Which rules apply
Two sets of rules shape how you market a cosmetic clinic.
The first is the TGA. That is the Therapeutic Goods Administration. It sets the rules for ads about medicines and other health goods. You can't promote prescription-only medicines to the public. That includes the injectables many clinics use.
The second is AHPRA. That is the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency. AHPRA and the National Boards set the ad rules for health workers. They also cover anyone who sells those workers' services. Cosmetic procedures have their own rules too.
The two overlap, but they are not the same. The TGA rules are about the product. The AHPRA rules are about how you show your team and your work. That covers reviews, before-and-after photos and claims about results. It also covers offers that might push someone into a treatment they don't need. If you have health workers on staff, you need to think about both.
Why it matters for growth
The rules shut some easy ways to get new clients. You can't post deals on injectables. You can't share reviews about results. You must take care with before-and-after photos. Clinics that lean on these take a risk. Or they stall.
Clinics that grow use the ways that stay open. They get clients to book again. They use rewards that fit the rules. They teach. And they make clients feel good in the chair.
That is why the rules and keeping clients go together. Bringing clients back is a sure way to grow. It is also one of the safest. You are caring for people who already chose you. You are not selling treatments to the public. The retention guides and loyalty guides are written with this in mind.
What clinic owners ask
Can we discount injectables?
Not in public ads. Can clinics discount injectables shows what you can do. It also shows how clinics still grow within the rules.
Can we run a loyalty program?
Yes. Memberships too. Most are fine if you plan for the rules from the start. TGA and AHPRA rules for loyalty and rewards shows what to watch for. It shows how to build a program you can run with confidence.
Can we share reviews?
The rules on reviews are strict for health workers. Testimonial and review rules shows how they apply to Google reviews and social posts. It also shows what you can safely share.
Can we show before-and-after photos?
The rules limit them in public ads. Before-and-after photo rules shows what is off limits. It also shows how to talk about results without risking a complaint.
So how do we market the clinic at all?
Lead with the clinic, not the product. Show your team. Teach. Show how well you look after clients. These guides cover the channels that work within the rules:
A quick test before you post
Before a post, email or offer goes out, ask three things.
- Does it name or promote a prescription-only treatment to the public?
- Does it use a review or photo in a way the rules limit?
- Could it push someone into a treatment they would not choose?
Is any answer yes or maybe? Then change it, or check the rules first. The guides below go into each one.
Whose job it is
It is not just the person who wrote the post. The clinic and its health workers answer for all ads about their services. That includes:
- staff posts on their own accounts that promote the clinic
- posts an agency makes for the clinic
- messages sent from a booking system or app
Make sure everyone who posts for the clinic knows the basics. Agree who checks anything new before it goes out.
The rules also change. The people who set them add new rules and examples. So treat any guide as a place to start. That includes ours. Check the date it was last updated. When a rule changes, we update the posts below. Their dates change too.
That goes for your software as well. Messages the app sends count as ads. So do push alerts and how you word rewards. So use tools built with these rules in mind. Tools made for other trades may not know them.
Start here
Start with the AHPRA cosmetic advertising guidelines, made simple. It shows what you can say and what you can't. It shows how the rules apply on social, in email and in the clinic. It links to each longer guide below.
