Victoria University Dermal Clinic

The Victoria University Dermal Clinic is a student-led training facility offering skin health education and therapy under the supervision of qualified dermal clinicians.

The clinic is operated by third- and fourth-year Bachelor of Dermal Science students.

Treatments are supervised by experienced dermal clinicians and available to VU staff, students, and the public.

Clinic availability

Appointments are scheduled based on student timetables during the academic year. Intake capacity varies depending on student placement and competency levels.

The dermal clinic is closed between December and February each year.

Eligibility & suitability criteria for our services

As an educational facility with students performing skin health services under supervision, we have the following eligibility criteria.

: All clients must complete a suitability screening to ensure any proposed therapies are safe, appropriate, and aligned with your health status and expectations. If you're not suitable for treatment in our educational setting, we’ll guide you to appropriate alternatives.
: We do not treat children under 13 years of age.
Clients aged 13–17 must:
have written consent from a legal guardian
be accompanied by their guardian during appointments
receive only low-risk, non-invasive treatments.
Cooling off periods of 7 days also apply.
: If you’ve recently had a serious illness, surgery, or are managing a chronic health condition, some treatments may not be suitable. Where appropriate, we’ll explore safe alternatives tailored to your skin health needs.
You may be asked to consult your healthcare provider and provide a letter confirming:
your condition is stable
treatment is unlikely to result in a medical emergency
the proposed therapy is in your best interest.
If you’re taking medication that affects skin health, treatment may be delayed until your condition stabilises.
If you have lesions or are at risk of skin cancer, we may require a medically provided skin check before treatment can proceed.
We also ask that if you are unwell that you do not attend the clinic and call to reschedule your appointment.
: Clients must have realistic expectations about what can be achieved in a student-led clinic and be able to provide informed consent.

Services we offer

General clinics (February–December)

: Time and cost: 45 mins $10.
Many chronic health problems can affect skin health and quality. Changes in your environment, season and stage of life can result in skin conditions. If you have a medical or skin condition or are receiving medical treatment that is affecting your skin quality, you will find a skin health education session beneficial. This involves discussing both topical and wholistic considerations for optimal skin management and skin health.
Topics covered can include skin cleaning, emollient therapy, sun avoidance and protection and other therapies that may be beneficial for your situation.
The session may involve referral or co-management with medical and allied health professionals to support your treatment and to discuss other aspects such as nutrition, movement and managing lifestyle and stress.
: Time and cost: 30 minutes, $45 (single area of the body).
Used on any area of the body including face, chest, back or legs that often suffer from dryness, sun damage, ageing, acne and other inflammatory skin conditions including eczema and psoriasis.
Skin management and therapy includes:
skin cleansing of the area
resurfacing or exfoliation based on your skin health/concerns and treatments as part of your care plan
manual lymphatic drainage
application of corrective topical formulations and skin protection.
In some instances the following additional treatments may be discussed and incorporated as part of your care plan:
low powered light therapy: 15 minutes, $15
electrotherapy: 15 minutes, $15
high powered laser therapies or radio-frequency: 30 minutes, $30
skin needling: 30 minutes, $30.
: Time and cost:
15 minutes for $30
30 minutes for $45
45 minutes for $60.
Your clinician will recommend a course of treatments to reduce or remove hair growth after an assessment of your:
medical history
skin quality
hair colour
hair density and distribution.
The treatment may involve the use of LASER or light based treatments or electro-epilation.
Effective treatment may also involve referral or co-management with a medical health professional to discuss other options to support your treatment.
This service includes cleansing and disinfecting the area, manual lymphatic drainage, application of corrective and protective topical formulations.
: Our gender clinic provides the gender diverse community with cost effective, evidence based, inclusive skin health advice and services. At VU we believe diversity is a strength – the more diverse perspectives, identities, cultural backgrounds, ages and experience of our communities, the richer our life experience.
We strive to foster a safe, welcoming and inclusive environment where all students, staff and visitors to our clinics are respected, valued and empowered to thrive. Our staff and students at the Dermal Clinic undertake ongoing diversity and inclusion training.
Our services
We can support you with:
dermatological conditions
wound healing and scar minimisation
hair reduction/hair loss
tattoo removal or referral for reconstructive tattooing.
Who can access the gender clinic?
We are not limited to zoning or catchments. You can make an appointment whether you live in Melbourne, regional Victoria or even interstate.
Referrals & cost
Dermal clinicians are independent allied health professionals.
You can self-refer to our clinic, but if you have a letter of referral from the Monash Gender Clinic or your GP (or a student card or low-income healthcare card) we provide a further 50% discount on our already subsidised treatment costs.

Specialised clinics (July–December)

: Time and cost:
30 minutes for $45
60 minutes for $75.
For concerns with scarring or stretch marks, your clinician – after a thorough assessment of the area – may recommend skin needling, laser or radio-frequency therapies, scar massage, taping or silicone dressings. These may be used alone or in combination dependent on the skin and scar quality.
This service includes cleansing and disinfecting the area, manual lymphatic drainage, application of corrective and protective topical formulations or wound dressing.
: Time and cost:
30 minutes for $45
45 minutes for $60.
Your clinician will provide you with an indication of the number of treatments expected, frequency and duration of treatment, after an assessment of:
skin quality
size of the tattoo
colour and density of the pigment.
Large or circumferential tattoos will be treated in smaller segments.
This service includes cleansing and disinfecting the area, manual lymphatic drainage, application of corrective and protective topical formulations or wound dressing.
: Time and cost:
15 minutes for $30
30 minutes for $45
45 minutes for $60.
Your clinician will assess your medical history, skin health and quality and the stage and severity of your wound or oedema. A care plan may involve a combination of:
wound dressings
topical skin care
manual lymphatic drainage
compression therapy
light or electrotherapy.
Effective treatment may also involve referral or co-management with a medical health professional to discuss other options to support your treatment.
: Time and cost:
15 minutes for $30
30 minutes for $45
45 minutes for $60.
Your clinician will assess your medical history, skin health and quality as well as the location and type of adiposity and swelling.
A care plan may involve a combination of:
topical skin care
manual lymphatic drainage
compression therapy
light or electrotherapy.
Effective treatment may also involve referral or co-management with a medical health professional to discuss other options to support your treatment.
: These sessions are held 4 times per year.
Time and cost:
30 minutes for $30
free for VU staff and students.
In Australia two out of three Australians will have a skin cancer by the age of 70. Skin cancer is more prevalent in lighter skins however skin cancer doesn’t discriminate and all skin colours are at risk of skin cancer in their lifetime. For that reason it is recommended that everyone learns how to self screen their skin regularly and have a professional skin cancer check every 12 months.
In the Dermal Clinic, students learn the technique of dermoscopy (dermatoscopy) to evaluate skin lesions for signs they may be atypical or abnormal. Students are supervised by qualified dermal clinicians with postgraduate experience and qualifications in dermoscopy.
Dermoscopy assessment may also involve referral or co-management with a medical health professional.

What to expect when you visit

: All new clients begin with a phone call to discuss skin concerns, goals, and health history. This helps us determine if our clinic is the right fit. If needed, we’ll advise you to bring supporting documents (e.g., GP referrals or skin cancer checks) to your first appointment.
Client information dermal intake screening (PDF, 150.69 KB)
Initial visit form (PDF, 233.86 KB)
: Your first in-person appointment includes:
a detailed discussion with student clinicians
education on evidence-based treatment options
overview of time and cost commitments
guidance if external referrals are needed.
If you're not suitable for treatment in our educational setting, we’ll guide you to appropriate alternatives.
If you haven’t visited in over 3 months, a new consultation is required.
: For treatments involving Laser or IPL, a test patch may be performed to assess skin response and ensure safety.
: Treatments are not performed on the same day as consultation and assessment. Cooling-off periods range from 2 to 10 days depending on your skin type and treatment plan.

Treatment plans

Your personalised plan may include:

In-clinic therapies
At-home skin care
Education for self-management

Progress is reviewed after 3–6 treatments. Plans may be adjusted or concluded based on your skin’s response.

Client participation in our learning environment

At the VU Dermal Clinic, our clients are an active and important part of our educational setting. By choosing our clinic, you’re not only receiving subsidised skin health services you’re also helping shape the learning experience and workforce of future dermal clinicians.

We ask all clients to be patient, courteous, and willing to provide helpful feedback. Your support helps foster a respectful, collaborative environment and contributes meaningfully to the student–client interaction.

Read the Clinic Charter

Appointment fees & referrals

As part of your personalised treatment plan, you’ll receive detailed information about the time and cost involved, tailored to your individual needs and goals. Treatment fees at the clinic are scaled based on the type of therapy (modality), the area of the body being treated, and the cost of any consumables required.

Service	Duration	Cost
Intake screening	20 mins	Free
Consultation & assessment	60-75 mins	$30
Treatments	45-75 mins	$65-$150

Health professional referrals

Please use our referral form and check eligibility and suitability criteria.

Dermal clinic referral form (PDF, 138.54 KB)

Discounts

Treatment cost is significantly lower than elsewhere because the treatments are performed by trained students under clinician supervision.

Your first consultation for any treatment is free.

Free treatments

current dermal science students and staff
models (approved).

50% discount

VU staff and students
low income card holders (student, pensioner, veteran etc.)
referral from medical or allied health professional as part of a chronic disease or disability plan.

40% discount

VU alumni
friends and family of dermal science students.

Location

VU City Tower, City Campus
370 Little Lonsdale St
Level 19* (Clinic reception)
Melbourne CBD 3000.

Not all lifts in the building go to Level 19, make sure you choose the lifts labelled for floors 18-26. Once inside the lift, choose level 19. This video on YouTube shows you how to get to the clinic reception from ground floor.

Check the City Campus page for Google Maps and public transport information.

Bookings

To book your appointment, please use our online form:

Book online

Clinic forms

Before or during your appointment, we may need you to complete one or more of the following forms. There is no need to complete a form unless instructed to by the Clinic.