01Article · Choosing a clinic
Comparing clinics —
by the right yardstick.
Patients researching liposuction in Melbourne often arrive at their first consultation with a list of clinics gathered from social-media advertising, search results, and friend referrals. The honest framework for comparing them is not the headline price, the celebrity testimonials, or the dramatic before-and-after pairings. This article walks through what to actually look at — without naming or comparing any specific clinic, in line with the AHPRA advertising guidelines.
02In short
Six things matter: the practitioner's qualifications, the facility's accreditation, how photographs are presented, how second opinions are welcomed, how the consultation process is structured, and how itemised the written quote is. The headline price, the celebrity endorsements, and the dramatic before-and-after pairings are a much weaker basis for a decision than any of these six.
03The six things to look at
A patient-protection —
framework.
These are the six items worth confirming in writing, ideally before the first consultation but at the latest before a deposit changes hands.
- 01The operating practitioner's name, AHPRA registration number, and registered scope of practice — searchable on the public AHPRA register.
- 02The formal cosmetic surgical qualifications the practitioner holds — fellowships, college memberships, training pathways, and how long they have been performing this particular procedure.
- 03The accreditation status of the operating facility — independently accredited hospital, day-procedure centre, or in-rooms theatre — and which accrediting body has assessed it.
- 04How before-and-after photographs are presented — labelled timepoints, consistent viewpoints, AHPRA-compliant captions, no testimonials about clinical care.
- 05Whether the practice supports second opinions openly — and how they respond when a patient says they are getting one.
- 06How the consultation, screening, cooling-off, and follow-up are structured — whether they meet the Medical Board of Australia 2023 framework as a matter of routine rather than as a corner-cutting compromise.
04Patterns to be cautious about
Six patterns —
worth paying attention to.
None of these are evidence of wrongdoing on their own. Combined, they describe a marketing-first sales culture that is harder to find clinical-first practice within.
- 01Headline prices presented as a single number with no itemisation, no anaesthetist line, and no follow-up review window — when asked for itemisation, vague answers.
- 02Same-day deposits requested at the first consultation, before any cooling-off period has been completed.
- 03Discounts framed as time-limited (limited spots, end-of-financial-year, promotional codes) — cosmetic surgery does not work this way and the framing usually signals a sales culture.
- 04Testimonials about clinical care featured prominently on the homepage or social channels — this is restricted under the AHPRA advertising guidelines and its presence suggests other corners are being cut.
- 05Photographs that look heavily edited, taken in different lighting, or paired against pre-operative photographs from incompatible viewpoints — apparent results that are partly photographic rather than surgical.
- 06Marketing language that uses words like surgeon, specialist, expert, leading, premier, world-class — most of these are restricted under AHPRA advertising rules and any of them used loosely is informative.
05Patterns worth a positive read
Five honest —
signs.
These do not prove a practice is the right one for you, but they are habits that consistently sit with practices that take their clinical responsibilities seriously.
- 01Itemised written quote at the end of the second consultation, with each line item explained and an offer to take it home and consider before any deposit.
- 02Open invitation to seek a second opinion, with no defensive response when you say you are.
- 03Photographs labelled with healing timepoints, consistent viewpoints, restrained captions — and a clear willingness to say that a particular result is not what every patient should expect.
- 04Honest discussion of complications, revision possibility, and the times when the practitioner has had to manage a poor outcome — practitioners who never mention this are either inexperienced or not being candid.
- 05Clear answer to who the operating practitioner is, who the anaesthetist is, who the assistant is, and where the operation takes place — all four answered without hesitation.
06The regulator's framework
AHPRA and the —
Medical Board.
The Medical Board of Australia introduced specific guidelines for cosmetic surgery in July 2023, which set out requirements for referral, consultation, screening, cooling-off, and post-operative review. Every Australian cosmetic practice operates under that framework. Whether they operate within it as a matter of routine, or treat it as a compliance hurdle to be minimised, is one of the most informative things you can establish at a first consultation. Ask directly. The answers tell you what you need to know.
The full guideline document is published by the Medical Board of Australia and the AHPRA register lets you verify the credentials of any operating doctor in Australia.
07How to use this article
The same yardstick —
applied to us.
The framework above applies to RevAesthetic exactly as much as to any other Melbourne clinic. Verify Dr Nara's registration on the AHPRA register. Ask about our hospital's accreditation. Look at how our before-and-after photographs are labelled, and at the captions that go with them. Get a written, itemised quote, and take it home before signing anything. Tell us you are getting a second opinion — and watch how we respond. If we do not pass our own framework, we have not earned the engagement.
The pillar overview is on the liposuction page, with companion articles on what the cost includes, lipo 360 — what gets treated, and recovery week by week.
08Where consultations happen
Three states —
one accredited hospital.
09Frequently asked questions
Questions patients —
actually ask.
Why does this article not name or compare specific clinics?
Because the AHPRA advertising guidelines restrict naming-and-comparison material between registered health practitioners, and because the framework above is more useful to a patient than any particular comparison. The same framework lets you assess us, lets you assess any other clinic, and lets you make a decision based on what you find rather than what we say. We think that is the honest way to write this kind of guide.
How do I check a practitioner's AHPRA registration?
Go to ahpra.gov.au, click 'Check a practitioner's registration', and search by name or registration number. The register shows the practitioner's principal qualification, registration type (general, specialist, limited), any conditions on their registration, and any past or current disciplinary action. It is free, public, and authoritative. Cosmetic practitioners often have general registration rather than specialist registration — that is not a flaw, but it is something you should know going in.
What does accredited mean for an operating facility?
An accredited hospital or day-procedure centre has been independently assessed against published clinical-safety standards by an accrediting body (the National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards, in Australia's case). Accreditation covers sterilisation, infection control, equipment, staffing, and emergency-response capability. Not every operating facility is accredited — some procedures are performed in non-accredited in-rooms theatres, which may be appropriate for very minor work but raise the question of why for any procedure under general anaesthesia. Ask the question directly.
Is choosing the cheapest quote always wrong?
Not always — but it is rarely the right basis for the decision. A meaningfully lower quote usually has a reason: a less-experienced practitioner, a less-equipped facility, an anaesthetic arrangement that bills you separately later, a follow-up window that ends after week two, or a marketing model that depends on volume. None of these are inherently dishonest, but they are differences worth understanding. The companion piece how to read liposuction pricing pages walks through this in detail.
Should I always get a second opinion?
For an elective cosmetic procedure of meaningful size, yes. A second opinion costs you a consultation fee and a few hours. It buys you a second assessment of suitability, a second view on the surgical plan, and a second voice on the realistic expectations. The Medical Board of Australia framework explicitly supports seeking a second opinion, and any practice that bristles at the idea is telling you something about itself.
Why do you mention AHPRA so often in these articles?
Because the regulator is the most useful single resource for a patient comparing cosmetic clinics in Australia. The published guidelines describe what a compliant practice should look like; the register lets you verify the practitioner; and the consumer-protection material at ahpra.gov.au answers most of the questions patients otherwise ask each other on social media. We refer to it openly because we think the regulator's framework supports better decisions.
10How to begin
Next steps —
if you are comparing.
The first step is a referral from your usual GP, followed by an in-person consultation with Dr Nara. Bring the framework above to every consultation, ours included. Take your time, ask questions, and seek a second opinion before you commit to anything. There is no same-day pressure here and there should not be at any clinic worth considering.
You can begin a confidential enquiry at any time. RevAesthetic is located at Chadstone Shopping Centre, G 120A / 1341 Dandenong Rd, Chadstone VIC 3148.
11About the practitioner
Dr Kishen
Nara.
Dr Kishen Nara is a registered medical practitioner. He sees patients across Melbourne, Tasmania and Adelaide. The team at RevAesthetic includes practice manager Cate, Patient Liaison Jenny, and registered nurses, all involved in supporting your enquiry.
- MBBSBachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery — Monash University
- FACCSM(Surg)Surgical Fellow, Australasian College of Cosmetic Surgery and Medicine
- AHPRARegistered medical practitioner — General Registration MED0001201549
12Continue reading
More from
the journal.
- 2026 What happens to stretch marks after tummy tuck surgery?
Tummy tuck surgery removes a section of skin from the lower abdomen, so the stretch marks living in it leave with it. What happens to the marks above the navel, and the scar you take on in exchange. - 2026 Can fat come back to the same area years after liposuction?
The fat cells removed do not regrow, but the ones left behind can still enlarge. What actually changes in a treated area over five, ten and twenty years, and which changes are not fat at all. - 2026 Tummy tuck surgery in Melbourne — what affects the price quoted at consultation
What actually changes the cost of tummy tuck surgery in Melbourne — extent of muscle separation, skin laxity, hospital stay, whether liposuction is combined. Honest plain-language guide for post-pregnancy patients.
Disclaimer: All cosmetic procedures have inherent potential risks and complications. We encourage you to seek a second opinion from a qualified medical professional before any procedure. Material on this page is educational in nature and is not generalisable — outcomes vary significantly between patients depending on genetic composition, medical history and individual circumstances. Dr Kishen Nara — MBBS, FACCSM(Surg), AHPRA Registration MED0001201549. General Registration.