Black Friday Deals in Medical Aesthetics: Are They Ethical, Legal, and Good for Business?
As Black Friday approaches each year, aesthetic practitioners often find themselves asking the same question:
“Should I do Black Friday deals?”
The topic sparks lively debate across the industry.
Some practitioners believe that discounting clinical treatments undermines the “medical” element of aesthetics and encourages patients to make poor decisions. Others argue that, when done correctly, Black Friday promotions can be both ethical, commercially beneficial and are a good lead generation tool to attract loyal clients.
So, are Black Friday offers inappropriate—or can they be an effective part of a well-managed sales and marketing strategy?
Read on to explore some practical, ethical, and regulatory considerations to help you decide whether Black Friday deals are right for you and your clinic.
Understanding the Rules: What You Can’t Promote
Before taking a look at the commercial benefits, it’s essential to understand the legal and regulatory landscape. In the UK, Prescription-Only Medicines (POMs) cannot be advertised or promoted under any circumstances, including via discounts or time-limited offers. This falls under MHRA and ASA guidelines.
This means treatments involving medicines such as Botulinum Toxin (Botox) must always be excluded from any Black Friday promotion—not just from pricing but also from marketing visuals, captions, or implied incentives.
Failing to follow these rules can result in investigations, fines, and reputational harm. So any compliant Black Friday strategy must strictly exclude POM-based treatments.
What Can Be Safely Included in Black Friday Deals?
Many aesthetic treatments do not involve the use of POMs and therefore can be part of a legally compliant Black Friday promotion. Examples include:
Skin peels
Microneedling
Facials and hydrafacials
Laser and energy-based device treatments
LED therapy
Body contouring treatments
Hair removal
Skin boosters not classed as POMs
Providing offers on these treatments is completely acceptable from a regulatory standpoint—so long as your marketing remains ethical, balanced, and avoids pressuring clients into making rushed decisions.
The Ethics of Black Friday in Aesthetics
There’s a common misconception that offering promotions equates to lowering professional standards. This isn’t necessarily true. Ethical concerns usually arise when:
Discounts encourage impulse decisions for high-risk or appearance-changing procedures
Clients feel pressured by time-limited offers
Clinics using misleading wording, before-and-after images, or unrealistic claims
Promotions devalue medical work or undermine client safety
However, when structured responsibly, Black Friday can:
✓ Support clients already considering treatment
✓ Can be structured to reward your most loyal clients
✓ Increase awareness of lower-risk treatment options
✓ Encourage skin health and maintenance
✓Make it more affordable for clients to invest in courses of treatments like laser hair removal
✓ Grow revenue in a regulated, patient-centred way
The key is ensuring promotions never compromise patient safety, medical judgment, or clinical integrity.
Five Key Considerations Before Launching a Black Friday Campaign
1. Exclude all POM-related treatments
A non-negotiable. Ensure all promotional materials clearly focus on non-POM services. Avoid euphemisms or “hinting” at injectables.
2. Avoid incentivising major appearance changes
Steer clear of promotions on treatments that could alter facial proportions or create significant visual changes. Safer choices include skin health treatments and low-risk modalities.
3. Calculate your ROI
A discount isn’t a strategy unless it still contributes to your bottom line.
Review:
Cost per treatment
Product and consumables
Staff time
Profit margin
Client lifetime value
Only run offers that your clinic can sustainably support.
4. Clearly define the terms
Transparency prevents disputes and protects your reputation. Clearly state:
What is included
What is excluded
How long the offer runs
How many sessions must be redeemed by when
Whether the deal can be gifted or transferred
Ambiguity is one of the fastest ways to create client dissatisfaction.
5. Consider value-add offers instead of discounts
Percentage discounts can erode margins. Value-enhancing promotions often convert better while maintaining profitability. For example:
Buy 3 sessions, get 3 free (for devices with low consumable cost)
Free chemical peel with a skin booster course
Skincare bundle included with a microneedling package
Complimentary LED session after each laser treatment
These feel generous to clients but don’t devalue your pricing structure.
Are Black Friday Deals Right for Your Aesthetic Clinic?
Ultimately, Black Friday isn’t inherently unprofessional—it simply needs to be done right!
A compliant, well-thought-out offer can:
Increase bookings
Boost pre-Christmas revenue
Introduce clients to new treatments
Encourage long-term skin health
Strengthen client loyalty
As long as you follow regulatory guidelines and maintain high ethical standards, Black Friday can be a powerful marketing tool—not a compromise to your professionalism.