Don't let social media advertising go over your head

With this year's lockdown, one thing is certain: aesthetic practitioners have become more reliant on social media as a tool for keeping in touch with both regular and potential patients. Many have reported creative and innovative ways of using social media as an effective business tool in the face of such uncertainty, including Instagram live videos demonstrating skincare products and answering any questions posed by patients (Ayodele, 2020). The rise of video call platforms such as House Party and Zoom also led to the introduction of webinars and virtual consultations (Singh, 2020), paving the path even further for technological advances and artificial intelligence (AI) in dermatology. However, as many know, unethical advertising in rampant on such platforms, and especially on Instagram. The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) and the Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP) have rules regarding botulinum toxin and not advertising it to patients.