A guide for clinics
What aesthetic clinics can and can’t say in advertising
Before-and-after photos, testimonials, promises and pricing: the shared principles and how to check the rules where you practise.
Almost every communication question in aesthetics comes down to four topics: before-and-after photos, testimonials, promises and pricing. The answer depends on where you practise and on who performs the treatment, because medical boards, advertising regulators and consumer protection agencies all have a say. This guide sets out the principles they share. It doesn’t replace reading the rules that apply to you or getting legal advice.
1. Know which rules apply to you
Rules come from several layers: the regulator of the profession (medical, nursing or dental board), the advertising standards body and consumer protection law. In the US, the FTC covers deceptive advertising and endorsements, and state boards add their own requirements. In the UK and Ireland, advertising standards authorities apply codes that include specific rules for cosmetic interventions. If your clinic brings together different professions, each piece has to follow the rules for whoever performs the treatment being advertised.
2. Prescription-only medicines
In the UK and across the European Union, botulinum toxin is a prescription-only medicine and can’t be advertised to the public. That includes brand names and generic terms used as a sales pitch. What you can do is promote the consultation, where a qualified prescriber assesses whether a treatment is suitable. Other markets have different rules, so check before you reuse an ad.
3. Before-and-after photos
Where they are allowed, before-and-after photos must be real, unedited and representative, taken in the same conditions, and they shouldn’t imply that every client will get the same result. Get written, specific consent from the client for each use and keep it on file. A photo of someone’s face or body after a treatment is health information under most privacy laws.
4. Testimonials and promises
A testimonial must reflect a genuine experience. Don’t write one for a client, pay for one or offer a benefit in exchange, and don’t present an exceptional result as typical. The same goes for promises: “look 10 years younger” or “guaranteed results” are claims most regulators treat as misleading, because results depend on individual factors. Explain who the treatment is for, how it works, how long it takes and what can vary instead.
5. Pricing, offers and pressure
Price can usually be shown when it is clear and complete. What causes trouble are time-limited offers that push people to decide quickly, prize draws for treatments and bundles that hide the real cost. In the UK, the advertising regulator has ruled against cosmetic procedure ads that put undue emphasis on a time-limited offer, because these decisions need time and thought. If an offer only works because it creates urgency, rethink it.
Before you publish, check
Does the piece follow the rules for the profession and country of whoever performs the treatment? Is there written consent for every image? Does the copy explain suitability, what affects results and risks? Is there any promise, even implied? Is the price clear, and is there any false urgency?
If any answer is “I’m not sure,” the piece goes back for review before it goes live.
Sources: FTC, endorsements, influencers and reviews; ASA, the dos and don’ts of advertising Botox. Checked in October 2026.
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