A patient safety and risk discussion reviews facial structure, goals, medical history, suitability and risk with attention to proportion and restraint. The consultation does not assume a standard plan. Corey Anderson RN assesses whether treatment is appropriate, should wait, or should not proceed.
Why honest risk communication matters
Many patients arrive at consultation having read marketing style content that presents aesthetic treatment as having minimal risk. This page exists as a counterweight: a comprehensive honest description of the actual risks involved in aesthetic treatment, organised by frequency and severity, so patients can make informed consent decisions on the basis of complete information rather than incomplete reassurance.
The risks are real but contextual. Most patients have aesthetic treatment without significant complications. The point is not that complications are common; the point is that they are not impossible, and patients deserve to know what could happen so they can weigh the cosmetic benefit against the genuine risks involved.
The patient safety case for honest risk communication also has a legal and regulatory dimension. Informed consent is not legally valid if the patient was not given complete information about material risks. Practitioners who downplay or omit risks from the consent conversation are operating in a problematic regulatory and ethical space. This page reflects how Core Aesthetics structures the risk communication portion of every aesthetic treatment consultation.
Common minor side effects (most patients experience some)
The following are recognised post treatment effects that most patients experience to some degree. They are not complications; they are part of the normal recovery profile of aesthetic treatment.
Mild swelling at injection sites for 1-3 days after treatment, typically peaking around 24-48 hours and resolving gradually. The amount of swelling varies between patients and between treatment areas; lip treatment typically produces more visible swelling than other areas, sometimes asymmetric in the early days, settling by week 2.
Mild tenderness at injection sites that improves day by day. Some patients describe a “bruised” sensation when pressing the area for a few days.
Small bruises at injection sites, appearing within 24 hours and typically resolving over 5-10 days. Patients have varying bruising tendencies; some patients always get small bruises with aesthetic treatment regardless of technique. Anticoagulants, blood thinning supplements, and recent alcohol increase the chance of bruising.
Mild redness at injection sites for several hours immediately post treatment, settling within 12-24 hours.
Brief discomfort during the treatment itself. Modern technique (fine needles, cannula where appropriate, topical anaesthetic for sensitive areas) substantially reduces but does not eliminate procedural discomfort.
The treated area feeling slightly different from baseline during the 1-2 week settling period. Volume treatment may feel slightly firmer; wrinkle treated areas may feel slightly less mobile.
None of these warrant clinical concern. They are normal recovery experiences. The clinic provides aftercare instructions to support the recovery curve.
Recognised uncommon complications (a meaningful subset of patients experience these)
The following complications occur in a meaningful subset of patients and warrant clinical assessment if they occur.
Larger bruising beyond the typical small injection site bruise. Some patients develop substantial bruising that takes 10-14 days to resolve. Causes include accidental contact with a small vessel during injection, individual bruising tendency, anticoagulant use, and other factors. The bruising itself is not dangerous but can be cosmetically problematic for several days.
Asymmetric result where one side responds more than the other or where the placement requires adjustment. The 2-week review appointment exists in part to assess for this and any minor adjustment is made at that review. Asymmetry that does not respond to adjustment may require dissolution and replanning.
Lumps or bumps in volume treatment treated areas during the integration period. Most resolve as the product settles over 2-4 weeks; some require massage technique guidance from the clinic; some require dissolution if they persist or are clinically problematic.
Drooping or weakness in unintended muscle after wrinkle treatment. Most commonly affects the eyebrow position (heavy brow or asymmetric brow lift) or eyelid (mild ptosis). The effect is temporary, lasting until the wrinkle treatment wears off (typically 2-3 months), and is recognised in the consultation discussion of risks.
Headache for 24-48 hours after wrinkle treatment to upper face areas. Typically mild and resolves on its own; severe or persistent headache warrants assessment.
Allergic reactions ranging from mild localised to systemic. The allergic reactions page covers this in detail.
Localised infection at injection sites. Uncommon when proper technique is used but recognised. Presents with warmth, increasing tenderness, possibly fever, and worsening rather than resolving symptoms over days.
Rare serious adverse events (uncommon but consequential)
The following are uncommon but consequential complications that all patients should be aware of as part of informed consent.
Vascular occlusion: volume treatment entering or compressing a blood vessel, interrupting blood flow to the tissue that vessel supplies. The most clinically serious complication of facial volume treatment. Detailed coverage on the vascular occlusion explainer page.
Vision threatening complications: rare but recognised consequence of vascular occlusion involving the central facial arteries with retrograde travel towards the ophthalmic circulation. Any vision change after aesthetic treatment to the face warrants immediate emergency department attention.
Significant tissue ischaemia and skin necrosis: delayed or unrecognised vascular occlusion can cause tissue damage that does not fully recover. Outcome is strongly correlated with time between symptom onset and clinical management.
Anaphylaxis: rare but recognised severe systemic allergic reaction. Warrants immediate emergency department attendance.
Granulomatous reactions: late onset immunological response to treatment product, presenting weeks to months after treatment. Uncommon but recognised. Management may involve oral steroid, intralesional steroid, or volume treatment dissolution.
Biofilm formation: chronic low grade infection associated with treatment product, potentially presenting as recurrent inflammation or nodules over months. Uncommon but recognised. Management can be complex.
Permanent change to facial appearance: in rare cases of significant adverse events (severe vascular occlusion, severe granulomatous reaction, severe infection), the resulting tissue change may not fully resolve and can leave permanent scarring, pigmentation change, or contour deformity.
Risks specific to Wrinkle treatment
Wrinkle treatments work through a different clinical mechanism than volume treatments and have a different risk profile.
Recognised risks specific to wrinkle treatment include: temporary unintended muscle effects (drooping eyebrow, eyelid ptosis, asymmetric facial expression), headache for 24-48 hours, neck weakness if the platysma is over treated, asymmetric smile if treatment near the mouth is over extended, and rarely flu like symptoms for 1-2 days post treatment.
All wrinkle treatment effects are temporary because the product wears off over weeks to months. Unintended effects resolve as the treatment wears off, typically by 12 weeks. The temporary nature of wrinkle treatment is one of its safety features compared to permanent interventions.
Wrinkle treatment does not carry the vascular occlusion risk that volume treatment does, because no volume is being placed into tissue planes near vessels. wrinkle treatment also does not carry the granulomatous reaction risk that some treatment products do.
Risks specific to Facial volume treatment
Volume treatments are structural interventions and have specific risks reflecting that mechanism.
Recognised risks specific to volume treatment include: vascular occlusion (most serious), unintended placement requiring adjustment or dissolution, lumps or bumps requiring management, persistent swelling beyond the typical recovery window, late onset nodules or inflammation, granulomatous reaction, biofilm formation, migration of volume treatment from the original placement site over time, and permanent change in tissue characteristics in chronically over filled areas.
Volume treatment can be dissolved if it is hyaluronic acid based (which is the product type used at Core Aesthetics for primary cosmetic indications). Dissolution itself is a separate procedure with its own consent requirements and recovery profile. The dissolvability of hyaluronic acid volume treatment is one of its safety features compared to permanent or semi permanent volume treatments.
How risk communication operates at Core Aesthetics
Risk communication is part of the informed consent conversation at every aesthetic treatment consultation at Core Aesthetics. The conversation is conducted by Corey Anderson, AHPRA registered nurse (NMW0001047575), and covers the specific risks for the specific treatment being considered, the patient’s individual risk factors, what to do if symptoms warrant attention, and what the clinic’s management protocols are for any complications that occur.
The consent conversation is documented in the clinical record. Patients receive written aftercare instructions that include the warning signs to be aware of and the contact information for the clinic. The September 2025 AHPRA cosmetic procedures guidelines require that informed consent for cosmetic procedures includes meaningful discussion of material risks; the clinic structures every consent conversation with this requirement in mind.
Patients who decide not to proceed with treatment after the risk discussion are supported in that decision. Some patients reflect on the risks and decide the cosmetic benefit does not justify them; this is a legitimate decision and the clinic does not pursue patients to reverse it. Patients who proceed do so with informed consent that genuinely engages with the actual risks involved.
Clinical accountability and how this safety guidance is reviewed
The safety content on this page is written and reviewed by Corey Anderson, an AHPRA registered nurse (NMW0001047575) who has been on the AHPRA Register of Nursing and Midwifery since January 1996. The content reflects how Core Aesthetics communicates safety information in clinical practice and is intended to inform the consultation conversation rather than to replace it. Results vary between individuals, and the descriptions of typical risks, signs, and responses refer to the centre of clinical experience rather than to what every patient will encounter.
Specific to risk communication content: this page is comprehensive but not exhaustive. Specific risks for specific treatments are discussed at consultation in the context of the patient’s individual situation. Patients should not rely on this page as a substitute for the clinical consent conversation; it is intended to inform the patient before consultation so the conversation can be more substantive.
Patients reading this page can verify Corey Anderson’s AHPRA registration on the AHPRA public register at ahpra.gov.au using registration number NMW0001047575. The Core Aesthetics clinic operates from 12A Atherton Road, Oakleigh VIC 3166, Tuesday to Saturday, by consultation appointment. All new patient treatment at Core Aesthetics follows a structured clinical consultation, consistent with the September 2025 AHPRA cosmetic procedures guidelines. The patient safety aesthetic treatments page covers the broader safety framework, and the team page covers the practitioner background.
Is this for you?
Consider booking a consultation if
- You want to understand patient safety and risk discussion before deciding whether treatment is appropriate
- You are 18 or older and want an individual clinical assessment
- You value a consultation-first approach with risk and suitability discussed before planning
- You are open to waiting or not proceeding if that is the safer recommendation
This may not be for you if
- You are seeking a not guaranteed outcome or a same-day decision without assessment
- You are under 18 years of age
- You are pregnant, trying to conceive or breastfeeding and are seeking elective aesthetic treatment
- You have an active infection, unhealed skin or an unresolved medical concern in the area to be assessed
Suitability is confirmed at consultation. This list is general guidance, not a substitute for clinical assessment.
Frequently asked questions
How does The Real Risks of Cosmetic Aesthetic Treatment explain how to verify practitioner AHPRA registration?
AHPRA registration can be verified through the AHPRA public register at ahpra.gov.au. Searching the practitioner’s name confirms their registration status, registration type and any conditions. Corey Anderson RN (AHPRA NMW0001047575) is a Registered Nurse with registration in place since January 1996. Specific considerations for The real risks of aesthetic treatment patients are discussed at the individual consultation.
What does The Real Risks of Cosmetic Aesthetic Treatment say about AHPRA registration and patient safety in cosmetic care?
AHPRA registration means the practitioner is accountable to a professional regulatory body, is subject to mandatory continuing professional development, must comply with practice standards and can have registration suspended or cancelled for misconduct. It provides a framework of accountability that is not available with unregistered practitioners. Specific considerations for The real risks of aesthetic treatment patients are discussed at the individual consultation.
What does The Real Risks of Cosmetic Aesthetic Treatment say about red flags in cosmetic injectable practice?
Red flags include pressure to decide at the appointment, no consultation-treatment gap, no individual assessment, promotional pricing that expires, before and after imagery used to demonstrate outcomes and product or brand names discussed in a marketing rather than clinical context. Core Aesthetics avoids all of these practices. Specific considerations for The real risks of aesthetic treatment patients are discussed at the individual consultation.
When does The Real Risks of Cosmetic Aesthetic Treatment explain that Core Aesthetics recommends not proceeding with treatment?
Core Aesthetics recommends not proceeding when anatomy does not support a natural result, when expectations cannot be met, when medical factors affect safety, or when the assessment does not support the intervention. This is an honest outcome of the individual assessment model and is explained to patients without pressure. Specific considerations for The real risks of aesthetic treatment patients are discussed at the individual consultation.
What does The Real Risks of Cosmetic Aesthetic Treatment cover about the September 2025 AHPRA guidelines for cosmetic procedures?
The September 2025 AHPRA guidelines require registered health practitioners to maintain a minimum 72-hour gap between consultation and any non-surgical cosmetic procedure, to conduct thorough individual assessments, to avoid inducements and to provide honest information about risks and outcomes. Core Aesthetics operates under these guidelines. Specific considerations for The real risks of aesthetic treatment patients are discussed at the individual consultation.
How does The Real Risks of Cosmetic Aesthetic Treatment describe the value of a consultation-first model for patient trust?
The consultation-first model means that assessment is separated from treatment. Patients receive an honest clinical opinion before any decision is made. This structure reduces the risk of patients agreeing to treatment under immediate pressure and ensures the recommendation is based on assessment rather than appointment economics. Specific considerations for The real risks of aesthetic treatment patients are discussed at the individual consultation.
What does The Real Risks of Cosmetic Aesthetic Treatment explain about why Core Aesthetics does not use before and after imagery?
AHPRA guidelines and the TGA Therapeutic Goods Advertising Code restrict the use of before and after imagery in a way that could create unrealistic expectations or imply a predictable outcome. Core Aesthetics does not use patient images in advertising or on its website to comply with these requirements and to avoid misrepresentation. Specific considerations for The real risks of aesthetic treatment patients are discussed at the individual consultation.
How does The Real Risks of Cosmetic Aesthetic Treatment describe the single-practitioner care model at Core Aesthetics?
The single-practitioner model means that Corey Anderson RN conducts every consultation and every treatment. Continuity of care is maintained, assessment is consistent and no patient is transferred between practitioners. This model supports a higher standard of individual clinical accountability than high-volume multi-practitioner settings. Specific considerations for The real risks of aesthetic treatment patients are discussed at the individual consultation.