How Unhype Rates Treatments

What the scores are for

Unhype scores are comparison aids. They help you narrow a long list of treatments into a sensible shortlist before speaking with a qualified practitioner. They are not clinical predictions, guarantees, or substitutes for an individual assessment.

Every score uses the same five-point scale. A higher number means “more” of the named attribute, not automatically “better.” A pain score of 5 means typically very painful. A visible-results score of 5 means the change is usually easier to see.

Who assigns the scores

Scores are assigned by the Unhype editorial team when a treatment guide is researched or materially updated. Clinics, device manufacturers and paid partners do not set or approve scores. Sponsored content, when present, is labelled and goes through the same scoring framework.

The number is an editorial synthesis rather than the output of a clinical calculator. That limitation is deliberate: published studies rarely use one comparable scale across every device, treatment intensity, skin type and concern. We show a rounded comparison score instead of pretending the evidence is more precise than it is.

Evidence hierarchy

We review evidence in this order:

1. Australian regulator and professional guidance, including TGA and AHPRA material where relevant
2. Systematic reviews, clinical guidelines and peer-reviewed studies
3. Manufacturer instructions and intended-use information for the specific device
4. Public clinic treatment protocols and price pages, checked across multiple providers
5. Consistent patient-reported patterns for practical details such as discomfort and social downtime

Clinical evidence carries more weight than marketing claims or individual testimonials. Clinic websites are useful for current Australian pricing and how treatments are delivered locally, but they do not determine efficacy or safety scores on their own.

Effect scores

Effect scores describe how directly a treatment targets a concern under typical use:

• 5 — Primary use: this concern is one of the treatment's strongest, most established uses
• 4 — Strong: commonly chosen for this concern, with meaningful results for suitable candidates
• 3 — Moderate: can help, but another treatment may target the concern more directly
• 2 — Limited: secondary or subtle benefit rather than the main reason to choose it
• 1 — Minimal: not a meaningful reason to choose this treatment
• 0 — Not applicable: the treatment is not used for this concern

A high effect score does not mean everyone gets the same result. Skin type, the cause and severity of the concern, device settings, practitioner experience and aftercare all matter.

Pain

• 1 — Very low: usually comfortable without numbing
• 2 — Mild: noticeable but generally easy to tolerate
• 3 — Moderate: uncomfortable; numbing or cooling is commonly used
• 4 — High: significant discomfort even with pain management
• 5 — Very high: among the more painful non-surgical treatments

Pain tolerance varies. The label is more useful for comparing treatments than predicting exactly how a session will feel to you.

Visible results

This estimates how obvious the typical change is after completing the commonly recommended treatment course. It considers magnitude and consistency, not speed alone. A subtle maintenance facial may be useful while still scoring lower than an aggressive resurfacing treatment.

Safety

Safety compares the typical risk profile when a suitable patient is treated by an appropriately qualified practitioner using a legitimate device and standard protocols. A high score does not mean risk-free. Contraindications, skin tone, medications and practitioner technique can materially change your risk.

Why Value and Popular are not used on comparison cards

“Value” compresses several subjective questions—budget, number of sessions, longevity and personal priorities—into one number. It can look precise without being very informative, so Unhype shows the underlying price, sessions, downtime and effects instead.

We also do not label a treatment “Popular” unless there is a defined, auditable source and time period. Popularity is not evidence that a treatment is right for you.

How to use the ratings

Start with the concern you want to treat, then narrow by the downtime, pain and price you can realistically accept. Read the full guide for contraindications and trade-offs. Finally, ask a practitioner to explain why the treatment fits your specific diagnosis rather than choosing from the score alone.

Scores are reviewed when a guide is materially updated. If a score changes, the guide's updated date changes with it.

Review and correction process

Each guide displays its most recent update date. We revisit a score when important safety guidance changes, stronger comparative evidence becomes available, a device's intended use changes, or current Australian practice no longer matches the guide.

Where evidence is mixed, the score is conservative and the uncertainty should be explained in the full guide. Readers and practitioners can send corrections to hello@unhype.live. A correction is assessed against the evidence hierarchy above; commercial preference alone is not a reason to change a score.