A recent ruling by the German Federal Court of Justice (BGH) has placed restrictions on advertising for hyaluronic acid filler treatments targeting the nose and chin. The decision, published on Thursday, stems from a lawsuit filed by a consumer protection agency against a medical practice that utilized before-and-after imagery in its promotional materials on its website and Instagram.
Previously, the Higher Regional Court of Hamm had sided with the consumer protection agency, finding that the practice’s advertising violated the German Medicines Advertising Act. The medical practice subsequently appealed the decision, but the Federal Court of Justice has now rejected this appeal, upholding the lower court’s ruling.
The court affirmed that the treatments in question constitute a form of cosmetic surgical intervention, for which advertising is prohibited from featuring comparative depictions of a patient’s physical condition before and after the procedure (Case I ZR 170/24, dated July 21, 2025). This decision clarifies the boundaries of permissible advertising within the cosmetic treatment sector and underscores the legal limitations on showcasing visible results.