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.
Injectable treatments · Gold Coast & Melbourne
Volume Restoration
Hyaluronic acid volume restoration used to restore volume the face has lost and to refine contours through the cheeks, chin and jawline. Assessed face-to-face first, because where volume has gone is not always where you notice it.
- Full-face assessment
- TGA-approved products
- Afterpay available
At a glance
- Appointment time
- 15 – 45 minutes
- Results appear
- Immediately, settling over 2 weeks
- Results typically last
- 12 – 18 months by area
- Downtime
- Swelling and possible bruising, 5 – 10 days
- Reversible
- Yes — hyaluronic acid can be dissolved
Volume, not filling
Faces do not age by wrinkling alone. Fat pads shrink and shift, bone remodels, and the support that used to hold the midface up gives way — which is why a line at the mouth is often a cheek problem, and a soft jawline is often a chin problem. Volume restoration is a way of putting structure back where it went, which is a different exercise from filling in the thing you can see.
That is why the consultation is a full-face assessment rather than a look at the area you booked about. Treating the fold you pointed at, in isolation, is how faces end up heavy in the lower third. We would rather tell you the treatment you asked for is not the one that would help.
The products used are hyaluronic acid based — a substance that occurs naturally in the body — and all are TGA-approved. Consistency and placement are chosen for the area: a firmer product for structural support along a jawline, a softer one for fine work near the mouth. Hyaluronic acid can also be dissolved, which is a meaningful safety net and one of the reasons we work with it.
Why have it with us
AHPRA-registered nurses
Treatments are carried out by registered nurses, not beauty therapists, with registration numbers published on our team page so you can verify them yourself.
Doctor-led prescribing
Schedule 4 medications are prescribed only after a formal consultation with one of our qualified prescribing doctors, in line with AHPRA and TGA requirements.
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
Volume restoration addresses the loss of structure and the contours that change with it. Which areas would actually help you is the assessment, not the booking.
Cheeks and midface
Restoring the volume that supports the midface. Often the answer to a tired-looking lower face rather than treating the lower face directly.
Chin and jawline
Definition through the jaw and projection at the chin, which changes how balanced a profile reads from the side.
Smile lines
The folds running from the nose to the corners of the mouth, treated with support above them as often as within them.
Marionette lines
The lines from the corners of the mouth downward, which deepen as support at the chin and jaw is lost.
Temples
Hollowing at the temples, which affects how the whole upper face reads and is commonly missed.
Under-eye hollows
Assessed carefully and treated conservatively. Not every under-eye hollow is a volume problem, and some are better left alone.
Areas commonly assessed
- Cheeks
- Midface
- Temples
- Chin
- Jawline
- Smile lines
- Marionette lines
- Under-eyes
- Lips
What's involved
The same sequence at both clinics, every appointment.
- Full-face assessment: Your nurse assesses bone structure, skin quality and where volume has actually been lost, then explains which areas would make a difference and which would not. Your medical history is reviewed here. The appointment is free and there is no obligation to book.
- A plan, in order: If more than one area would help, you are told what to treat first and why. Staging treatment across appointments is often the better answer, and it is cheaper than doing everything at once.
- Your quote, in writing: Volume recommended, total cost, and the risks involved — including vascular occlusion — before you decide anything.
- The treatment: The skin is cleansed and numbing cream or ice is applied. Most products also contain local anaesthetic. Placement is with a fine needle or a cannula depending on the area. Fifteen to forty-five minutes, depending on how much is being treated.
- Aftercare and downtime: Expect swelling and tenderness, and possible bruising for 5 to 10 days. Most people work the next day. You leave with written aftercare and a number to call if something concerns you.
- Two-week review: The product integrates and softens over a fortnight, so the result is assessed once it has settled rather than while it is still swollen.
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 below are typical and vary between individuals. Yours are discussed at your consultation.
Onset
There is an immediate change, but it is not the result. Swelling peaks in the first 24 to 48 hours and the settled outcome is visible at around 2 weeks.
How long it lasts
Structural areas such as cheeks and jawline generally hold 12 to 18 months. Mobile areas move faster. Metabolism and lifestyle both change the number.
Downtime
Swelling and tenderness for 24 to 48 hours; bruising, where it happens, resolves over 5 to 10 days. Plan around events, not around work.
Reversibility
Hyaluronic acid products can be dissolved with an enzyme called hyaluronidase — to correct asymmetry, manage a complication, or reverse a result you are not happy with.
For the first 24 to 48 hours
- Do not touch, press or massage the treated area unless your nurse has told you to.
- No strenuous exercise, saunas, hot yoga or sunbeds.
- Skip alcohol, which makes both swelling and bruising worse.
- Sleep on your back where you can, and use a cold compress rather than heat.
- Call the clinic immediately about severe or increasing pain, blanching or mottling of the skin, or vision changes — these are treated as urgent.
Where to have it
Volume Restoration is offered at both clinics, by AHPRA-registered practitioners. Each clinic has its own page for this treatment.
- Volume Restoration Gold Coast — 1/32B Lavarack Road, Mermaid Beach, QLD 4218. Practitioners: Charlie Ralph, Sherllesea.
- Volume Restoration 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.
Volume restoration questions
How long does volume restoration last?
It depends on the product and the area. Structural areas such as cheeks and jawline generally hold 12 to 18 months, while more mobile areas break down faster. Collagen-stimulating injectables work differently again, building gradually over months. Your nurse will give you a realistic range for the areas being treated.
Does it hurt?
Most patients describe it as mildly uncomfortable rather than painful. Numbing cream or ice is applied first, and most modern products contain local anaesthetic, so the area numbs further as treatment progresses.
What areas can be treated?
Commonly the cheeks, midface, temples, chin, jawline, smile lines, marionette lines, lips and — assessed carefully — under-eye hollows. Which of them would help you is decided at your consultation after a full-face assessment, not chosen from a list beforehand.
Can volume restoration be dissolved?
Yes, where the product is hyaluronic acid based. An enzyme called hyaluronidase breaks it down, typically taking effect within 24 to 48 hours. It is used to manage complications, correct asymmetry, or reverse a result you are not happy with. Dissolving is assessed as its own treatment and needs its own consultation.
Will it look obvious?
That depends far more on how much is placed and where than on the product. Our approach is conservative and staged — treat the area that gives the most structural benefit first, review at two weeks, then decide whether anything else is warranted. If what you are asking for needs more volume than we think suits your anatomy, we will tell you.
What is vascular occlusion?
It is a rare complication where the product obstructs a blood vessel, restricting blood supply to the skin. It is the main reason this treatment should be administered by a qualified injector who can recognise it and act immediately. Our practitioners are trained in the management protocol, and hyaluronic acid can be dissolved. Severe pain, blanching or mottled skin, or vision changes after treatment should be reported to the clinic straight away.
How is volume restoration different from wrinkle-softening treatments?
They do unrelated jobs. Wrinkle-softening treatments relax a muscle so a movement line softens. Volume restoration replaces what has been lost and provides structural support. Lines from movement need the first; hollowing, flattening and loss of contour need the second. Many treatment plans use both, for different parts of the same face.
How soon before an event should I have it?
Allow at least two weeks, and longer if bruising would be a problem. Swelling peaks in the first day or two and the settled result appears at around a fortnight, so treatment in the week of a wedding is not a good plan.
Risks and side effects
Volume restoration treatments carry risks. Common side effects include temporary swelling, bruising, redness, tenderness and mild asymmetry. Less common but more serious risks include infection, product migration, nodule formation, and vascular occlusion — where the product obstructs a blood vessel. Vascular occlusion is rare and is a medical emergency; our practitioners are trained in recognising and managing it, and hyaluronic acid can be dissolved. All risks are discussed in full at your consultation.
- Not recommended during pregnancy or breastfeeding.
- Active skin infection at the site, some autoimmune conditions and certain medications affect suitability — which is why your medical history is reviewed first.
- Severe or increasing pain, skin that blanches or goes mottled, or any change in vision after treatment needs to be reported to the clinic immediately.
- 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).