Two things to check before getting injections, thread lifts, or surgery: does the facility’s license list “medical aesthetics,” and is the practitioner a licensed attending physician?

Any procedure that involves needles, surgery, or medical devices — meaning anything that breaks the skin or enters the body — is considered medical treatment. Such procedures may only be performed at facilities whose licenses explicitly list “medical aesthetics,” and only by registered attending physicians. Performing them in beauty salons, private studios, or hotel rooms is illegal medical practice: in serious cases, offenders face up to three years in prison; if they cause injury, three to ten years; if they result in death, more than ten years.

There is no cost involved. Checking these two documents takes only a few minutes. The clinic should display its “Medical Institution Practice License” in the lobby. A doctor’s qualifications can be verified via the health authority’s online registry of licensed physicians.

Article 2 of the “Administrative Measures for Medical Aesthetic Services” defines medical aesthetics as “the use of surgery, drugs, medical devices, and other invasive or traumatic medical techniques to repair and reshape a person’s appearance and body contours.” In simpler terms, any procedure that breaks the skin or introduces needles or devices into the body qualifies as medical treatment. Articles 8 and 24 stipulate that a facility must first obtain a “Medical Institution Practice License” and be approved for medical aesthetic services before conducting such procedures; if “medical aesthetics” is not listed on the license, the practice is prohibited. Article 11 requires attending physicians to hold valid licenses and be registered; those performing cosmetic surgery must have at least six years of relevant clinical experience, cosmetic dentistry five years, and cosmetic traditional Chinese medicine or dermatology three years each. Article 20 mandates that patients receive written explanations of indications, contraindications, risks, and precautions prior to consent. Article 336 of the Criminal Law criminalizes illegal medical practice — performing injections, surgery, or treatment without proper licensing. Penalties range from up to three years imprisonment for minor offenses to three to ten years for causing injury, and more than ten years for resulting in death.

Article 16 of the same regulations further specifies that medical aesthetic procedures may only be conducted at licensed medical aesthetic facilities or at hospitals/clinics with designated medical aesthetic departments. Therefore, performing injections at a patient’s home or in a private studio already violates regulations. Article 20 also requires parental consent for minors undergoing such treatments. Routine beauty services such as facials, massages, or nail care fall outside this regulatory framework; however, any procedure involving needles or surgery remains classified as medical aesthetics.

卫生部 (2002). 医疗美容服务管理办法（卫生部令第 19 号，第二条、第八条、第十一条、第十六条、第二十条、第二十四条）. http://www.gov.cn/gongbao/content/2003/content_62198.htm；全国人大 (1997). 刑法（第三百三十六条）. https://www.spp.gov.cn/spp/fl/201802/t20180206_364975.shtml