Paola Chellew discusses growing safety concerns in South Africa’s booming aesthetic industry with Dr Reza Mia, focusing on unqualified “injectors,” counterfeit dermal fillers, botulinum toxin and more.
Dr Reza Mia outlines the severe medical risks – from infection and tissue damage to vascular occlusion, blindness, stroke, and death – and notes that reversal agents like hyaluronidase won’t work on unknown substances.
Viewers are urged to verify practitioners on the HPCSA register (https://www.hpcsa.co.za), watch for red flags like advertised prices, misleading fake Ai photos, and deposits, and report illegal practice to SAPS and the HPCSA.
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Guest: Dr Reza Mia
🌐 Website: www.antiagingart.co.za
📸 Instagram: www.instagram.com/drreza_mia
💉 Disclaimer: The information provided in this video is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional for any medical concerns or treatments. The opinions expressed are those of the individual speakers and should not be taken as a substitute for personalised medical guidance.
About the author
Rochelle is the founder and driving force behind the Aesthetic Appointment Journal. With a passion for the aesthetics and pro-ageing industry in South Africa, she has been in the aesthetic publishing industry since 2012, dedicated to creating a valuable platform for insights and knowledge, bridging the gap between patients and doctors - delivering reliable, medical-based information. Rochelle firmly believes in the power of a good skincare regimen, especially when started at home, and is committed to educating consumers about the myriad of treatments, procedures, and products available to them.
Paola Chellew is a freelance journalist and regularly writes for a number of publications. A former professional contemporary dancer, she has always loved the arts in all their forms. She has been a freelance writer for many years and has been published in various magazines including Live Out Loud, Private Life and Do It now magazines. Her passion for beauty and skincare started in her teens, when she would read every beauty editor’s picks and reviews. Serious about skincare, she has researched medical-grade products for over ten years, as well as aesthetic treatments to restore and repair skin to look its best. Since entering her 60s, she has dedicated her blog to the “over 50s and beyond Club”, shining a spotlight on a generation that is seemingly sidelined by the beauty industry. “There is no age limit for when you stop being beautiful – a gorgeous lipstick, a sexy fragrance, radiant skin- these are not synonymous with youth- they are just things that add an extra sparkle to my day”.
MBChB - Bachelor's of Medicine and Bachelor's of Surgery, MBA - Masters of Business Administration, MSc Fin. - Masters in Science in Finance, AdvDipAesthMed - Advanced Diploma in Aesthetics Medicine.
Aesthetic Doctor, Owner of Anti-Aging Art Medical Aesthetics in Johannesburg.
Having graduated from the University of Witwatersrand with a medical degree at age 23, Dr Reza sought to enhance his studies with an MBA from the University of Liverpool, having obtained multiple distinctions. He fulfilled a life-long ambition when he passed the entrance exam to become a member of MENSA in 2013. Dr Reza was awarded the Dean’s Scholarship for Entrepreneurship from the London School of Business and Finance for an MSc Finance & Investment degree where he majored in investment banking and capital markets, graduating with Merit. Most notably, Dr Reza completed a dissertation in Aerospace OEM analysis and later obtained his Advanced Diploma in Aesthetic Medicine from the Centre of higher education. Amongst his various qualifications, Dr Reza was recently admitted to the American Board of Regenerative Medicine.
Dr Reza previously participated in a global study assessing the various injection techniques of Restylane’s skin boosting dermal filler. Dr Reza was appointed the Hyalual Key Opinion Leader for South Africa. He has also been appointed as Key Opinion leader for DermaV (PrP). He further trains for Italian founded company Medicap for Biofibre Hair Implants. Dr Reza has also internationally published in the UK aesthetics journal. Dr Reza is also a well-known inventor and is the founder and chairman of Pegasus Universal Aerospace and holds patents in South Africa, Europe and The United States for a vertical business jet currently being manufactured.