Dermatology nurse practitioner Emmanuel Toni argues against before and after images in marketing
Before and after photographs are the cornerstone of aesthetics marketing. Scroll through any clinic’s social media feed, and you’ll find a parade of transformations – skin clearer, lips fuller, faces ‘refreshed’. Such posts can help showcase some of your proudest outcomes and translate into additional customers. But beneath the glossy surface lies a serious problem. In my view, these images are often misleading, subtly manipulated through lighting or posture, and rooted in a culture of comparison and shame.
The illusion of objectivity
At first glance, before and after images appear to offer objective evidence – a simple ‘then and now’. They are seemingly useful tools for promoting procedures, highlighting how treatment plans progress and, most importantly, tempting patients with the results they could achieve.
However, there are no universal standards for how these photos are taken. Small changes in lighting, posture, facial expression, camera angle, image quality or even the use of filters can…
