New cosmetic procedure guidelines published

03 Jun 2025

Australians undergoing cosmetic procedures such as anti-wrinkle injections, fillers and veneers will have greater protections under sweeping guidelines being introduced across the booming billion-dollar industry. 

The Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (Ahpra) and National Boards have published advance copies of the Guidelines for practitioners who perform non-surgical cosmetic procedures and the Guidelines for practitioners who advertise higher risk non-surgical cosmetic procedures, which will strengthen safeguards across the industry when they come into effect on 2 September 2025. 

The new practice guidelines bring all registered health practitioners in line with the safeguards put in place by the Medical Board of Australia in 2023 and remind practitioners of their obligation to put patient welfare first and foremost. 

The Dental Board of Australia’s Chair, Dr Simon Shanahan welcomes the new guidelines. ‘The Board has been eager to ensure practitioners who perform non-surgical cosmetic procedures, do so in a safe manner.  As always, practitioners need to ensure they have sufficient training, experience and competence to deliver this, and all, patient care’, said Dr Shanahan. 

‘We are confident that practitioners appropriately observing the Dental Board's code of conduct, will already be fully compliant with the non-surgical cosmetic guidelines.’

The changes include a focus on higher risk procedures, requiring advertisements to contain information about the practitioner performing the procedures, strengthening the ban on the use of testimonials from social media influencers and putting measures in place to stop the trivialisation or sexualisation of a cosmetic procedure.  

Those under the age of 18 considering non-surgical cosmetic procedures will have a mandatory seven-day cooling off period between their first consultation and any procedures, while advertising aimed at under 18s will be totally banned. 

‘We would like to specifically note that scrutinising financial arrangements is a current focus of the Board, particularly around, but not limited to, compassionate release of superannuation. Any form of financial exploitation of patients in pursuit of profit over good care is condemned and action will be taken as needed to protect the public,’ said Dr Shanahan. 

‘This industry relies heavily on having a social media presence, so practitioners have been put on notice that their advertising must comply with the new guidelines when they come into effect later this year’, Ahpra CEO Justin Untersteiner said. 

While cosmetic procedures remain out of scope for many practitioners, the guidelines will now apply to all regulated professions, futureproofing those that may join the lucrative cosmetic industry.