Social media for dermatology and skin clinics: a practical guide

Most skin clinics serve two groups. Some people come with a medical concern: a changing mole, acne, eczema, psoriasis or rosacea. Others want a cosmetic treatment, such as peels, laser or injectables. Each group needs different content, and cosmetic treatments come with extra advertising rules.

The posts that build trust are calm and educational: what a mole check involves, how sun protection works, what to expect after a peel. Let the expertise show, rather than the offer.

Three posts a week is a good rhythm. Have a clinician check every medical post before it goes out.

• Monday: a skin health explainer, such as how to check your moles or read a sunscreen label.
• Tuesday: what to expect, such as how a consultation works or how to prepare for a peel.
• Wednesday: meet the team, with each person's qualifications and registration.
• Thursday: a myth-busting post, such as common misunderstandings about acne.
• Friday: practical details, such as availability, consultation prices or location.

Prescription-only medicines: the CAP Code says POMs must not be advertised to the public (rule 12.12). The ASA's advice on botulinum toxin says almost every reference to Botox and similar products is treated as promotion of a POM, including hashtags on social media, and that terms that imply Botox, such as "Beautox", are also a problem. Clinics that also offer non-POM injectables may use "cosmetic fillers" or "injected fillers" collectively, and can promote a consultation for lines and wrinkles. Using health professionals or celebrities to endorse a POM breaches rule 12.18.

Under-18s: the ASA says CAP rule 12.25, added in 2021, prohibits marketing cosmetic interventions to under-18s. It has ruled against cosmetic surgery ads on a website where a significant proportion of users were under 18, and, in a sunbed case it cites alongside, against organic TikTok posts the advertiser could have targeted away from under-18s but did not.

Pressure and responsibility: the ASA says ads for cosmetic interventions should not use countdown clocks or claims such as "Hurry, offer must end Friday", should not describe procedures as "safe", "easy" or "risk free", and must not exploit insecurities. The GMC's guidance for patients says marketing of cosmetic procedures must be factual, clear and not misleading, must not target children or young people, must not pressure people with time-limited offers and must not offer procedures as prizes.

This is general information, not legal or clinical advice. Rules differ by country and change, so check with your regulator, professional body or a lawyer before you post claims, prices or photos of the people you serve.

1. Search your posts, highlights and hashtags for medicine brand names and remove them.
2. Promote consultations for a concern, not a medicine.
3. Set age targeting to 18 and over on cosmetic posts and ads wherever the platform allows.
4. Drop countdowns, flash sales and "limited spaces" from cosmetic offers.
5. Have a clinician check every claim before you approve the post.

Sources: ASA Advice Online: Botulinum toxin products, checked 15 October 2026; ASA Advice Online: Healthcare, prescription-only medicines, checked 15 October 2026; ASA Advice Online: Cosmetic interventions, social responsibility, checked 15 October 2026; GMC: Rules about advertising cosmetic procedures, checked 15 October 2026

Before and after photos: the ASA treats them the same way as testimonials. It says you should hold signed and dated proof that photos are genuine and not manipulated, they must not exaggerate the effect of a treatment, and before and after images of a POM treatment are very likely to be seen as an ad for that POM. The ASA upheld a complaint against a laser clinic that used acne and rosacea before and after images that were not of its own clients.

Acne and skincare: the ASA says acne is considered an adverse medical condition, and claims to "treat" or "cure" acne are likely to be medicinal claims. If you sell skincare products in clinic, keep cosmetic product claims cosmetic, such as cleansing to help prevent breakouts. In the US, the FTC's health products guidance says claims about the health benefits of products need competent and reliable scientific evidence.

Titles: the ASA says anyone who does not hold a general medical qualification should not call themselves "Dr" in a health context, and has ruled against an aesthetics listing that did so. Doctors should follow the GMC's social media guidance, which says not to misrepresent your experience and qualifications and to be open about any interests, such as product partnerships.

• Use only your own clients' photos, with written consent that names social media.
• Take before and after photos in the same light, angle and setting, without filters or retouching.
• Show typical results, not your single best case.
• Say clearly when a post features a product you are paid or gifted to promote.

Sources: ASA Advice Online: Before and after photos, checked 15 October 2026; ASA: Acne and spots, distinguishing medicinal and cosmetic claims, checked 15 October 2026; FTC: Health Products Compliance Guidance, checked 15 October 2026; ASA Advice Online: Use of the term "Dr", checked 15 October 2026; GMC: Using social media as a medical professional, checked 15 October 2026

A photo of someone's skin condition is health information. The ICO says data concerning health is special category data, and the GMC says doctors must not disclose identifiable information about patients on social media without explicit consent.

US: HHS says that, with limited exceptions, the HIPAA Privacy Rule requires written authorization before protected health information, including photos, is used for marketing. The FTC's endorsement guidance says that if a client's result is not typical, the ad must make clear what people can generally expect. Its 2024 rule bans fake reviews and rewards tied to a review's sentiment.

Google's review policy bans incentives for reviews, such as a discount on the next treatment, and selectively asking happy clients. Ask everyone the same way.

Sources: ICO: What is special category data?, checked 15 October 2026; GMC: Using social media as a medical professional, checked 15 October 2026; HHS: HIPAA Privacy Rule, marketing, checked 15 October 2026; FTC: FTC's Endorsement Guides, what people are asking, checked 15 October 2026; FTC: Final rule banning fake reviews and testimonials (August 2024), checked 15 October 2026; Google Maps user-generated content policy: fake engagement, checked 15 October 2026

Skin topics follow the seasons: sun protection and mole checks in spring and summer, dry skin and eczema flare-ups in winter, and acne questions around exams and the new school year.

Disclosure: this guide is published by Zolyp, an AI social media manager. Zolyp plans a calendar around your content pillars, writes and designs each post, and schedules it to Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, Google Business, X, TikTok, YouTube, Pinterest, and Threads. You start in review-everything mode, so nothing goes live without your approval. Brand Brain can hold words you never want used, such as medicine brand names, "risk free" or "cure". Zolyp does not check posts against the CAP Code or GMC guidance, so a clinician should read every post before you approve it. Everything in this guide works just as well done by hand.

• Week 1: check Google services, prices and practitioner profiles, and search old posts for medicine names.
• Week 2: film two skin health explainers with a clinician.
• Week 3: one what-to-expect post and one team post.
• Week 4: reply to reviews, check ad age settings and plan next month.