60 seconds with Stephen Banks, Karidis Patient Coordinator

We welcome Stephen Banks to the Karidis clinic who has joined as Patient Coordinator. Stephen’s role is to take patients through the surgical journey from initial consultation with Mr Alex Karidis to the day of surgery. He is most patient’s first point of contact for support and queries. Read on to find out a little bit more about Stephen…  

What brought you to Karidis?

In an industry that is often under scrutiny it was important for me to work for a well established company who share the same values. Firstly, Mr Karidis is a very well respected surgeon who has a fantastic reputation within the industry as well as with patients. But also what made me want to be a part of his team is the ‘patients-first’ ethos his company strongly promotes. I wanted to work for company who puts patient interest first, who is honest, ethical, informative and professional while being warm, empathetic and understanding. The Karidis clinic does all of this which is so apparent in everything they do and these are the qualities I will be bringing too.

Where did you train? Tell us about your experience

Having worked for other cosmetic surgery companies this is where my experience and knowledge comes from. I have nearly four years of experience as a Patient Coordinator and a further four years of experience working as Front of House in other clinics. I have knowledge in many non surgical treatments and surgical treatments and products and have attended many training courses and conferences. I understand the journey a patient goes through and can offer valued support along the way.

How long have you worked in this industry?

I have worked in the industry for nearly eight years.

What do you most enjoy about what you do, and why?

I love the relationships I build with patients, by the end of their journey we really do feel like friends. I’m definitely a people person so I enjoy interacting with people from all walks of life and with this job you certainly do that. I also love seeing the positive impact cosmetic surgery has on patients and how thankful patients are for your support. It’s such a rewarding feeling knowing you made a difference.

What inspired you to work in the beauty/ aesthetic industry?

My inspiration to pursue a career in the aesthetic industry came from my interest in it while growing up. It’s always been really important for me to feel passionate about the field and company I work for and because of this I love going to work and treasure my job. I’m very lucky to be able to say that!

Tell us your biggest career achievement to date?

I’m proud of the fact I won several internal awards for my high levels of customer service with my previous employer. I always try to go above and beyond for every patient I see, I understand the importance of providing brilliant customer service, how people like to share their good experiences and because of this I had a really loyal patient following who were always recommending me to their friends and family in my previous role.

What are your views on cosmetic surgery?

I think it’s brilliant, I have seen time and time again the positive impact cosmetic surgery has on people. Firstly, the obvious one is the physical benefits it has but also people don’t realise the emotional changes that can happen. Patients tell me how confident they are feeling and what they find themselves wearing and doing that they never imagined  doing before. Also patients tell me how they are interacting better with people at work and socially as they are no longer self conscious, others have said it’s given them the motivation to make positive changes in their life or try out new things and these are only a few reasons I could list so many more.

What are you most impressed with in our ever beauty evolving industry?

Non surgical treatments offer one off (or close to) treatments that deliver natural  long term results. PLEXR, Thread lifting, Ultheraphy and Cool sculpt deliver results in no more than three treatments with brilliant long term benefits. Such treatments are great for the patient who is frightened of surgery or like a lot of people in London, do not have the time to get the results that everybody desires through surgery. It really is impressive to think you can shrink your skin in half an hour, see visible results straight away and walk out the door with a non surgical equivalent to a blepharoplasty.

Let us into at least one of your top beauty/ anti- ageing secrets…

I have loads but three products I can’t be without are:

1. Obagi 15% Vitamin C Serum – it’s an antioxidant for your skin so it protects and repairs skin from the damage caused daily due to environmental factors etc and gives your skin a lovely, healthy glow. I get everyone to try this and they always love it!

2. Obagi Tretinoin – this is vitamin A for your skin, this encourages a faster cellular turnover that gets rid of all the dead skin that can build up and leave your skin looking dull, so by using this your skin becomes even toned, brighter, fresher and glowing. It also stimulates your collagen which when used for a period of time will reduces fine lines and firm your skin up.

3. Heliocare SP50 sun block – a product I use daily as there will be sun behind those clouds! It protects your skin from developing pigmentation, reduces the appearance of broken facial capillaries and it slows down the ageing process as much as possible. Something as small as applying a sun block daily to your face will have such a big impact on how you will look later on in life.

Who would your top 3 dinner guest be?

Alan Carr – he would be hilarious and make the dinner party fun and bring the laughter.

Louis Theroux – he would bring the intellect, stories and discussions to the table.

Britney Spears – she would bring the entertainment to the dinner party. Toxic is a personal fave!

Who or what inspires you today?

As cheesy as it may sound I would have to say it is my mum who inspires me the most. She is the most selfless person I know who never asks for any recognition for all the amazing things she does or want anything in return. She has put everyone before herself her entire life and she encourages me everyday to be kind, humble and grateful for what I already have.

To meet more of the Karidis team visit Meet The Team.