Can I use before-and-after photos in my clinic ads in the UAE?
Before-and-after photos in UAE clinic ads: DHA consent and no-editing rules, the Google Ads clickbait ban, Meta limits, and a compliant workflow.
In Dubai you can use before-and-after photos in clinic marketing only under DHA's conditions: the patient's written consent, the same person, the same lens, no editing or enhancement, and a clear statement that results are not guaranteed plus the risks, in the same font size as the rest of the ad. On Google Ads, before-and-after images promoting significant changes to the body are banned under the clickbait policy. On Meta, weight-loss before-and-afters are non-compliant. Keep them on your own website, where you control the disclaimer.
Last checked: 19 October 2026
Three rulebooks, one photo
Every before-and-after image a UAE clinic uses has to pass three separate tests: the regulator, the ad platform, and your own consent records. Failing any one is enough to get an ad rejected or a facility in trouble.
| Where | Allowed? | Conditions |
|---|---|---|
| Dubai (DHA), any social or online ad | Yes, with conditions | Written consent; same person; same lens; no editing; "no guarantee the result will be the same" statement plus risks in the same font size |
| Google Ads (image, video, Demand Gen, PMax) | No, for significant body changes | Clickbait policy bans "before and after" images promoting significant alterations to the human body |
| Meta ads (Facebook, Instagram) | Restricted | Weight-loss before-and-afters and images that create negative self-perception are non-compliant; cosmetic services must target 18+ |
| Your own website and organic posts | Yes, under DHA rules | Same DHA conditions, plus medical director approval for posts that name the facility |
The DHA rules in detail
The DHA Standards for Medical Advertisement Content on Social Media set out the conditions (DHA):
- Written consent from the patient for any image (section 9.1). Consent covers only the subject and the period it was given for. For under-18s, verifiable parental consent.
- Same person, same lens, no editing. No photo-editing or enhancement software (section 9.6).
- Disclaimer and risks: a statement that there is no guarantee the result will be the same, plus the risks, in the same font size as the rest of the ad.
- Only real patients who received that treatment at your facility.
- Nothing that encourages unhealthy or risky behaviour; the medical director must not approve such images.
- Patients should not be identifiable unless they consented to it.
Enforcement is real. In August 2026 DHA issued a circular to private facilities on these standards, and The National reported that aesthetic clinics using edited images could face disciplinary action (The National, 3 September 2026).
Clinics in Abu Dhabi and the Northern Emirates answer to DoH and MOHAP. MOHAP licenses healthcare advertising across the UAE, so check its advertising conditions too. See advertising a clinic within DHA rules.
Google Ads: why your before-and-after ad was disapproved
Google's clickbait policy lists ads that use "before and after" images to promote significant alterations to the human body as an example of a violation (Google Ads policy). This hits image assets in Performance Max, Demand Gen and Display, and thumbnails in YouTube ads. Google's unreliable claims policy also requires testimonials claiming specific results to carry a visible disclaimer that results vary (unreliable claims).
What works instead on Google: Search ads that send people to a landing page where the gallery sits with proper disclaimers. The ad itself stays text, and the proof lives on the page.
Meta: what passes and what does not
Meta's personal health and appearance policy marks weight-loss before-and-after images, a person on a scale, zoomed-in abs and wrinkle imagery as non-compliant examples (Meta). Ads for cosmetic procedures must also target 18+. Close-ups of pinched fat or body parts are a fast route to rejection. See why Meta rejects clinic ads.
A compliant before-and-after workflow
- Consent form first. Separate written consent for marketing use, stating where the images will appear and for how long. Store it with the patient file.
- Standard photo set-up. Same camera, lens, distance, lighting and background for before and after. Log the settings.
- No retouching. Not even skin smoothing or colour correction that changes the result. Crop only for privacy.
- Write the disclaimer and risks into the image or caption in the same font size.
- Medical director sign-off on every post that names the clinic, and archive it with any edits.
- Decide the channel. Website gallery and organic posts: yes, under DHA rules. Google image ads: no. Meta ads: avoid for body and weight-loss results; check policy for anything else.
- Review annually. When consent expires, take the image down.
Want this done for you?
Access One is the UAE's first Healthcare Google Partner and Dubai's #1 Google Ads agency for healthcare. We build aesthetic and dental campaigns that keep proof on the landing page and ads inside the rules. Get a free ads audit.
Frequently asked questions
Are before-and-after photos allowed in Dubai?
Yes, with the patient's written consent, the same person and lens, no editing, and a statement that results are not guaranteed plus the risks.
Can I use before-and-after images in Google Ads?
Not to promote significant changes to the body. Google's clickbait policy bans them. Use text ads that lead to a compliant gallery on your website.
Can I use filters or edit lighting on before-and-after photos?
No. DHA requires images with no photo-editing or enhancement software, taken with the same lens.
Do I need consent if the patient's face is not shown?
Yes. DHA requires written consent for any patient image used in advertising.
Can I post a patient's before-and-after photo on my international account?
The DHA standard does not allow facilities to feature patients treated in Dubai on their international social media accounts.
Sources
- DHA Standards for Medical Advertisement Content on Social Media
- The National: Dubai aesthetic clinics face disciplinary action over edited images
- Gulf News: Dubai social media rules for doctors and facilities
- Google Ads policy: Clickbait ads
- Google Ads policy: Unreliable claims
- Meta: Personal health and appearance
Published 19 Oct 2026 · Access One
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