First consultation checklist

A strong consultation is less about collecting every available treatment and more about defining priorities, constraints, and a realistic sequence. Preparation shortens the visit and improves plan quality.

Bring these with you

• A current list of skincare and oral medications, including prescription retinoids and antibiotics.
• Recent treatment history (laser, injectables, peels, microneedling) with approximate dates.
• Photos of your skin on both better and worse days in similar lighting.
• Notes on allergies, keloid history, cold sores, pregnancy/breastfeeding status if relevant.
• Two or three ranked goals (for example: pigment, texture, maintenance).

Questions worth asking

• What is a realistic timeline for visible change with my skin type?
• How many sessions are typical before we reassess?
• What downtime and aftercare will affect work or travel?
• Which home products support—or interfere with—this plan?
• What should I track between visits?

How we use the information

Your clinician maps goals to modality choices, spacing, and home-care phases. Clear priorities prevent over-treatment in a single appointment and keep safety margins intact across a series.

What a strong consultation actually covers

Beyond naming a popular device, a clinical consult should map your goals to anatomy, downtime tolerance, medication history, pigment risk, and prior treatment intervals. You should leave with a sequenced plan—not only a single-session quote.

Bring this information with you

• Current skincare and prescription topicals (retinoids, hydroquinone, steroids).
• Oral medications and supplements that affect healing or bruising.
• Recent lasers, peels, injectables, and dates.
• Photos of your concern in daytime light, including close-ups.
• Your hard constraints: events, travel, workout schedule, budget pacing.

Questions worth asking before you book

• What is the primary endpoint for session one versus the full series?
• What downtime should I plan if my skin reacts more than average?
• Which home actives must pause—and for how long?
• How will we decide to continue, adjust, or stop the pathway?

Key takeaways

• Arrive with history, photos, and ranked goals.
• Ask about timeline, downtime, and home-care sequencing.
• A written plan beats verbal highlights alone.

Educational guidance for general aftercare and planning awareness. It does not replace personalized medical advice. Follow the written protocol from your AESTHINA STARERA clinician for your device, settings, and skin history.