. You didn’t know when you were ready to progress or move on to more advanced treatments and techniques. Various providers had different criteria and it was very vague.”

For someone coming from a highly regulated clinical environment, the lack of consistency was difficult to navigate. Rather than rushing ahead, he adopted a cautious approach.

“I did a lot of courses, but I knew at the same time that I needed to make a start and gain live experience. I didn’t suddenly decide to go on every course and offer everything. I started slowly, practised and then reflected before I did another course.”

That philosophy of measured progression remains central to his practice today.

BUILDING BANK MEDISPA

After years of training, planning and gaining experience, Dr El Houssieny opened Bank Medispa in Cheshire in 2020. Looking back, he believes much of the groundwork happened long before the clinic opened its doors.

“I started to climb that ladder very slowly in stages, attending conferences, networking with manufacturers and colleagues. I had to do a lot of background work before I felt ready to open my own clinic.”

Today, educational pathways are significantly more developed than they were when he entered the profession. “Training has much improved and now it’s a lot more structured. There’s the Level 7 qualification, there are master’s programmes and there is now much more structure to that roadmap.”

While clinical training occupied much of his attention in the early years, another challenge emerged once he became a clinic owner.

LEARNING TO RUN A BUSINESS

Like many medical professionals, Dr El Houssieny quickly discovered that clinical expertise and business expertise are very different things.

“That is still a challenge I have all the time. I don’t have a business background, but it is something I have learned a lot about as I have progressed in my career. There’s a lot involved in setting up a practice that takes understanding, knowledge and experience.”

As a result, he encourages practitioners to seek out business education alongside clinical training.

“There are lots of training schools now that offer business considerations as part of a Level 7 qualification or a master’s programme, which I highly recommend.”

One lesson he wishes more practitioners understood is the value of data.

“One day that raw data will be very useful. Keep track of your patient numbers, gender, age, what treatments they have, how much they spend and how often they are coming to see you.

“These are the questions I would ask a student who was looking to open their first clinic. This data will help you identify your treatment menu, how you market yourself and what makes your clinic unique.”

"If you just go after being a KOL, you will come and go very fast and people will see right through you."

For Dr El Houssieny, data is not simply about business performance. It is about understanding patients and making more informed decisions as a clinic grows.

A PASSION FOR EDUCATION

Alongside Bank Medispa, Dr El Houssieny leads training through Interface Aesthetics Manchester, delivering injectables training, complication management education and Level 7 qualifications.

What began as a professional interest has evolved into one of the most rewarding aspects of his career.

“Teaching has become one of my biggest passions. I certainly advise people who have a passion for teaching to start. It requires you to be patient, adaptable and constantly ahead of the curve, which I love.”

His reputation as an educator has led to speaking engagements at conferences and collaborations with major industry brands. However, he cautions against chasing visibility for its own sake.

“Focus on yourself, building your clinic and the things you are passionate about that make you unique. If you just go after being a KOL, you will come and go very fast and people will see right through you.”

"I’m an expert in what I do, but I’m not an expert in everything.”

Instead, he believes long-term success comes from developing genuine expertise.

“Find a niche and speciality and become a master at what you do and the opportunities will come.”

NAVIGATING THE REGENERATIVE BOOM

Few areas illustrate the pace of change within aesthetics more clearly than regenerative medicine.

“When we started, it was mainly injectables to soften a line here, fill a line there, and that was more or less it”, he says.

Today, practitioners have access to a much broader range of treatment options.

“Now that we understand the ageing process better, we’re offering a more holistic approach, not only utilising injectables, but also good skincare, noninvasive procedures such as microneedling, lasers and energy-based devices.”

Despite the excitement surrounding regenerative aesthetics, Dr El Houssieny remains cautious about emerging treatments that outpace the evidence base.

“Regenerative medicine is a huge topic, but it’s new and a lot of the treatments out there are not necessarily backed by good science. I am often educating my patients on this. Regenerative aesthetics is here to stay, but we need more science and data behind it.”

That perspective reflects a recurring theme throughout his career: enthusiasm for innovation balanced by a commitment to evidence, patient safety and informed decision-making. The same philosophy informs the clinic’s broader wellness offering, which includes treatments such as massage and reflexology.

While evidence varies between interventions, he believes supporting wellbeing should remain an important part of patient care.

PUTTING PATIENTS FIRST

Six years after opening, Bank Medispa has evolved into a multidisciplinary clinic offering services that range from injectables to women’s health.

For Dr El Houssieny, however, the clinic’s greatest achievement is not its growth, but the relationships it has built. Many patients have been with the clinic for years, allowing him to take a long-term approach to treatment planning.

“I try to understand my patients, what motivates them and what challenges they face. “I work with them slowly to achieve the best results we can. I never rush and I have no problem saying no.”

It is an approach that reflects the same values that first drew him to medicine: trust, responsibility and putting patient interests ahead of commercial pressures.

While aesthetic medicine has changed dramatically since he entered the profession in 2014, those principles have remained constant.

“I’m an expert in what I do, but I’m not an expert in everything. If I can’t do it or don’t know the answer, I can certainly recommend you to someone who can.”