Cosmetic consultation: questions to ask any practitioner.

Why this list matters

Cosmetic procedures are medical procedures. They carry risks. They are subject to specific Medical Board guidelines that exist because the industry historically had not regulated itself well. A patient who arrives at a cosmetic consultation with the same questions they would ask any surgeon is far more likely to end up with a good outcome — and far less likely to end up in front of AHPRA writing a complaint.

I would rather you came to me having asked these questions, and I would rather you asked them of any other practitioner you ever see. If a practitioner is uncomfortable answering any of them, that is itself an answer.

About the practitioner

• What is your AHPRA registration, and in what specialty? Anyone administering cosmetic procedures should be a registered health practitioner. The registration record is public on the AHPRA website.
• Who is performing the procedure? Sometimes the practitioner you consult with is not the one who picks up the needle or operates the laser. You are entitled to know who, and what their training is.
• If a nurse will perform the procedure, who is supervising? Cosmetic injectables in Australia must be prescribed by a doctor and administered under appropriate supervision. The detail of that arrangement is fair to ask.
• How long have you been doing this specific procedure? Not all cosmetic procedures are equally familiar to every practitioner.

About the procedure

• What is the goal here, in plain language? The practitioner should be able to describe what change you are trying to achieve in terms that match your understanding of your own face.
• How long will the result last, on average? All cosmetic injectables are temporary. Lasers vary. Get an honest range, not a marketing number.
• What does the recovery look like, day by day? Bruising, swelling, redness, downtime — on which day are you presentable, on which are you fully recovered.
• How many sessions is this likely to take? Particularly relevant for laser work. Two or three sessions is normal for many treatments. If you are quoted one session for a result that usually requires several, ask why.

About cooling-off and consent

The Medical Board of Australia’s 2023 cosmetic procedures guidelines require a separate consultation before any cosmetic procedure, and a minimum seven-day cooling-off period before any non-surgical cosmetic treatment can be performed. There is no exception. If a practitioner offers to treat you on the same day as your consultation — for any reason, including a “cancellation” in their schedule — they are breaking the rule.

• Is the consultation today, with treatment another day? The expected answer is yes, with at least seven days between.
• Will I receive written information before I decide? Required.
• Will I be asked to sign written informed consent before any procedure? Required.

About risks and what could go wrong

A practitioner who tells you a procedure carries no risk is wrong, and the answer should make you pause.

• What are the common side effects, and how often do they happen here?
• What are the serious complications? For dermal fillers, the rare-but-real ones include vascular occlusion — an emergency. Ask whether the practitioner has the antidote (hyaluronidase) on hand and a plan for managing it.
• How will you contact me if something goes wrong, and how do I contact you out of hours?

About costs — the full picture

• What is the total fee, in writing? Before the procedure.
• Are top-ups or touch-ups included or extra?
• What does the cost of correction look like, if I am unhappy with the result?
• What does the cost of managing a complication look like? This is the question very few patients ask. The honest practitioner will discuss it.
• Is any of this Medicare-rebatable? For purely cosmetic indications, no. For some medical indications, sometimes.

About aftercare and follow-up

• What does post-procedure care look like? Sun protection, skin care, things to avoid.
• When will I see you for review, and is that included?
• What is the plan if I am unhappy with the result?

Red flags to walk away from

Some patterns are reliable warning signs in cosmetic medicine. If you encounter any of these, the right thing to do is leave and find a different practitioner:

• Pressure to commit on the day, or treatment offered in the same visit as the consultation.
• Time-limited offers, discounts for booking now, bundled packages. These are explicitly prohibited under the Medical Board’s cosmetic procedure guidelines.
• Refusal or evasion when asked about risks, complications, or cost of correction.
• Use of testimonials or before-and-after imagery in advertising. The advertising rules around these are strict, and breaching them is itself a sign that other corners are also being cut.
• Promises of specific results, or claims that a procedure is “risk-free” or “guaranteed”.
• Anyone offering to treat a patient under 18 for a purely cosmetic indication without the independent psychological assessment the guidelines require.

A note about this practice

The questions on this page are the ones I expect to be asked, and the answers are documented in detail on the cosmetic medicine and laser medicine pages, in the Fees & Billing Policy, and in the Clinical Photography Policy. The seven-day cooling-off period is non-negotiable here. No financial inducements are used. No testimonials are published. You will be told what could go wrong before you are asked to sign anything.

Asking those questions does not offend any reasonable practitioner. A practitioner who is offended by them is telling you something worth listening to.