9 January 2020

The advertising rules on botulinum toxin injections are being tightened up from today and will be enforced by the Advertising Standards Authority.  There will be a short grace period until 31 January 2020 to allow advertisers to voluntarily remove non-compliant ads.  From 1 February 2020, the enforcement authorities will be using monitoring technology to detect non-compliant posts and to serve enforcement notices.

Botulinum injections are often known by their brand names – Botox, Vistabel, Dysport, Bocouture and Azzalure.  They are all prescription-only medicines which cannot legally be advertised to the public.  This applies even if the prescription-only medicine is administered by a registered medical professional.

Advertising includes social media, including paid-for or not paid-for marketing posts on your own or someone else’s pages and influencer marketing.  Promotional advertising such as offering ‘Botox parties’ or Botox treatments as a competition prize are also banned.

The ban on advertising does not apply to dermal fillers as these are not prescription-only medicines.

The Committee of Advertising Practice advice is:

  • Remove any direct reference to Botox or other botulinum toxins, including names such as ‘Beautytox’ or ‘Beautox’, including in images and hashtags. 
  • Don’t use alternatives such as ‘wrinkle relaxing injections’ as it still counts as promotion of a prescription-only medicine.  References to ‘anti-wrinkle injections’ alongside a price will also be counted as an ad.
  • Don’t refer to treating medical conditions in a way that suggests you are promoting a prescription-only medicine, for example ‘injections for excessive sweating (hyperhidrosis)’.
  • You can promote the service you provide and the consultation, for example ‘a consultation for the treatment of lines and wrinkles’ but you must be very careful not to directly or indirectly advertise a prescription-only medicine.

Caroline Larissey, NHBF Director of Quality & Standards said, “We welcome the crackdown on advertising, especially on social media which can unduly influence young people or vulnerable adults to have treatments that may not be needed.  For this reason, we would also support a ban on injectables being provided for under 18s.”