BEFORE TREATMENT, THERE IS A CONVERSATION.
THE HAUS NOTES · THE ART OF CONSULTATION · 4 MIN READ
Why taking the time to listen, understand and assess is one of the most important parts of considered care.
In aesthetic medicine, much of the conversation naturally centres around treatment. What to have, where to treat, how something works and what it might achieve. But some of the most important work happens before any treatment begins. It happens in the consultation. After more than a decade working within aesthetics, and now training other nurses and doctors in aesthetic medicine, one of the areas I continue to place enormous importance on is the art of consultation. Because a good consultation isn't simply the conversation that happens before treatment. It is part of the treatment.
LISTENING COMES FIRST
Before assessing facial anatomy, skin quality or movement, I want to understand the person sitting in front of me. What brought you in? What have you noticed? Has something changed over time? What would you like to achieve, and perhaps just as importantly, what would you like to preserve? Sometimes a patient arrives knowing exactly what they would like. Other times, they know something has changed but aren't quite sure what it is or where to begin. This is why taking time matters. There should be space to talk, ask questions and explore what you are hoping to achieve without the consultation feeling hurried or transactional. Often, it is through this conversation that we begin to understand not only the concern itself, but what is actually important to you.
UNDERSTANDING THE PERSON, NOT JUST THE CONCERN
Aesthetic medicine, skin quality and regenerative health don't exist in isolation from your broader health and wellbeing. That's why a thorough medical history is an important part of every consultation. Your health, medications, allergies, previous procedures and treatments, lifestyle factors and other relevant medical considerations can all influence whether a treatment is suitable, how it should be approached and how we plan your care over time. This information isn't collected as a formality. It provides important clinical context, helping us understand the bigger picture and make decisions that are considered, appropriate and individual to you.
Because good aesthetic care begins with understanding more
than what we can see.
From there, the assessment becomes more detailed. Depending on what has brought you in, this may involve looking at facial anatomy and proportions, underlying structure, skin quality and how the face moves both at rest and during expression. Rather than viewing a line, wrinkle or individual feature in isolation, I consider how these elements relate to one another and to the face as a whole. It is this combination of listening, medical assessment and clinical observation that begins to shape a treatment plan that makes sense for you.
YOUR GOALS SHOULD GUIDE THE PLAN
There is an important distinction between asking “What treatment can we do?” and asking “What are we actually trying to achieve?” I prefer to begin with the second. A treatment plan should be something we develop together, combining what matters to you with clinical assessment, experience and an understanding of what can realistically be achieved. That means considering your preferences, desired outcomes, previous experiences with treatment and how you would like to approach your care over time.
For one person, the priority may be maintaining natural movement and expression. For another, it may be improving skin quality, restoring balance or supporting the changes they are beginning to notice with ageing. There is no universal treatment plan because there is no universal face, skin or treatment journey. The goal is not simply to treat. It is to understand what we are trying to achieve, and choose the most considered way to get there.
THE ART OF CONSULTATION
As part of my work training nurses and doctors in aesthetic medicine, consultation is something I continually return to. Technical skill matters enormously. So does anatomy, product knowledge and understanding how to perform treatments safely. But knowing when to treat, why you are treating and how each decision contributes to the broader plan matters just as much.
The consultation is where clinical knowledge meets communication. It is where we explore expectations, discuss the benefits and limitations of different approaches, consider risks and alternatives and make sure you understand the options available to you. It is also where trust begins.
When a practitioner takes the time to listen and a patient feels comfortable enough to speak openly about what they want, what they don't want and what matters to them, we are in a much better position to create a plan that feels thoughtful, appropriate and genuinely individual.
A PLAN THAT EVOLVES WITH YOU
Good aesthetic care doesn't need to be approached as a series of isolated appointments. Faces change. Skin changes. Health, hormones, lifestyle and priorities change too. What feels important to you today may be different in several years, which is why I believe treatment planning should have the flexibility to evolve with you. Sometimes that means addressing something now. Sometimes it means prioritising skin health first, spacing treatments differently or taking a more gradual approach. And in some cases, the most appropriate recommendation is not to treat.
Clinical judgement isn't only about knowing what we can do. It is also about understanding what is appropriate for the person in front of us and how each decision fits into the longer-term picture. The aim is not to continually add more treatment. It is to create a considered approach that can be reassessed and refined as you, your skin and your priorities change.
CARE SHOULD NEVER FEEL RUSHED
Aesthetic medicine is personal. For many people, choosing to have a treatment comes after months, sometimes years of thinking about something. That decision deserves time, conversation and careful consideration. At Lau-vei Haus, appointments are intentionally designed to create that space.
Time to listen.
Time to assess.
Time to understand your medical history and previous treatments.
Time to talk about what you would like to achieve.
Time to explain your options, expected outcomes, limitations and considerations.
Most importantly, time for you to ask questions.
Because I believe good aesthetic care doesn’t begin with a treatment. It begins with understanding the person in front of us. Sometimes, the most valuable thing you can leave a consultation with is clarity. The opportunity to understand your options, what may or may not be right for you, and a thoughtful plan that considers where you are now and where you would like to go.
Lauren Chandler
Registered Nurse · Advanced Dermal Clinician · Aesthetic Clinical Trainer
Founder, Lau-vei Haus
Ascot, Brisbane
Personalised aesthetic medicine, skin health and regenerative care.