Guide
Informed consent in aesthetic medicine: what it must include
In aesthetic medicine, informed consent isn’t just another formality: it’s the document that determines a dispute. The procedure is elective; the patient chooses to undergo a treatment they could do without. When the result doesn’t meet expectations, the question is always the same: what were they told, and who can prove it?
A one-size-fits-all form, downloaded once and signed in the waiting room, is the weakest point in a practice. Not because it’s illegal, but because it contains nothing specific to that procedure, and therefore proves nothing.
The substance
Six things an aesthetic consent must state
Who performs the procedure, and with what qualifications
The patient has the right to know who’s performing the procedure, not just the name of the clinic.
What the procedure involves
Described in understandable terms, not with the product’s commercial name.
Risks and complications of that procedure
Specific. “Possible adverse effects” isn’t a risk: it’s a formula.
Alternatives, including the option of doing nothing
This matters more in aesthetic medicine: the option to refrain is almost always viable.
The expected outcome and its limitations
This is the first thing case law on aesthetic medicine looks at, and what generic forms skip.
What happens if the result isn’t satisfactory
Touch-ups, timelines, costs. Discussed upfront, not negotiated later.
Common mistakes
Four ways to have a consent that doesn’t hold up
- 01
The single template
The same for botulinum toxin and laser. If it fits everything, it describes nothing.
- 02
Signing in the waiting room
Signed while waiting, without anyone having spoken to her.
- 03
The outcome presented as guaranteed
Listing benefits as certainties is the riskiest stance in aesthetic medicine.
- 04
The missing date
An informed consent without a date and without traceability is a statement that cannot be placed in time.
How Fibonacci addresses this
One form per procedure, signed in the clinic
Select the procedure and the form displays its risks, alternatives, and expected outcome. The patient signs on the tablet after reading, you countersign, and the document is recorded in the registry with a verified date and time.
Templates are a structure, not legal advice. The clinical content must be reviewed by your specialist and your lawyer: the app reminds you every time, not just on this page.
