AHPRA’s New Cosmetic Procedure Guidelines:
September 2025
The Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) has introduced important new guidelines for registered health practitioners performing non-surgical cosmetic procedures and for those marketing these services.
If you work in healthcare, beauty, or are responsible for promoting these offerings, it’s time to pay attention.
What’s Changed?
As of 2 September 2025, stricter guidelines apply to registered health practitioners, such as nurses, dental practitioners, podiatrists, and Chinese medicine practitioners performing and advertising non-surgical cosmetic procedures.
Key updates:
- Extra Training Required: Practitioners can no longer rely solely on their initial qualifications. Those wishing to perform non-surgical cosmetic procedures, such as injectables and fillers, must complete additional training and gain more practical experience before expanding their scope.
- Young People Protected: There is now a mandatory seven-day cooling-off period for anyone under 18 considering a non-surgical cosmetic procedure. Advertising aimed at this age group is also prohibited.
- Advertising Under Scrutiny: AHPRA is cracking down on advertising that trivialises or sexualises cosmetic procedures. Advertisements must use real, unedited images, include a clear disclaimer that results may vary, and must not feature testimonials from social media influencers.
- Patient Safety Over Profits: Practitioners who prioritise profits over patient safety risk regulatory action.
- AHPRA is clear: these are clinical procedures that require skill, transparency, and responsibility.
Why This Matters for Australian Healthcare
The cosmetic industry has often blurred the line between clinical care and beauty trends.
A filler is not a facial. These procedures carry clinical risks, and both practitioners and marketers must treat them with the seriousness they deserve.
As AHPRA’s CEO Justin Untersteiner says: “Practitioners have been warned. If we find practitioners prioritising profits over patient care, we will not hesitate to act. Patient safety must come first”.
For marketers and brands, the message is clear: cosmetic advertising must reflect clinical realities and patient safety, not just aesthetics.
What Should Marketers and Brands Do Next?
- Review All Advertising: Ensure that all campaigns comply with the new guidelines. Are your images real and unedited? Is it clear that results may vary? Are there any influencer testimonials? If so, update immediately.
- Educate, Don’t Gloss Over: Provide your audience with clear, honest information about what non-surgical cosmetic procedures involve, including risks, realistic outcomes, and recovery.
- Stay Up to Date: Regularly review AHPRA’s guidelines. Seek advice from regulatory or legal experts when in doubt.
- Be Transparent: Accuracy and honesty are now non-negotiable in cosmetic procedure marketing.
Final Thoughts From A Healthcare Fractional CMO
These changes are designed to lift standards for patient safety, transparency, and trust.
For many practitioners though, adapting to changing guidelines can feel overwhelming – especially when your expertise lies in delivering patient care, not advertising.
If you need support navigating compliance for a regulated health service, Tuesday Logic can help you market confidently and compliantly.
Last updated on May 26th, 2026 at 10:59 pm