Australian Skin Clinic Standards
An informative guide to how skin clinics in Australia are regulated, and the standards worth looking for when you compare one clinic with another. Written by an Adelaide based registered nurse clinic.
General information only. This page is educational and does not constitute medical advice.
Australian skin clinics vary in their services, their staffing, and the way they operate. The differences that matter most are usually differences in standards: who provides care, how suitability is assessed, and how risks are explained.
How Australian skin clinics are regulated
Skin clinics in Australia are not a single regulated category, but the people who work in them and the products they use are subject to regulation. Health practitioners such as registered nurses and doctors are registered with, and accountable to, the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) and their National Board. You can check any practitioner's registration on the public AHPRA register.
Prescription only medicines, including those used in some cosmetic procedures, are regulated by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), and an authorised prescriber must be involved before such a medicine is used. Higher risk non-surgical cosmetic procedures are also subject to current AHPRA advertising and practice guidelines, which set expectations around consultation, consent, suitability, and how services may be advertised.
State and territory health and infection control requirements apply as well. Taken together, these are the standards an Australian skin clinic is expected to meet, regardless of where it is or what it is called.
What to look for when comparing skin clinics
When you compare Australian skin clinics, it helps to look at the same areas for each one. The following are reasonable standards to expect, with simple ways to check them. They are general guidance, not a substitute for your own enquiries.
Practitioner registration
Care is provided or overseen by a health practitioner registered with AHPRA.
Ask for the practitioner's name and look them up on the public AHPRA register.
Consultation and assessment
Treatment begins with a consultation and an individual assessment, rather than a fixed package.
Confirm a consultation happens before any procedure and that suitability is assessed.
Risk and informed consent
Benefits, limitations, side effects and risks are explained before you consent.
Ask what the risks are and how informed consent is obtained.
Hygiene and equipment
A clean clinical setting, with single use consumables where appropriate.
Ask about infection control and the use of single use items.
Advertising and claims
Advertising avoids guarantees, testimonials and unrealistic claims, in line with AHPRA guidelines.
Be cautious of any clinic promising specific or guaranteed results.
Aftercare and follow up
Written and verbal aftercare is provided, and follow up is available.
Ask what aftercare and follow up are included with a treatment.
How Aesthetic Nurse Suzie meets these standards
Aesthetic Nurse Suzie is a skin clinic in Adelaide that operates to the standards described above. Treatments are provided by Suzie Bannon, a Registered Nurse (Division 1) and Midwife, registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia through AHPRA. AHPRA registration number: NMW0000965450.
Every treatment begins with a consultation and individual assessment, risks and limitations are explained before consent, and care is provided in a private clinical setting in line with South Australian regulations and current AHPRA guidelines for higher risk non-surgical cosmetic procedures.
You can read more about the clinic on the skin clinic page, or about specific treatments such as micro needling in Adelaide and microdermabrasion in Adelaide.
General information only. Individual responses and recovery vary, and a consultation is required to determine whether a treatment is appropriate for you.
Australian skin clinics: common questions
Are skin clinics regulated in Australia?
The clinics themselves are not a single regulated category, but the registered health practitioners who work in them and the prescription medicines they may use are regulated through AHPRA and the TGA, along with state health and infection control requirements.
What should a good Australian skin clinic offer?
A consultation and individual assessment before treatment, clear information about risks and limitations, a registered practitioner, a clean clinical setting, advertising that avoids guarantees and testimonials, and aftercare with follow up.
How can I check a practitioner's registration?
You can search the public register at ahpra.gov.au using the practitioner's name to confirm their registration and any conditions on it.
Why do some clinics make stronger claims than others?
AHPRA guidelines discourage guarantees, testimonials and unrealistic claims. Strong or absolute claims can be a sign that a clinic's advertising does not align with those guidelines.
Is this clinic located across Australia?
No. Aesthetic Nurse Suzie is based in Adelaide, South Australia. This page is general information about Australian skin clinic standards rather than a national service.
Book a consultation in Adelaide
If you would like to discuss a skin treatment, the first step is a consultation to assess your suitability and explain your options.
General information only. This page does not constitute medical advice and is not a comparison or ranking of specific Australian skin clinics. Individual assessment is required to determine suitability, risks, recovery and costs. Results vary between individuals and are not guaranteed. Care at this clinic is provided in line with SA regulations and current AHPRA guidelines for higher risk non-surgical cosmetic procedures. Content intended for adults aged 18 and over.
Practitioner: Suzie Bannon, Registered Nurse (Division 1) and Midwife. AHPRA registration: NMW0000965450.