Before and After Photos on Websites- Permission Needed to Post Them!

“Before and After” photos are the most popular spots on plastic surgery websites, mine included. There are some secrets behind them.

1- The images should not be altered. I think that covering sensitive areas, consistent cropping, removing tattoos, etc., are OK, but the images should NOT be so photoshopped as to make them fake or unrecognizable.

2- Patients will be asked to sign a release form, so that their photos can be used for education purposes, journals, seminars, and websites.

3- Patients should expect the photos to have no identifying marks on them. A simple thing would be that the photo is relabeled “Patient #3″ or something similar, as opposed to the date of photo, patient name, etc.

4- I think that it’s easier to get breast and body photos on my website, and harder to get face photos. Patients are obviously concerned about privacy, and even though a plastic surgery website may not have that much traffic, it’s still someone’s face. I’m always grateful and thankful is a patient allows me to post their before and after results on my website.

5- Obviously, before and after photos may simply be the “best results“, and not necessarily “every result and procedure” ever done by a plastic surgeon.

Here’s an example of a possible celebrity who may or may not have been in the news recently. Distinctive tattoos may have been the indicator here.