Consultation first
Every patient is assessed in person before anything is booked. If a treatment is not right for you, we will say so — and you are never asked to decide on the day.
Skin health · Gold Coast & Melbourne
Skin Treatments
Skin needling, LED phototherapy and hydrafacial, planned around your skin rather than sold as a fixed package. A skin consultation comes first, because the right treatment depends on what is actually going on.
- Skin consultation first
- Planned as a course
- Afterpay available
At a glance
- Appointment time
- 15 – 60 minutes by treatment
- Usually a course of
- 3 – 6 sessions, 4 – 6 weeks apart
- Results build
- Cumulatively, over the course
- Downtime
- 24 – 48 hours for needling; none for LED
- Prescription required
- No
Skin is a course, not an appointment
Injectables change structure and movement. Skin treatments change the quality of the skin itself — texture, tone, firmness, the way it holds light — and that is a slower business, built across sessions rather than delivered in one. Anyone selling a single appointment as a fix for skin is selling the wrong thing.
Which treatment, and how many, depends on what is actually going on. Skin needling creates controlled micro-injuries with fine needles, which prompts the skin's own collagen and elastin response; it is the workhorse for texture, scarring and firmness. LED phototherapy uses specific wavelengths and has no downtime at all, so it fits around a working week. Hydrafacial cleanses, exfoliates, extracts and hydrates in one session and is the least disruptive of the three.
Your consultation starts with your skin history — what you have used, what has irritated it, what you are doing now — because the plan includes what happens at home between appointments. A course of in-clinic treatments undone by the wrong products at home is a waste of your money, and we would rather say that at the start.
Why have it with us
Qualified practitioners
Skin treatments are carried out by AHPRA-registered practitioners in a clinical setting, not by beauty therapists on a salon floor.
A course, priced honestly
Skin results are cumulative, so you are told upfront how many sessions are likely and what the whole course costs — not quoted for one and upsold at the second.
Written pricing
You get your full cost in writing at the consultation, including the new-patient scripting fee, with Afterpay available. No estimates that change at the counter.
What it is used for
Skin treatments address the surface and the structure underneath it. Which concerns are realistically treatable for you is assessed at your skin consultation.
Texture and tone
Rough, uneven or dull skin, and the loss of light-reflecting quality that makes skin look tired regardless of how much sleep you had.
Acne scarring
Indented and uneven scarring, treated with skin needling across a course. Assessed honestly, as some scar types respond better than others.
Fine lines
Lines from skin quality rather than muscle movement — the kind that are there when your face is still and do not respond to injectables.
Enlarged pores
Pore appearance and congestion, addressed through a combination of in-clinic treatment and what you use at home.
Pigmentation
Uneven pigmentation, approached cautiously — some treatments can make pigmentation worse in some skin types, which is part of the assessment.
Skin dullness
Skin that reads flat and tired overall, where the aim is clarity and the way light sits on it rather than any single concern.
Treatments offered
- Skin needling
- LED phototherapy
- Hydrafacial
- Skin consultation
- Customised skincare protocols
What's involved
The same sequence at both clinics, every course.
- Skin consultation: Your practitioner examines your skin and goes through your skin history, what you currently use, your sensitivity and any existing conditions. This appointment is free and there is no obligation to book treatment.
- A course, planned: You are told which treatments are recommended, how many sessions, how far apart, what the whole course costs, and what preparation is needed beforehand.
- Preparation: Some treatments need your skin prepared first, and some products need pausing before a session. Skipping this step is a common cause of a poor outcome.
- Your sessions: Skin needling runs 30 to 60 minutes with topical numbing. LED is 15 to 30 minutes with no discomfort. Hydrafacial takes 30 to 45 minutes. All in a private treatment room.
- Recovery between sessions: Needling leaves the skin red for 24 to 48 hours, then flaking as it turns over. LED and hydrafacial have no downtime. Written aftercare goes home with you every time.
- Reassessment: Skin is reassessed across the course, and the plan is adjusted to what your skin is actually doing rather than what the original schedule said.
Cosmetic procedures carry risks. These are explained to you in full at your consultation, along with the aftercare involved, before you decide whether to proceed.
All treatments require a consultation with a qualified practitioner. Individual results vary. This page is general information only, not medical advice.
Results, downtime and aftercare
Timings depend on the treatment. Yours are set out at your skin consultation.
Onset
Hydrafacial gives an immediate change in how skin looks and feels. Needling results build over weeks as collagen responds. LED is cumulative.
A typical course
Skin needling: 3 to 6 sessions, 4 to 6 weeks apart. LED: weekly at first, then monthly. Hydrafacial: monthly maintenance suits most skin.
Downtime
Needling: 24 to 48 hours of redness and sensitivity, then some flaking. LED and hydrafacial: none — both can be done on a work day.
Maintenance
Skin results are maintained rather than finished. Ongoing sessions and consistent home care are what hold a course's gains in place.
After skin needling
- Expect redness for 24 to 48 hours, then flaking as the skin turns over. Do not pick it.
- Use only the products your practitioner has cleared — no actives, acids or retinoids until you are told otherwise.
- Sunscreen daily, without exception. Sun exposure on treated skin risks pigmentation change.
- No swimming pools, saunas, hot yoga or strenuous exercise for 24 to 48 hours.
- Contact the clinic about spreading redness, pus, unusual pain or any sign of infection.
Where to have it
Skin Treatments is offered at both clinics, by AHPRA-registered practitioners. Each clinic has its own page for this treatment.
- Skin Treatments Gold Coast — 1/32B Lavarack Road, Mermaid Beach, QLD 4218. Practitioners: Charlie Ralph, Sherllesea.
- Skin Treatments Melbourne — 542 Mt Alexander Rd, Ascot Vale, VIC 3032. Practitioners: Cat.
New patients: a $35 doctor scripting fee applies. This covers the prescribing consultation required before any Schedule 4 treatment. It applies to new patients and anyone who has not visited in the past 12 months, and is included in the quote you receive.
Who will treat you
Charlie Ralph
Founder & Registered Nurse
AHPRA NMW0002241390. Founder and Clinical Director, based at the Gold Coast clinic.
Sherllesea
Registered Nurse
AHPRA NMW0002195471. Clinical background in emergency nursing, with formal training in cosmetic nursing procedures.
Dr Katie Duncan
Prescribing Doctor & Medical Director
AHPRA MED0002653304. Conducts telehealth consultations for patients at both clinics.
Cat
Registered Nurse
AHPRA NMW0002914224. Based at the Melbourne clinic, with clinical training in cosmetic procedures.
Skin treatment questions
How many sessions will I need?
For skin needling, 3 to 6 sessions spaced 4 to 6 weeks apart is commonly recommended, because the collagen response builds across a course rather than arriving after one appointment. LED is often weekly at first then monthly. You are given a realistic number at your skin consultation, along with the cost of the whole course.
Is there downtime?
It depends on the treatment. Skin needling leaves the skin red and sensitive for 24 to 48 hours, followed by some flaking as it turns over. LED phototherapy and hydrafacial have no downtime at all and can be done on a work day.
Does skin needling hurt?
Topical numbing is applied and given time to work first. Most patients describe it as a prickling or scratching sensation that is uncomfortable rather than painful, and it varies by area — the forehead and along the jaw are usually the most sensitive.
What can skin treatments actually help with?
Fine lines from skin quality, acne scarring, uneven texture, enlarged pores, pigmentation and general dullness. What they will not do is replace volume or relax a movement line — those are different problems with different treatments. Part of the consultation is being clear about which of your concerns is which.
Can I combine skin treatments with injectables?
Often, yes, as part of a broader plan — but the spacing matters. Treatments stacked too close together make it impossible to tell what is working, and some combinations need a gap for clinical reasons. Your practitioner will set out the timing.
Do I need to change my skincare?
Usually something changes. Some actives need pausing before a session, and a course of in-clinic treatments works considerably better alongside home care that supports it. We will tell you what to keep as much as what to add — the goal is not to sell you a shelf of products.
Is it suitable for my skin type?
Skin type is assessed before a course is planned, because some skin types carry a higher risk of pigmentation change after needling. Where that risk applies, there are gentler starting points. This is exactly what the skin consultation is for.
Do skin treatments need a prescription?
No. Skin needling, LED phototherapy and hydrafacial do not involve a Schedule 4 medication, so no prescribing consultation is needed and the new-patient scripting fee does not apply — unless you are also having an injectable treatment at the same visit.
Risks and side effects
All skin treatments carry some degree of risk. Skin needling commonly causes temporary redness, swelling, sensitivity and mild flaking; in rare cases it can cause infection, scarring or changes in pigmentation. LED phototherapy is generally low-risk. Hydrafacial may cause temporary redness in very reactive skin. All risks relevant to your skin and your plan are discussed in full at your consultation.
- Active acne, eczema, infection or open skin at the treatment site affects whether a treatment can go ahead.
- Some skin types carry a higher risk of pigmentation change after needling, which is why skin type is assessed before a course is planned.
- Recent isotretinoin use, some medications and certain conditions affect suitability — which is why your history is reviewed first.
- Results differ from person to person. A consultation assesses suitability — it does not promise that a treatment will suit you or that you will achieve a particular outcome.
Important health information
Required disclosure under AHPRA and TGA guidelines
Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks. Before proceeding, you should seek a second opinion from an appropriately qualified health practitioner.
- All treatments require a consultation with a qualified practitioner. Individual results vary. This page is general information only, not medical advice.
- All cosmetic procedures carry potential risks, including bruising, swelling, infection, scarring and allergic reactions. Some risks may be serious or lasting.
- Results differ from person to person. A consultation assesses suitability — it does not promise that a treatment will suit you or that you will achieve a particular outcome.
- Schedule 4 medications are prescribed only after a formal consultation with one of our qualified prescribing doctors, in line with AHPRA and TGA requirements.
Start with a consultation
Book a Consultation or call 0483 988 863 (Gold Coast) or 0483 982 999 (Melbourne).