Can doctors post before-and-after photos under the NMC 2026 guidelines?

What do the NMC guidelines say about before-and-after images?

The guidelines bar before-and-after images and success stories in the promotion of medical services. They sit in the same list as testimonials, inducements and "best" claims. Because "advertisement" covers social posts, reels, sponsored content and search ads, an Instagram carousel of results is treated as promotion.

The source is the National Medical Commission, "Guidelines on Ethical Advertising and Public Communication", read with the 2002 Regulations. ASCI's code for healthcare advertising also expects claims and visuals not to mislead, so the same image can draw complaints from more than one direction.

Can doctors advertise on social media instead?

Doctors may post on social media, but the content must be genuinely educational and carry their name, qualifications and registration number. Self-promotion, testimonials, results photos and offers are out. The clinic's own account can share factual service information, facilities, timings and awareness content.

For aesthetic and dermatology practices, the shift is from "look what we did" to "here is what you should know". It is a different content rhythm, not an end to social media.

How to promote a skin clinic without before-and-after photos

Promote a skin clinic with education, credentials and local visibility. Explain conditions and procedures in plain language, show qualified doctors and real facilities, answer the questions people type into Google and ChatGPT, and keep your Google Business Profile accurate. Avoid outcome promises, offers and results imagery.

1. Condition explainers. Acne scarring, pigmentation, hair fall: causes, options and when to see a dermatologist.
2. Candidate guides. Who a procedure suits, who it does not, and what recovery involves.
3. Myth versus fact posts. Short, quotable, in Hindi and regional languages where your patients search in them.
4. Facility content. The clinic, equipment and hygiene process, shown plainly.
5. Search and maps. Service pages for each treatment and an up-to-date Google Business Profile.

Our dermatology marketing service runs this education-first model for skin and hair clinics. For ad copy specifically, see how to write ASCI-clean cosmetic clinic ad copy.

What are good dental posts for Instagram now?

Good dental Instagram posts now explain rather than show results. Think brushing and flossing technique, what happens during a root canal, how aligners work, signs that need a dentist, and a tour of the sterilisation process. Each post should be accurate, simple and useful to someone deciding whether to visit.

Dentists are regulated by the Dental Council of India, not the NMC, and the DCI's own code restricts advertising too. The practical answer is the same: drop smile-makeover before-and-after grids and lead with education.

A simple weekly content mix

• One explainer: a procedure or condition, in under a minute of video or a short carousel.
• One question answered: taken from what patients ask at the front desk or on WhatsApp.
• One myth corrected: short and quotable, with a clear "see a dentist if" line.
• One clinic post: timings, a new facility, a hygiene step or a team introduction with credentials.

This mix keeps the feed active without any results imagery. It also builds a library of answers that can rank on Google and be cited by AI Overviews and ChatGPT when someone asks a dental question in your city. Clinics that post results grids often find their feed looks the same as every other clinic nearby. Education is where a practice can actually sound different.

What should you do with existing results photos?

Take them down from promotional surfaces: the website, ad accounts, pinned posts, highlights, Google Business Profile photos and WhatsApp catalogues. Keep clinical photos only in patient records, taken with consent and handled as the DPDP Act 2023 requires for personal data. Record what you removed and when.

ICG's free NMC compliance audit reviews your website and handles and flags images and claims to change. Related reading: can clinics use patient testimonials?

This summary reflects the rules as of October 2026 and is not legal advice. Confirm specific cases with your counsel or council.

Detailed answers