How do I book a consultation for ageing skin concerns at The DOC Clinic Melbourne?

You can contact The DOC Clinic directly by phone on 03 9021 6022 or book online to arrange an appointment at The DOC West (302 Heaths Road, Hoppers Crossing) or The DOC East (47A Karnak Road, Ashburton).

Ageing Skin Concerns Melbourne

Q: Do I need to know what treatment I want before booking a consultation?

No. Many patients book a consultation simply because they have concerns about their skin and want to understand what is available. Dr Omarjee can walk you through the relevant categories of options and help you understand whether any of them may suit your situation.

Q: Will I be pressured into a treatment?

No. The DOC Clinic's role is to give you accurate information so you can make an informed decision. Some patients leave a consultation without booking any treatment, and that is a perfectly valid outcome.

Q: How long does a consultation take?

Consultations vary depending on what you would like to discuss. Enough time is allowed to go through your concerns properly, ask questions, and explain any relevant information.

Q: Can people under 18 attend a consultation?

No. The DOC Clinic does not offer cosmetic consultations or treatments to people under the age of 18, in line with current professional guidelines.

Skin ageing is something we all experience. Over time, the skin shows fine lines, wrinkles, areas of laxity, and changes in tone and texture. Some people are happy to let these changes occur naturally. Others would like to know what options exist. At The DOC Clinic in Melbourne, we offer private consultations for patients who’d like to discuss concerns about ageing skin with a qualified medical practitioner.

A consultation with Dr Ed Omarjee gives you time to talk through what you’ve noticed, learn about the changes happening in your skin, and understand what kinds of options may or may not suit your circumstances. The right approach depends on a careful assessment of your goals, your medical history, and what’s realistic for you.

Common skin concerns we discuss

Patients come to us with a wide range of concerns. Some of the most common include:

Fine lines and wrinkles
Loss of skin firmness and elasticity
Reduced facial volume
Crepey or thinning skin texture
Pigmentation and uneven skin tone associated with sun exposure and ageing
Concerns about specific areas such as the under-eye region, neck, hands, or décolletage

If you’re noticing any of these changes and want to understand what’s happening in your skin, a consultation is a sensible first step.

The science of skin ageing

Healthy, youthful-looking skin is largely the work of a protein called collagen. Collagen makes up the structural framework of the dermis, the layer of skin sitting beneath the surface, and gives skin its strength, firmness, and ability to recover from stretching. It’s the most abundant protein in the human body.

Collagen isn’t a single substance. The human body produces 28 different types, each with its own structure and function. They’re spread throughout the body in skin, bones, cartilage, tendons, blood vessels, organs, the cornea of the eye, and the connective tissue that holds everything together.

The structural families of collagen

The 28 types are grouped into several structural families, each with a characteristic shape and role:

Fibrillar collagens form long, strong fibres. Types I, II, III, V, XI, XXIV and XXVII belong to this family. These are the workhorses of structural support in skin, bone, tendons and cartilage.
Network-forming collagens create mesh-like sheets. Type IV is the major member of this group and sits in the basement membranes throughout the body, including the one that separates the epidermis from the dermis.
Anchoring fibril collagens attach one layer of tissue to another. Type VII is the key example, and it’s essential for keeping the skin’s layers bonded together.
Fibril-associated collagens (sometimes called FACIT collagens) decorate the larger fibres and help organise the wider collagen network. Types IX, XII, XIV, XVI, XIX, XX, XXI and XXII fall into this group.
Transmembrane collagens sit within cell membranes. Types XIII, XVII, XXIII and XXV are examples.
Beaded filament collagens form bead-like structures within the tissue matrix. Type VI is the main one in skin.
Multiplexin collagens have multiple triple-helical regions. Types XV and XVIII belong to this group and are found around basement membranes.

The remaining types contribute in specialised settings throughout the body, including cartilage, nerves, blood vessels and the reproductive system. Within the skin, a smaller group of these collagen types does most of the structural work.

Collagen types most relevant to the skin

Several types of collagen are particularly important in the structure and function of skin. Each plays a different role:

Type I is the most abundant collagen in the human body, accounting for around 90 per cent of total collagen. In the skin it forms the major fibres of the dermis and gives skin much of its tensile strength.
Type III works alongside type I in soft tissues. It contributes to the skin’s ability to stretch and recover, and is especially abundant in young skin. The proportion of type III to type I shifts noticeably with age.
Type IV sits in the basement membrane, the very thin sheet that separates the outer epidermis from the dermis below. It forms a mesh-like network that gives the epidermis a foundation to sit on.
Type V is woven into the fibres of types I and III, where it helps regulate how thick those fibres become. It’s a small but important contributor to the overall organisation of the dermal matrix.
Type VI forms beaded filaments scattered through the dermis. It helps anchor cells like fibroblasts within their surrounding tissue.
Type VII forms anchoring fibrils that attach the basement membrane to the underlying dermis. These structures are critical for keeping the skin layers bonded. Inherited problems with type VII collagen cause some forms of a skin condition called epidermolysis bullosa, in which the skin layers separate too easily.
Types XII, XIV and XVI are fibril-associated collagens that help organise the larger fibrillar networks. They sit alongside types I and III, contributing to the architecture of the dermis.
Type XVII is a transmembrane collagen found in the basal cells of the epidermis. It forms part of structures called hemidesmosomes, which clip the epidermis firmly to the basement membrane.

Together, these collagen types create a layered support system: fibres for strength, networks for partition, anchoring structures for bonding, and accessory collagens to keep everything organised. Other components, including elastin, hyaluronic acid, and a population of cells called fibroblasts, work alongside collagen to maintain healthy skin.

How collagen changes with age

From around our mid-twenties onwards, the body’s ability to produce new collagen begins to slow. Existing collagen breaks down faster than it’s replaced. The composition also shifts: type III collagen, for example, makes up around 50 per cent of newborn skin but only about 5 per cent of adult skin. The collagen that remains becomes more disorganised, and the dermal matrix loses some of its even, springy structure.

At the same time, levels of elastin, hyaluronic acid, and other components of the skin’s supporting structure decline. Fibroblasts, the cells responsible for making new collagen and elastin, become less active. The basement membrane between the epidermis and dermis can also flatten with age, which affects how the upper and lower skin layers communicate.

Together, these changes lead to the visible signs we associate with ageing skin: lines, looseness, thinning, and a duller surface. Sun exposure, smoking, poor sleep, stress, and diet all influence how quickly these changes happen. Some of this is within our control. Some of it isn’t.

These changes are entirely normal. They’re a natural part of life rather than a flaw that needs fixing. For people who’d like to understand what cosmetic options exist, however, a consultation can be a useful starting point.

Why some areas show ageing first

Skin isn’t the same thickness everywhere on the body. Several areas tend to show signs of ageing earlier than others, mostly because of how their underlying anatomy is structured.

The skin around the eyes is among the thinnest skin on the body. The dermis underneath is comparatively shallow, the supporting fat pads can shift or thin with age, and the area moves constantly with every blink, smile, or expression. Fine lines, crepiness, and a hollowed appearance often appear here first.

The skin on the neck and décolletage is also thinner than skin on the face, and these areas are often less protected from sun exposure over a lifetime. The hands sit in a similar position. Their skin is thin, frequently exposed, and the underlying tissue gradually loses volume, which can leave veins and tendons more visible.

Patients who notice changes in any of these delicate areas often come in for a consultation to discuss what options might be appropriate. We assess each area individually, because what suits one part of the face won’t necessarily suit another.

What treatment options exist?

If you’re noticing changes in your skin and wondering what can be done, the short answer is that several categories of cosmetic medicine address ageing skin concerns. We offer a range of non-surgical treatments specifically designed to target collagen for skin improvement, with minimal downtime.

Each category works on the skin in a different way. Some are intended to support the skin’s own production of collagen and other structural proteins over time. Others address visible concerns more directly, such as fine lines, loss of firmness, or reduced volume in specific areas. Each has its own profile of advantages, limitations, side effects, and recovery time.

Which of these, if any, might suit you depends on several things: the specific concerns you’re trying to address, your skin type and overall health, what you’ve tried before, your budget, your tolerance for any recovery period, and your goals.

A consultation with Dr Omarjee gives you a clinical assessment of your skin, an honest discussion of which categories might or might not be appropriate, and the chance to ask questions about anything you’re unsure about.

If a specific treatment is recommended after that conversation, you’ll be given full information about how it works, what’s involved, the risks and possible side effects, expected recovery, and what realistic outcomes look like for your circumstances. From there, the decision is entirely yours.

What happens during a consultation?

When you come in for a consultation with Dr Omarjee, the appointment is private and unhurried. You’ll have time to talk through what’s bothering you, what you’d like to achieve, and what your expectations are.

During your appointment, Dr Omarjee will:

Ask about your medical history, including any past cosmetic treatments
Discuss your current health and any medications you’re taking
Examine the areas you’re concerned about
Talk you through any options that may be appropriate for your circumstances
Explain the risks, benefits, and limitations of any options discussed
Answer any questions you have

Should an option involve a prescription-only medicine, that conversation takes place privately during your consultation. Decisions about prescription-only medicines are made between a qualified medical practitioner and an individual patient, with full informed consent. Not every option is right for every patient, and we don’t take a one-size-fits-all approach.

About Dr Ed Omarjee

Dr Ed Omarjee studied in both Ireland and Australia, and has worked alongside cosmetic surgeons and phlebologists internationally. His clinical practice covers a range of cosmetic medicine areas.

His qualifications and memberships include:

Fellow of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners
Fellow of the Cosmetic Physicians College of Australasia
Fellow of the Australasian College of Aesthetic Medicine

Fellowship of these professional colleges means Dr Omarjee participates in continuing professional development relevant to cosmetic medicine. It does not indicate specialist registration in a recognised specialty under the National Law.

What to consider before any cosmetic procedure

Any cosmetic procedure carries some level of risk, including procedures that don’t involve surgery. Before agreeing to any treatment, we encourage you to:

Understand that results vary between individuals and outcomes can’t be guaranteed
Ask what the recovery process might involve, including any downtime or activity restrictions
Discuss the possible side effects and complications
Take the time to make a decision that feels right for you, without pressure

Common short-term effects of many minimally invasive cosmetic procedures can include localised swelling, redness, tenderness, and small areas of bruising at the treatment site. More serious complications, such as infection or prolonged healing, are uncommon but possible. Dr Omarjee will go through the specific risks of any option discussed during your consultation, along with appropriate aftercare guidance.

If you’re not certain whether a cosmetic procedure is right for you, that’s an important question to bring to your consultation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to know what treatment I want before booking a consultation?

No. Many of our patients book a consultation simply because they have concerns about their skin and want to understand what’s available. Dr Omarjee can walk you through the relevant categories of options and help you understand whether any of them may suit your situation.

Will I be pressured into a treatment?

No. Our role is to give you accurate information so you can make an informed decision. Some patients leave a consultation without booking any treatment, and that’s a perfectly valid outcome. We’d rather you take the time you need.

How long does a consultation take?

Consultations vary depending on what you’d like to discuss. We allow enough time to go through your concerns properly, ask questions, and explain any relevant information.

Are cosmetic medical procedures safe?

All medical procedures carry some risk. Risks vary depending on the type of procedure, your individual health, and how the procedure is performed. Dr Omarjee will discuss the specific risks relevant to any option you’re considering.

Can people under 18 attend a consultation?

No. We don’t offer cosmetic consultations or treatments to people under the age of 18, in line with current professional guidelines.

How do I book?

You can contact The DOC Clinic directly to arrange an appointment. Our team will help you find a suitable time.

Consultations for
Ageing Skin Concerns

Common skin concerns we discuss