In January 2024 following ongoing concerns about the way medical aesthetics is marketed to the public, potentially vulnerable people, the Therapeutic Good Administration (TGA) of Australia enforced stricter regulations about what can and cannot be advertised. 

The summary of their regulations essentially means that advertising prescription medications and procedures using medications is illegal outside of a consultation as is discussing prices, advertising packages and similar. 

Below are some commonly asked questions we get about the way we do things at Skin Essentials

Why do you charge a consultation fee for aesthetic consultations and why is it not redeemable towards treatment on the day?

Medical aesthetics involve medical procedures with rare but real risks and it is important that none of our patients feels rushed into treatment simply to redeem a fee paid; equally, we are transparent about a fee for our service and time so you can decide if you want to proceed.

Our patients mostly want help with longterm management of skin and aesthetics concerns having tried many DIY options and failed. Dr Imaan offers a personalised-to-you system that she devises with you at your consultation which is what your consultation fee covers even if you decide not to proceed any further. 

If you decide to proceed, medical aesthetics done well and especially full face restoration using her signature approach is an investment of several months and money and the consultation fee is a one-off treatment planning fee with Dr Imaan that will guide the next steps. It also ensures that you understand what investment is required of you if you decide to proceed with the suggested treatment plan and what you can expect to spend over the coming weeks and months. 

This is not a decision that should be made lightly so we ensure these safety nets are in place before continuing to avoid buyer’s remorse. 

Why can’t I book in for what I want if I know what that is?  

We understand that this is a very common way that aesthetic treatments are sold to the public, but this is not how we work at Skin Essentials. Additionally the ruling by the TGA as of January 2024 legally prevents us from doing this outside of a consultation. 

Why do I need a consultation when I know what I want? 

The TGA has made this step compulsory as of January 2024. It is a legal requirement. 

That aside, most people who book in believe they know what their problem is and what the solution is. While they are absolutely right at correctly picking the problem they have, they are usually incorrect about what the ideal solution is and grossly underestimate what is involved.

This being the case, it would be wrong, if not a disaster, to do what they wanted, only to have bad results.

It is for this reason Dr Imaan starts on the same page with every single patient.  Even if she ends up agreeing with you, as a medical practitioner she has a duty of care to understand why you want a particular treatment and whether it is right for you. It is also her responsibility to clarify that you understand the small risks involved and the associated downtime and common side effects. It’s also important that she screens you for unrealistic expectations as well as signs of body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) and that she says no if any of the above criteria are not green flags. 

Lastly, it is important to her, given that medical aesthetics is expensive, that you understand that it takes time, discipline, a healthy budget and investment from you for best results.

Dr Imaan believes that if you’re unlikely to be all in, then it is often better not to start until that changes. 

What happens after treatment or consultation if I have a further questions or a problem?

We do not offer ongoing email support support following consultations if you have further questions and advise you book in another appointment to address these prior to commencing treatment. If a skin concern was addressed, Dr Imaan will discuss it in clinic with you and follow it up with a written instructions - please refer to it as needed to refresh your memory around common questions such as eyebrow waxing and laser hair removal.

Following treatment, Dr Imaan will discuss aftercare with you in specific detail. You will also be emailed an aftercare form with advice of what to expect and when to contact us in the first 24 hours post treatment when emergencies may commonly occur.

Thereafter, if you have any concerns, please contact us and we will organise a review as needed.

We do not provide non urgent medical advice via email or text for medicolegal reasons.