The before/after photo is the most persuasive piece of marketing a med spa has — nothing converts a hesitant patient like seeing a real result — and it's simultaneously the most common compliance landmine in the building. The same image that closes a consult can trigger a privacy complaint, a board inquiry, and a platform takedown, sometimes from a single careless post. The answer is not to stop using before/afters; they're too valuable, and used correctly they're entirely legitimate. The answer is to post them in a way that survives the three different authorities looking at them: your patient's privacy rights, your state board's advertising rules, and the social platform's content policies.
This is general education for owners, not legal advice. Confirm consent and advertising practices with counsel and your board's rules.