What should you ask at your first skin consultation? Start with the change you’ve noticed and what you’d like to understand about it. If you’re preparing for an appointment in Liverpool or Knutsford, take these five questions with you. Leave space beside each one to jot down the answer.
Describe the change in your own words. For example, you might have noticed that your skin feels different and want to understand why. Ask what the practitioner can assess at this appointment and whether it would be more appropriate to speak to your GP.
Ask the practitioner to talk through the options, including leaving things as they are. If they suggest a procedure, ask why they think it suits your circumstances, what it could realistically change and where its limits lie.
If you have a wedding, a holiday or a shift at work coming up, mention the date. Ask what you might need to plan around before you make a decision. Ask about possible side effects, what recovery might involve and who you could contact if you had concerns afterwards.
Ask who you would see, what qualifications and experience they have, and who would be responsible for your aftercare. If the person you meet at the consultation would refer you to a colleague, you can ask to meet that person before deciding.
Ask for written information about any option you are considering, including the full cost, what follow-up is included and how to ask further questions. You can take those details home and decide in your own time.
Before you leave, jot down the answer to the question that matters most to you. If anything is still unclear, ask how you can get an answer after the appointment.