You need to follow the KOLs—they know best.

IV vitamin drips promise the world, but in reality, they're just overpriced hydration and placebo, with little to no evidence backing their wellness claims.

Dr. Harry Singh

Dr. Harry Singh Author - UK's No1 Aesthetic Mentor

Yeah? Best at what—posing with filler boxes and humble-bragging about “keynote speaker energy”? Let’s talk facts.

Here’s The Nonsense Kols Keep Pushing...

If you’ve been in aesthetics longer than 10 minutes, you’ve been fed this story:

“Follow the Key Opinion Leaders. Learn their techniques. Do what they do. They’re the gold standard.”

Spoiler: they’re the sales standard.

Most KOLS aren’t chosen because they’re the most clinically sound or safety-obsessed. They’re chosen because they’re marketable. Camera-friendly. Loyal to the brand. Good at parroting PowerPoints.

The reality? Some of the worst complications I’ve seen—dodgy tear troughs, overfilled cheeks, lips that looked like inflated beef curtains—came from clinics trained by “celebrity” KOLs. But hey, they had a certificate signed in gold ink and a selfie to match. Must be legit.

Reality Check: Kol ≠ Clinical Excellence

Let’s look at the dirty truths the glossy Instagram reels won’t show you:

1. Conflict of Interest Is RAMPANT

A 2020 study in JAMA Dermatology found that 67% of academic dermatologists had financial ties to industry—yet few disclosed this when recommending products or treatments. This is standard across medical aesthetics too. KOLs are often paid to recommend brands, techniques, and even specific needle types. Doesn’t mean they don’t believe in them—it just means their belief is sponsored.

2. No Oversight, No Benchmarking

There’s no governing body vetting who becomes a “KOL.” No clinical audit. No peer-reviewed analysis of complication rates. You become one by… being popular. Think that through. The term “Key Opinion Leader” was INVENTED by pharma marketers in the ’50s to sell drugs via influential doctors. It’s a business model, not a badge of clinical mastery.

3. They Don’t Even Use What They Teach Half the Time

I’ve sat in KOL workshops where they taught a “signature technique” with Brand X filler, only to hear them privately say they use Brand Y in clinic because it’s cheaper/more effective/more predictable. So what are you really buying? A filtered performance.

4. They’re Not Trained to Teach—They’re Trained to Sell

Education is a skill. Teaching is a skill. Guiding adult learners through clinical decision-making under pressure? That’s a craft. But most KOLs are injectors, not educators. Their slides look good. Their technique demo is smooth. But ask them a hard question? Watch the “ummm” stutter begin.

Truth Bomb: Stop Worshipping Clinical Influencers

Look—I’m not saying all KOLs are trash. Some are solid, some care deeply, and a handful even push the industry forward. But the blind worship? The uncritical obedience? That’s how cults start.

Here’s what you actually need to grow:

A bullshit radar: Ask WHY a technique is used. Ask for the data. Ask for outcomes, not anecdotes.
Clinical humility: Real learning happens by screwing up, not by reposting some Botox celeb's cheek technique.
Mentors, not marketers: You need feedback, not fanboys. You need someone who’ll say “that’s too much filler” not “amazing, babe!” under your post.
Data, not DMs: Follow the science. Look at complication rates. Evaluate long-term patient outcomes. Not just before-and-afters under ring lights.

Want To Know Who To Follow? Your Own Results.

Audit your cases. Track your tweaks. Log your complications. THAT’S how you grow. Not by mimicking some pharma-sponsored TikTok dance with a cannula in your hand.

Remember: the most dangerous injector in the room isn’t the underqualified one. It’s the one who thinks they’re untouchable because they’ve shared a panel with a filler brand exec.

Still want to be a KOL?

Or do you want to be an excellent injector*?

Choose wisely.

References

Moy B, et al. "Financial Conflicts of Interest in Dermatology Guidelines." JAMA Dermatology, 2020.
Lexchin J. "Those Who Have the Gold Make the Evidence: How the Pharmaceutical Industry Biases the Outcomes of Clinical Trials." Science and Engineering Ethics, 2012.
Fugh-Berman A, Ahari S. “Following the Script: How Drug Reps Make Friends and Influence Doctors.” PLoS Medicine, 2007.

Get Free Updates

Subscribe for free updates on blog posts, success stories, and growth insights!