Questions to ask before getting cosmetic injectables

Quick answer — As of mid-2026, cosmetic injectables in Australia may only be administered by registered health practitioners — doctors, nurses, dentists and nurse practitioners — with a prescriber consultation required before every treatment. Before booking, verify your practitioner on the public AHPRA register, ask who prescribes and who injects, and expect a documented consultation, not an on-the-spot sale.

What to expect

Cosmetic injectables — anti-wrinkle injections and dermal fillers — are prescription-only medicines in Australia. That single fact drives everything about how a legitimate clinic operates: who can treat you, what must happen before treatment, and even how clinics are allowed to advertise.

The rules tightened substantially in 2025. AHPRA's guidelines for non-surgical cosmetic procedures took effect on 2 September 2025. Key requirements: a real-time consultation (in person or by video) with the prescriber every time a prescription is issued; no bulk prescribing; a mandatory seven-day cooling-off period for under-18s; and a ban on advertising aimed at under-18s. Separately, TGA advertising law means clinics cannot promote prescription-only injectables to the public — including via brand names, nicknames or price lists. A clinic following these rules isn't being difficult; it's being compliant.

1. Booking and screening — basic health questions and identification of what you want addressed.
2. Consultation with your injector, plus the prescriber consultation — if your injector is a nurse, a prescriber must consult with you in person or by video before each new prescription. Every time.
3. Informed consent — risks, downtime, alternatives (including doing nothing) and costs explained and documented before anything is injected.
4. Treatment — usually 15–45 minutes.
5. Aftercare and review — written aftercare instructions, plus a review appointment offer, particularly for fillers.
6. A clear complications pathway — you should know exactly who to call, day or night, if something feels wrong.

Average price in Australia

Clinics can't advertise injectable prices publicly, but you're entitled to a full written quote at consultation. These indicative ranges come from aggregated 2025 Australian cost guides — ballpark only.

Medicare and private health insurance don't cover cosmetic treatments. Be wary of comparing on price alone — the cheapest unit rate means little if more units are used, and nothing if complication care is poor.

What affects the price

• Dose and volume — units or millilitres are the main cost driver, and your dose is a clinical decision.
• Product selection — different products carry different costs; your practitioner can discuss specifics in consultation.
• Who's injecting — experienced cosmetic doctors and nurse practitioners typically charge more.
• Clinic overheads and location — CBD medical clinics price differently to suburban ones.
• What's bundled — review appointments, touch-ups and aftercare may be included or billed separately.
• Complication readiness — clinics with proper medical backup build that capability into pricing.

How to choose a clinic

• Verify your injector on the AHPRA register of practitioners — profession, registration type, and any conditions. Do the same for the prescriber.
• Confirm the clinical chain: who assesses you, who prescribes, who injects, who manages complications. In nurse-led clinics, ask how the prescriber consultation happens.
• Prefer clinics that treat the consultation as a genuine decision point — including being willing to decline treatment.
• Ask how complications are handled: on-site doctor or clear escalation, emergency protocols, and access to reversal treatment where relevant for fillers.
• Notice how they advertise. A clinic openly flouting TGA advertising rules is telling you something about its general attitude to compliance.

Questions to ask

1. Are you AHPRA-registered, and may I have your full name so I can look you up?
2. Who prescribes my treatment, and will I have an in-person or video consultation with them every time?
3. How much experience do you have with this specific treatment and area?
4. What are the risks for me specifically, and what's the plan if a complication occurs — including after hours?
5. If this is filler, is it reversible, and do you stock what's needed to reverse it?
6. What will it cost all-in, including any review or follow-up?
7. What are my alternatives — including doing nothing or starting smaller?
8. Is there any reason I shouldn't have this treatment right now?

Red flags

• No prescriber consultation, or treatment offered "on the spot" at parties, salons, homes or pop-ups without medical backup.
• The injector won't give their full name or gets cagey about AHPRA registration.
• Brand-name price menus, "injectable specials" or before-and-after promotions on social media — non-compliant advertising under current rules.
• Pressure tactics: countdown deals, prepaid packages for medicines not yet prescribed, upselling extra areas mid-appointment.
• Willingness to treat under-18s without the mandatory cooling-off period.
• No written aftercare, or no clear answer to "who do I call if something goes wrong tonight?"

FAQs

Who can do cosmetic injections in Australia?

Only registered health practitioners — doctors, nurses (with enrolled nurses under registered nurse supervision), nurse practitioners and dentists — operating within AHPRA's guidelines. Beauticians, dermal therapists and anyone unregistered cannot legally administer these prescription-only medicines.

How do I check if my injector is registered?

Search their full name on AHPRA's public register of practitioners at ahpra.gov.au. It shows their profession, registration status and any conditions — if you can't find them, or they won't give you their name, don't proceed.

How much do anti-wrinkle injections cost in Australia?

Aggregated 2025 guides put per-unit pricing around $10–$20, with typical treatments using 20–60 units depending on the area and your anatomy. Clinics can't advertise prices, but must give you a clear quote at consultation.

Why can't clinics advertise brand names or prices anymore?

Because injectables are prescription-only medicines, and TGA law prohibits advertising them to the public — including brand names, nicknames and price lists — with AHPRA's September 2025 guidelines reinforcing this. Clinics can still discuss specific products and costs privately in consultation.

Are cosmetic injectables safe?

In appropriately trained, registered hands they're considered low-risk, but they are medical procedures with real potential complications — bruising and swelling commonly, and rarer serious events with fillers. That's exactly why prescriber consultations, informed consent and a complications plan are mandatory.

The 2025 rules exist to make sure you get a proper medical consultation before anyone picks up a syringe — use it. Book the consultation, ask these questions, and walk away from any clinic that rushes you past them.