[H2] Key Takeways:
- A consultation is not optional in Australia, it is a legal requirement. Before any facial balancing treatment can proceed, a proper patient assessment, informed consent, and a review of medical history are mandatory under Australian health guidelines. Any clinic skipping this step is a red flag.
- You are not committing to anything by attending. A consultation is a clinical assessment, not a sales appointment. You are not required to make a decision on the day, and a good clinician will not pressure you toward one.
- Come prepared. The consultation is a two-way process. Knowing what questions to ask and being upfront about your medical history gives your clinician what they need to assess your suitability accurately, and gives you the information you need to make a confident decision.
Walking into a consultation for facial balancing, or any cosmetic treatment, can feel uncertain. You might not be sure what to expect from the appointment, what questions to ask, or whether you’re even ready to make a decision. That uncertainty is normal, and a well-conducted consultation should address it, not rush past it.
This post covers why a consultation is legally required before treatment in Australia, what actually happens during one, what questions are worth asking, and what the steps look like once a consultation is complete. The goal is to give you enough clarity that you walk into the room prepared, not caught off-guard.
Why a facial balancing consultation is required
A consultation before treatment is not a formality, and by this point you should have done enough research to understand what a facial contouring treatment is. Most importantly, you should understand that in Australia, it is a legal requirement before treatment can proceed.
Under Australian health guidelines, which came into effect in 2025, a proper patient assessment is mandatory before any treatment proceeds. This includes a review of medical history, an assessment of psychological readiness, and the provision of clear information about what is proposed and why.
Informed consent is the foundational principle behind this consultation requirement. It means that a patient must understand what is being proposed, what it involves, what the alternatives are, what the realistic outcomes look like, and what the risks are, before agreeing to proceed. .
The consultation is primarily for your benefit, not the clinic’s. It is the point at which a clinician determines whether treatment is appropriate for you, and sometimes the answer is that it is not.
What happens during your consultation
The clinical part of the consultation involves an assessment of the face. A clinician is looking at overall proportion, the relationship between facial thirds, areas of volume deficit, asymmetry, the quality and behaviour of the skin, and the degree of structural change that has occurred.
Every consultation will include a review of medical history relevant to treatment. This covers current medications (some affect bleeding or interact with treatment), allergies, previous cosmetic treatments and their outcomes, known skin conditions, autoimmune conditions, and any systemic health factors that affect clinical suitability.
Upon completion of the assessment, your clinician explains their findings in plain language: what they have observed, what they are proposing to address, which approach they are recommending, if any, and why that approach is suited to your anatomy.
It’s important to note, a consultation is not a commitment to treatment. You are not required to decide on the day, and a good clinician will not pressure you toward a decision. The appropriate outcome of a consultation is that you have a clear clinical picture and enough information to decide at your own pace.
What to ask your medical professional during your consultation
Ask who will be conducting the treatment and what their credentials are. In Australia, non-surgical cosmetic procedures can legally be performed by a range of registered practitioners, but the training, experience, and scope vary significantly.
Why the approach being proposed is being recommended for your anatomy specifically. What has the clinician observed that informs this recommendation? What is the goal of the approach? Are there alternatives, and why is this approach preferred over them?
What realistic outcomes look like for your face, given your anatomy and the degree of change present. This is not a question about best-case scenarios, it is a question about what is genuinely achievable. The answer should be specific to your situation, not a generalised claim about what treatment can produce.
And finally, what will actually be used in your treatment, and why. Not because you need to evaluate brand names, most people are not in a position to do that, but because the answer gives you a sense of how the clinician approaches transparency.
Logistics and next steps
Leaving a consultation without booking a treatment appointment is entirely normal. The purpose of the consultation is to give you information, not to close a sale. A good clinician will actively encourage you to take time to think, ask follow-up questions if needed, and reach a decision at your own pace.
The consultation is a two-way process. Coming prepared to share your medical history honestly, including medications, previous treatments, and any health conditions, gives the clinician the information they need to assess your suitability accurately. Withholding clinically relevant information limits the clinician’s ability to look after you properly.
If you decide to proceed, there are practical steps you should take before treatment. Avoiding blood-thinning medications and supplements (such as aspirin, ibuprofen, fish oil, and vitamin E) for a period before treatment reduces the risk of bruising. Avoiding alcohol in the days prior is also generally recommended. Come to the appointment with a clean face, and avoid scheduling treatment immediately before a significant social event, as temporary swelling or bruising is possible in some people.
Professional standards at Luxe Lips
At Luxe Lips, a cosmetic clinic in Melbourne, our care is grounded in medical ethics and clinical responsibility. Every treatment pathway is approached as a medical process, with established health protocols and safety guiding each step.
Across our clinics in Moonee Ponds, Camberwell, and Brighton, our medical professionals carry out a thorough screening process for every person. This includes reviewing medical history, assessing anatomical suitability, and considering psychological readiness. In line with local guidelines, this evaluation helps determine whether a proposed plan aligns with your health.
Medical professionals proceed only when a treatment is clinically appropriate. If a procedure does not align with your anatomy or health profile, we will explain why and discuss what that means for you. The focus is always on clear information and maintaining a clinical environment where safety and ethical standards come first.
Because responses and circumstances vary, a consultation is required to determine suitability before any facial contouring treatment is considered.
Questions we’re often asked about facial balancing consultations
Yes. Under Australia’s guidelines for non-surgical cosmetic procedures, which were updated and strengthened in 2025, practitioners performing aesthetic treatments are required to conduct a thorough patient assessment before any treatment proceeds.
This includes reviewing medical history, assessing anatomical suitability, and obtaining informed consent. Informed consent is not valid unless the patient understands what is being proposed. A clinic that proceeds without a proper consultation is not meeting its regulatory obligations. A consultation is mandatory before any treatment at Luxe Lips.
That is entirely expected. A consultation is not a commitment to treatment, and no ethical practitioner should create pressure to decide on the same day. You are entitled to take time, ask follow-up questions, and reach a decision when you are ready.
Many people book a consultation well in advance of any intention to proceed, simply to understand their options. That is a well-considered approach and a sign of thoughtful decision-making, not indecision.
Speak with our team at Luxe Lips if you have questions following your consultation.
Come prepared to discuss current medications (including over-the-counter supplements), any known allergies, previous cosmetic treatments and how you responded, any autoimmune or inflammatory conditions, and any significant medical history.
If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, disclose this. Most cosmetic aesthetic treatments are not conducted during pregnancy or while breastfeeding. You do not need to bring documentation unless you have a complex medical history, but being able to speak clearly to these areas allows the clinician to assess your suitability accurately.
A thorough consultation including facial assessment, medical history review, and treatment discussion, typically takes between 30 and 60 minutes, depending on the complexity of what is being discussed. If your situation involves a significant degree of change, previous treatments, or a complex medical history, allow time for a more detailed conversation.
An appointment that is over in ten minutes has not conducted a proper assessment.
Start with a consultation at Luxe Lips to understand what is relevant to your situation.
A clinical assessment sometimes concludes that a proposed treatment is not appropriate because the anatomy is not suited to it, because a health condition creates a contraindication, or because the change the person is noticing does not warrant the treatment they are considering.
This is a normal outcome of a consultation, and it is in the patient’s interest. An ethical practitioner will explain clearly why treatment is not being recommended and what, if anything, can be addressed instead. Being turned away from a treatment is not a rejection, it is clinical integrity in practice.
