Taula de Continguts
- Why diagnosis comes before treatment
- What the doctor reviews: medical history, medication and allergies
- Contraindications: when the answer is to wait
- Four consultation routes: facial, body, hair and GLP-1
- The GLP-1 route: a medical decision, not a formality
- How we work at Santé Madrid
- How to prepare your consultation to get the most out of it
- Frequently asked questions
A medical consultation in Madrid before an aesthetic treatment lets a doctor review your medical history, your medication and any possible contraindications and reach a diagnosis before proposing anything. At Santé Madrid this consultation costs €50 and follows one of four routes: facial, body, hair or GLP-1. In this guide we explain what the doctor asks and assesses, why the answer is sometimes to wait or not to treat, how the consultation changes depending on the reason you come in, and how to prepare so you get the most out of it.
Key points
- The medical consultation starts with your medical history: conditions, medication, allergies, previous treatments and what concerns you.
- The aim is a diagnosis: understanding what is happening in your skin, your body or your hair before choosing a treatment.
- Some situations, such as pregnancy, an active infection or certain medicines, may mean it is better to wait or to change option.
- At Santé Madrid the medical consultation costs €50 and follows the facial, body, hair or GLP-1 route.
- Treatments are carried out by the medical team after the assessment, and results vary from person to person.
Why diagnosis comes before treatment
Two people can ask for the same thing, for example "getting rid of some spots" or "reducing my tummy", and need very different things. A dark spot can be caused by the sun, by hormones or by inflammation; an abdominal contour can be due to localised fat, to skin laxity or to a mix of both. If the treatment is chosen before the cause is understood, it is easy to get it right by chance or, worse, to make the problem worse.
That is why the medical consultation does not start with a catalogue, but with questions. The doctor listens to what concerns you, since when, what you have tried and what you expect, and then examines the area. With that information they form a diagnostic impression and only then assess whether there is a suitable treatment, which one, with what risks and what can realistically be expected.
This order also has a legal basis. In Spain, Law 41/2002 on patient autonomy states that healthcare information includes, as a minimum, the purpose and nature of each intervention, its risks and its consequences, and that every intervention needs your free and voluntary consent after you have received that information. The same law states that, when consent is given in writing, the doctor must first explain the risks related to your personal circumstances and the contraindications. To be able to explain all of that, we first need to get to know you.
What the doctor reviews: medical history, medication and allergies
The first part of the consultation is an orderly conversation about your health. It is not a formality: many of the later decisions depend on what is discussed here. These are the usual topics:
- Current and past conditions: clotting problems, autoimmune conditions, hormonal or skin disorders, and any diagnosis you already have.
- Medication and supplements: what you take every day, including what does not require a prescription.
- Allergies: to medicines, local anaesthetics, cosmetics or other products.
- Previous aesthetic treatments: what you had done, where, when and with which product, if you know.
- Habits and context: sun exposure, skincare routine, pregnancy or breastfeeding, and upcoming plans such as a trip or an event.
A review of dermal filler complications stresses that the medical history must be complete and that patients should include previous cosmetic treatments, even if they seem irrelevant to them; it also points out that people who take anticoagulants long term need careful assessment and need to have the risks explained (De Boulle and Heydenrych, 2015). If you take an anticoagulant or an antiplatelet medicine, never stop it on your own before a treatment: that decision belongs to the doctor who prescribed it.
In light-based treatments, medication also matters. A review of laser treatment for pigmented lesions describes how patients were generally instructed to avoid photosensitising agents before treatment (Zhang et al., 2025). That is why it is worth bringing to the consultation the exact list of what you take and what you apply to your skin.
Contraindications: when the answer is to wait
Part of the medical consultation consists of spotting reasons not to treat, at least for now. A contraindication is not a judgement about you, but a circumstance that makes a specific treatment unsuitable at that moment or makes another one more prudent.
Some are temporary. The review by De Boulle and Heydenrych notes that, when there is active herpes in the area, filler treatment should be postponed, and that an infection in another part of the face also deserves attention before treating (De Boulle and Heydenrych, 2015). In the case of laser, the review by Zhang and colleagues describes how it was typically applied to intact skin without active infection, inflammation or recent sun exposure (Zhang et al., 2025). With Madrid's sunny climate, recent exposure is something the doctor will usually ask about.
Others depend on your stage of life. A review of dermatological and cosmetic procedures in pregnancy concludes that, in general, the advice is to postpone aesthetic procedures during pregnancy (Mohan et al., 2022).
A treatment not being suitable today does not mean it never will be. Often the conclusion is to wait, to treat something else first or to choose a gentler alternative.
Four consultation routes: facial, body, hair and GLP-1
The medical history is the same for everyone, but the examination changes depending on the reason you come in. At Santé Madrid the medical consultation follows one of these four routes, and in each one the doctor looks at different things before proposing a plan. This table summarises, in general terms, what is usually assessed in each case:
| Route | What is usually assessed | What can come out of the consultation |
|---|---|---|
| Facial | Skin type, spots, redness, acne, texture, signs of ageing and previous treatments | A diagnostic impression and, where appropriate, options such as laser, peels, injectables or HIFU |
| Body | Whether localised fat, laxity, cellulite or fluid retention predominates | Assessing whether options such as cryolipolysis, body HIFU or INDIBA fit, or whether another approach is better |
| Hair | Pattern and course of the hair loss, scalp condition and history | Guidance on the type of hair loss and, where appropriate, options such as mesotherapy, PRP or exosomes |
| GLP-1 | Full medical history, medication, background and weight goals | Assessing whether treatment with medication is indicated or not, always with medical follow-up |
If your reason is your hair, the hair consultation follows this logic: first understand why it is falling out, then decide. If it is your body, the body medical consultation helps tell fat apart from laxity, something that completely changes the choice. On every route, treatments are carried out by the medical team after the assessment and results vary from person to person.
The GLP-1 route: a medical decision, not a formality
GLP-1 receptor agonists are prescription medicines. At Santé Madrid they are only considered after a medical assessment and only if indicated, never as an automatic first option or without follow-up. The GLP-1 consultation starts from the same base as the rest: medical history, current medication and background.
To understand why, it is enough to read a summary of product characteristics. The European product information for a semaglutide authorised for weight management (EMA) indicates it as an adjunct to a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity, and lists among its frequent adverse effects nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, constipation, abdominal pain and headache. It is contraindicated in case of hypersensitivity to the active substance, calls for caution in people with a history of pancreatitis and states that it should not be used during pregnancy or breastfeeding.
That is why the doctor asks about previous conditions, other medicines and pregnancy plans before assessing anything. The conclusion may be that the treatment is not indicated and that another approach, such as a nutrition consultation, makes more sense. In this article we do not discuss regimens or doses: that can only be decided individually. We cite that product information as an example of official information, with no preference for any medicine or brand.
How we work at Santé Madrid
Santé Clinics Madrid opened in November 2026 at C. de Amador de los Ríos, 1, Chamberí, 28010 Madrid, near Almagro and Colón. Opening hours are Monday to Friday from 9:00 to 21:00 and Saturdays from 10:00 to 15:00; the clinic is closed on Sundays.
The medical consultation costs €50 and is carried out by the Santé Madrid medical team. We start with your medical history and the reason you came in, examine the area and calmly explain what we think is happening, what options there are, what risks they carry and what you can expect. In facial consultations, skin analysis with the Observ 520x can serve as support, but it is the doctor who makes the diagnosis, based on the examination and the medical history.
If what you are looking for is general guidance on your skin or your goals, with no medical question involved, there is also a free aesthetic consultation with a Beauty Coach. When a medical condition, medication or a question that requires it comes up in that conversation, the next step is the medical consultation.
We do not pressure you to decide on the spot. If the treatment is not indicated, we tell you, and if it is better to wait, we explain why.
How to prepare your consultation to get the most out of it
A medical consultation is more useful when you arrive with the information to hand. You do not need to prepare anything complicated, but these details help the doctor make a more precise assessment:
- Bring the list of medicines and supplements you take, with their exact names. A photo of the boxes will do.
- Write down the aesthetic treatments you have had, with approximate dates and the product if you know it.
- If you have recent medical reports or blood tests related to the reason for your consultation, bring them.
- Think about what exactly concerns you and what result would seem reasonable to you.
- For a facial consultation, preferably come without make-up on the area you want assessed.
- Note down your questions: risks, recovery, alternatives and what happens if you decide to do nothing.
If you live or work in areas such as Chamberí or Salamanca, your schedule may be tight. It is worth booking an unhurried slot: the consultation is the time to clear up doubts, not to decide in five minutes. And remember that you can leave it without booking any treatment.
Frequently asked questions
How much does the medical consultation cost at Santé Madrid?
The medical consultation costs €50 and follows one of these routes: facial, body, hair or GLP-1. The aesthetic consultation with a Beauty Coach is free.
What is the difference between the medical consultation and the aesthetic consultation?
The aesthetic consultation with a Beauty Coach gives guidance on your skin and your goals. The medical consultation is carried out by the medical team, reviews your medical history, your medication and contraindications, and seeks a diagnosis before proposing a treatment.
What should I bring to the medical consultation?
The list of medicines and supplements you take, previous aesthetic treatments with approximate dates, recent reports or blood tests related to the reason for your consultation and your questions in writing.
Can I have the treatment on the same day as the consultation?
It depends on the treatment and on what comes out of the assessment. In some cases it is possible and in others the doctor prefers to wait, ask for more information or let you think it over calmly, always based on the individual medical assessment.
Do I have to stop my medication before an aesthetic treatment?
Do not stop any medicine on your own. Mention it in the consultation; if any adjustment is needed, it must be decided by the doctor who prescribed it.
Can I have aesthetic treatments if I am pregnant?
In general, it is recommended to postpone aesthetic procedures during pregnancy. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, say so at the start of the consultation so the doctor can take it into account.
Does the GLP-1 consultation mean I will be prescribed a medicine?
No. GLP-1 treatment is only considered after a medical assessment and only if indicated. The conclusion may be that it is not, and that another approach makes more sense.
What happens if the doctor does not recommend any treatment?
That is a possible and useful outcome. We will explain the reason and, where appropriate, what alternatives there are or when it would make sense to reassess.
A good medical consultation does not sell you a treatment: it helps you understand what is happening and what options you have. If you would like the Santé Madrid medical team to assess your case, we will listen calmly and explain clearly what makes sense for you.
