Short answer
Save the original material with its source, date and context before it changes or disappears. Preserve the complete page or message—not only a cropped image—and compare it later with your contract, consent and treatment records. Marketing material can be relevant context, but it does not alone prove negligence or guarantee compensation.
Updated: 25 September 2026. This is general legal information, not advice on an individual matter.
Why the original context matters
Before travelling for cosmetic treatment, a patient may see a clinic webpage, a social-media post, a before-and-after gallery, a written quote or a message about a proposed result. If a later dispute arises, those materials can help show what information was presented and by whom. Their significance depends on the exact words, the date, the account or company responsible, the contract and the clinical circumstances.
Preserving a page is not the same as proving that every image or statement was a guarantee. A photograph may be illustrative, may relate to another patient or may have been accompanied by qualifications elsewhere on the page. Keep the context and let a legal reviewer assess it.
Türkiye’s current Regulation on Promotion and Information Activities in Health Services was published on 12 November 2025. Whether a particular communication falls within that framework, which version applied when it was published, and what follows from it are legal questions. This article focuses on preserving material, not determining that a provider breached a rule.
What to save before it changes
- The full webpage address, page title, date accessed and the clinic or account name displayed.
- A full-page screenshot or saved PDF that includes headings, captions, disclaimers, dates and nearby text.
- The original image or video file when available, plus the page where it appeared and any caption.
- Messages, email proposals, price quotes and booking confirmations in their original format.
- Attachments, brochures, treatment plans and versions of consent documents sent before travel.
- Evidence showing who sent the material: email address, phone number, official account or company domain.
- Any later correction, removal, revised page or explanation, preserved with its date.
Do not edit or annotate the source copy. If you need to explain why something matters, create a separate note and link it to the original file.
How to capture online material responsibly
Take a screenshot that shows enough of the page to identify its source and wording. Record the URL separately because a screenshot may not show the complete address. Save a PDF or print view where that preserves the surrounding text better. For social posts, retain the account name, post date, caption, comments only if relevant, and the direct post link.
Do not try to access a private account, bypass a login, impersonate someone or obtain another patient’s private records. Avoid reposting another patient’s before-and-after images. Store your evidence privately and share it only through a channel the legal team confirms is appropriate.
Where the material may disappear and has substantial importance, ask a Turkish lawyer whether a formal method of preservation is appropriate. A self-made screenshot can help with a preliminary review but may not resolve authenticity or admissibility questions.
Compare the material with the actual treatment documents
Make a comparison table rather than writing a conclusion. For each statement or image, record: what it says; where it appeared; when you saw it; which organisation or person published it; and which document describes the actual procedure. Include differences between the proposed plan and what the consent form or operation report records.
Be precise about words such as “guaranteed,” “permanent,” “scar-free” or “natural.” Quote the exact phrase and keep any conditions or nearby explanation. A broad promotional phrase may be understood differently from a specific written statement made for your own case.
Then note what happened after treatment using dates and records, not only an opinion about appearance. A medical assessment may be needed to explain the clinical outcome; a legal review can consider the communications alongside the evidence.
Why advertising evidence is only one part of a review
A legal assessment may need to consider who provided the treatment, what was discussed, what the patient agreed to, what care was delivered, and whether a medically and legally relevant loss followed. Marketing material may contribute context, but it does not replace the clinical file or establish causation on its own.
Keep a separate folder for pre-treatment marketing, contracts and payment, medical records, and post-treatment communications. If the clinic later offers a refund or revision in exchange for signing a document, see our guide on reviewing a release before accepting an offer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are clinic before-and-after photos proof of malpractice?
No. They can help document what was presented, but they do not by themselves prove what happened in your treatment or establish a legal claim.
What if the webpage has been deleted?
Keep any copy you lawfully saved, its URL, access date and related messages. Ask a lawyer whether further preservation steps are appropriate.
Should I post the clinic’s material online?
Usually preserve it privately first. Public posting can expose personal or third-party information and may complicate a dispute.
Does a health-service advertising rule guarantee compensation?
No. A regulatory issue and a civil compensation claim are not the same question. Each requires its own legal and factual assessment.
Official sources
The links below provide primary legal or government materials relevant to this guide. Their application to an individual case depends on its facts and the rules in force.
- Regulation on Promotion and Information Activities in Health Services, Official Gazette, 12 November 2025Official legal or government source. Check the current text before relying on it.
- Patient Rights Regulation (Hasta Hakları Yönetmeliği), Articles 15–18Official legal or government source. Check the current text before relying on it.
- Turkish Code of Obligations (Law No. 6098), official consolidated textOfficial legal or government source. Check the current text before relying on it.
Related reading
Request a case review
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