Aesthetic medicine in Belgium: what the law guarantees you

A medical act, reserved for doctors

Injecting botulinum toxin or hyaluronic acid, performing a medical peel: these are non-surgical aesthetic medical procedures. The law reserves them for doctors; dentists may perform some of them inside the mouth. A beautician may not inject. A nurse may assist the doctor (preparation, asepsis, monitoring), but the injection remains the doctor's act.

You can check that a doctor is authorised to practise: INAMI/RIZIV offers a public search of healthcare providers, by name or by INAMI number.

Complete information before any procedure

Before the treatment, the doctor must inform you in particular of:

• the technique used;
• the major possible risks;
• the product injected: its name, its characteristics, the quantity, and the manufacturer's contact details;
• his or her identity and professional title;
• the cost, with a detailed estimate when it exceeds 1,000 euros (indexed amount).

This information is set out in a written report, dated and signed by you and by the doctor. For a series of identical sessions, a single report is enough.

Time to think

For aesthetic surgery, the law requires at least fifteen days between the consultation and the operation. This legal period does not apply to injections. Nothing obliges you to decide on the same day, though: you can always leave with the written information and take time to think it over.

Minors

An aesthetic procedure on a minor is only possible with the written consent of the legal representative and after a prior consultation with a psychiatrist or psychologist, whose written report is added to the file. At the practice, online booking is for adults only.

Information, not advertising

The law prohibits advertising for aesthetic procedures. A doctor may inform, provided the information is truthful, objective, relevant, verifiable, discreet and clear. It may be neither misleading nor comparative, and may not use financial arguments. The Constitutional Court has specified that before-and-after photographs or testimonials amount to prohibited advertising when they appear in general communication. That is why you will not find them on this website.

Insurance

The doctor must tell you whether or not he or she has insurance covering professional liability. The code of medical ethics requires doctors to have it.

Questions to ask

• Who performs the injection, and with what title?
• Which product, in what quantity, with which batch number?
• What are the risks, and what happens in case of a complication?
• How is the follow-up organised after the treatment?
• Can I receive the information in writing and take time to think?