Unhype Guides
Honest, no-fluff treatment guides for Australia: pricing, pain level, recovery, and effect ratings in one place.
Compare treatments ↓Getting Started
Before you pick a treatment, the basics: how to vet a clinic, who's actually qualified to treat you, and what a treatment costs to get right.
Read before you book
Red Flags at a Cosmetic Consultation (and What a Good One Looks Like)
The specific pressure tactics, vague answers and warning signs to watch for at a cosmetic or laser clinic consultation, and what a genuinely good consult looks like instead.
Read the red flags guide →
What AHPRA Registration Actually Means (and How to Check It)
What it means when a cosmetic clinic says its practitioners are AHPRA registered, what AHPRA does and doesn't check, and how to look up a practitioner yourself.
Botox vs Dermal Filler
Anti-wrinkle injections and dermal filler treat different problems, not the same problem at different strengths. Here's how to tell which one your concern actually calls for.
How Much Should a Cosmetic Consultation Cost, and When Is 'Free' a Red Flag?
Paid consultations, free consultations, and consult fees credited toward treatment: what's normal in Australian cosmetic clinics and when a free consult is worth being cautious about.
Your First Cosmetic Treatment
A first-timer's checklist for booking any cosmetic or laser treatment in Australia: what to ask, what to bring, and what to expect on the day.
How to Choose a Cosmetic Clinic
A no-fluff framework for picking a cosmetic or laser clinic in Australia: what to check before you book, what to ask at the consult, and what to walk away from.
How Unhype Rates Treatments
What our effect, pain, safety and visible-result scores mean, how to use them, and what they cannot tell you about your individual outcome.
Laser vs IPL vs Picosecond Laser
IPL, Q-switch and picosecond lasers all get sold as 'laser treatment' for pigmentation and skin tone, but they're genuinely different technologies. Here's how to tell them apart.
S4 vs S5/S6
Anti-wrinkle injections are a prescription-only S4 medicine in Australia. Dermal filler generally isn't. Here's what that actually changes about how you get treated.
Nurse, Cosmetic Physician, or GP
Registered nurses, cosmetic physicians, GPs and dentists can all legally perform cosmetic injectables in Australia. Here's what actually differs between them.
15 treatments · Concern filters show treatments rated 3/5 or higher
How Unhype scores treatments
Effect scores compare how directly a treatment targets each concern. A 5/5 means it is a primary use, not a guaranteed result.
Pain is an editorial comparison aid based on typical treatment intensity. It is not a clinical rating and individual experiences vary.
Pigmentation & acne scars
Pigmentation, sun spots, freckles, acne marks — PicoSure to IPL, find the right fit
PicoSure
Best for
Pain 2/5 · Mild
Melbourne reference $150–$800
Sydney pricing being researched
Downtime
1–3 days
PicoWay
Best for
Pain 2/5 · Mild
Melbourne reference $200–$800
Sydney pricing being researched
Downtime
1–3 days
Q-Switch Laser
Best for
Pain 3/5 · Moderate
$289–$500
per session
Downtime
1–3 days
IPL
Best for
Pain 1/5 · Very low
Melbourne reference $150–$400
Sydney pricing being researched
Downtime
0–2 days
CO2 Fractional
Best for
Pain 4/5 · High
Melbourne reference $400–$1,500
Sydney pricing being researched
Downtime
5–10 days
Wrinkles & skin tightening
Sagging, wrinkles, jawline — Thermage, Ultherapy, anti-wrinkle injections and more, matched to your concern
Thermage
Best for
Pain 3/5 · Moderate
Melbourne reference $1,500–$5,000
Sydney pricing being researched
Downtime
0-1 days
Ultherapy
Best for
Pain 5/5 · Very high
Melbourne reference $2,000–$6,000
Sydney pricing being researched
Downtime
0-3 days
HIFU
Best for
Pain 4/5 · High
Melbourne reference $500–$2,500
Sydney pricing being researched
Downtime
0–2 days
RF Microneedling
Best for
Pain 3/5 · Moderate
$620–$1,399
per session
Downtime
2-5 days
Anti-wrinkle Injections
Best for
Pain 1/5 · Very low
Melbourne reference $150–$800
Sydney pricing being researched
Downtime
0 days
PDO Threads
Best for
Pain 4/5 · High
Melbourne reference $1,000–$4,000
Sydney pricing being researched
Downtime
3–7 days
Facials & skin care
Maintenance treatments for hydration, brightness and texture — compared by results, recovery and price
HydraFacial
Best for
Pain 1/5 · Very low
$249–$555
per session
Downtime
0 days
Chemical Peel
Best for
Pain 3/5 · Moderate
Melbourne reference $120–$600
Sydney pricing being researched
Downtime
0–7 days
LED Therapy
Best for
Pain 1/5 · Very low
Melbourne reference $50–$180
Sydney pricing being researched
Downtime
0 days
Microdermabrasion
Best for
Pain 2/5 · Mild
Melbourne reference $90–$200
Sydney pricing being researched
Downtime
0–2 days