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Compliance guide

Before and after images in cosmetic clinic advertising: the rules most clinics are breaking

Brendan Barnhill, Skin Marketing

Before and after images are one of the most commonly used content formats in cosmetic clinic advertising, and one of the most commonly non-compliant. AHPRA's September 2025 guidelines set out specific requirements for every image used in advertising. Most clinic content does not meet them.

The rules in full

Both images must be shown. After-only images are not acceptable.
The before image must appear first. The after image must not be the most prominent. This includes carousel order, the thumbnail shown on a social media post, and the first image in a website gallery.
No editing, retouching, or filtering. Neither image can be edited, retouched, softened, or filtered in any way. This includes colour grading, brightness adjustments, and any social media filter.
Consistent conditions between images. Both images must match in: lighting, flash, angle, camera distance, background, framing, posture, clothing, and makeup.
The after image must state when it was taken. A timing statement is required, for example: "Taken 6 weeks post-procedure."
An individual outcomes disclaimer must appear on every image. Acceptable wording: "Results are individual and may not reflect outcomes for other patients."
No sexualised imagery. No poses suggestive of sexual positions, no lingerie, no oiled bodies.
No lifestyle shots. No beaches, pools, bedrooms, or hotel rooms as backgrounds.
No emojis on or in response to before and after images.
No banned phrases in captions. No: "more natural", "ideal", "perfect", "instant", "flawless".
No images of anyone under 18.
No naming the patient or linking to their social media accounts.
Separate advertising consent is required. The patient's consent to the procedure and consent to use their images in advertising are two separate documents. The patient must view the images before signing the advertising consent and cannot be required to agree to advertising use as a condition of the procedure.

Why most before and after content fails

The most common failures: after-only images posted to Instagram; professional studio lighting used for the after when the before was taken in a clinic; no timing statement; no outcomes disclaimer; captions using banned phrases; patients tagged in the image.

Each non-compliant image is a separate breach at up to $10,000 per offence.

What to do now

Review every before and after image in the clinic's website gallery, social media grid, and stories archive. Check each one against the list above. Any image that fails any criterion needs to be removed or replaced.

Skin Marketing audits clinic advertising against the complete AHPRA and TGA framework and produces a written report showing every breach found and the compliant fix. Request a free audit.

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