Aesthetic Medicine Rules in Singapore: What Patients Should Know

Who regulates aesthetic medicine in Singapore?

Three bodies do most of the work: MOH licenses the clinic, SMC registers and oversees the doctor, and HSA registers the products and devices.

Each check answers a different question. A licensed clinic tells you the premises and service are approved; a registered doctor tells you who may practise; a registered product tells you what goes into your skin. You need all three, which is why how to check an aesthetic clinic licence in Singapore walks through each search.

What does an MOH clinic licence mean under the Healthcare Services Act?

It means the Ministry of Health has licensed the provider to offer a specified healthcare service, such as an outpatient medical service, under the Healthcare Services Act 2020 ^[1,2].

The Act replaced the Private Hospitals and Medical Clinics Act. Under the older law, providers were licensed by physical premises; under the Act, a licence is issued for each service and each mode of delivery ^[2]. It came in by phases: the General and Advertisement Regulations started on 3 January 2022, and outpatient medical and dental services moved across from 26 June 2023 ^[3]. The Act also formalises roles such as a Clinical Governance Officer for selected services ^[2].

To check a licence, MOH points patients to the HealthHub directory, which lists all licensed healthcare service providers in Singapore ^[4]. IN Eternity Clinic’s MOH licence number is MDS/001/252.

What do the SMC Guidelines on Aesthetic Practices say?

They set which aesthetic procedures doctors may offer, in which setting, and what experience or certification each requires ^[6].

The guidelines describe themselves as a framework for risk-adjusted regulatory oversight, not clinical practice guidelines ^[6]. Registration with SMC alone does not allow a doctor to perform aesthetic procedures; the doctor must meet these guidelines as well as any conditions on their registration ^[8]. Conditionally registered doctors are not allowed to engage in aesthetic practice ^[5].

Doctors who are not listed specialists need either the required case experience from the 2006 to 2008 reference period or a Certificate of Competence from an accredited course ^[5,6]. Listed specialists, such as dermatologists and specialists in plastic surgery, do not need the certificate for their listed procedures, but the guidelines say any doctor without enough hands-on training should refrain until they have it ^[6]. A procedure that is not listed cannot simply be added: a doctor must apply to the Aesthetic Practice Oversight Committee for it to be classified first ^[6].

What does the SMC Ethical Code add for aesthetic patients?

Guideline B10 of the 2016 Ethical Code sets extra protections because aesthetic treatment aims at appearance rather than health ^[7].

• Treatments must be shown to be effective and safe, and the practice must be licensed to provide them.
• Doctors must take reasonable care to rule out psychological conditions involving self and body image before treating.
• Risks must be disclosed at a lower threshold than in conventional medicine, beyond the common side effects.
• More invasive or surgical procedures need a reasonable “cooling off” period between consent and treatment.
• Doctors must not exploit insecurities about appearance, and must set realistic expectations when advising or advertising.
• Aesthetic procedures should not be offered to minors or people with diminished mental capacity unless independent professional assessments support it.
• A doctor must not suggest they are a specialist in aesthetic medicine.

These are the reasons a careful consultation asks about your history and expectations, explains uncommon risks, and gives you time to decide. At IN Eternity Clinic that is set out in how we consult and questions to ask your aesthetic doctor.

How does HSA regulate fillers, injections and devices?

HSA requires medical devices and medicines to be registered before they can be supplied in Singapore, with limited exceptions for low-risk devices ^[10,12].

Medical devices are regulated under the Health Products Act and its medical device regulations, and companies that import or supply them need dealer licences ^[10]. A product made only for appearance is not automatically a medical device: HSA’s 2018 guideline regulates a positive list of high-risk aesthetic products, which includes any injectable dermal filler, and its labelling must state a yearly treatment limit ^[11]. Equipment that also has a medical purpose is regulated as a medical device ^[11].

Medicines are therapeutic products, evaluated and approved by HSA before they can be sold; prescription-only medicines must be prescribed by a doctor ^[12]. HSA states that aesthetic injectables such as dermal fillers and botulinum toxin injections must be evaluated and registered before supply, and that only qualified medical practitioners should administer them ^[13]; MOH said the same in a 2023 parliamentary reply ^[14]. How to look a product up yourself is in HSA registration explained, and how the clinic sources products is in how we source injectables.

Why can’t clinics show testimonials, “before” and “after” photos or price offers?

Because the Healthcare Services (Advertisement) Regulations 2021 and SMC’s ethical guidelines restrict them, to stop advertising from creating unrealistic expectations or pressure to buy ^[16,17,7].

The rules apply to licensed providers and the people they authorise to advertise for them, and the licensee is responsible for every advertisement about its services, including online ^[17]. A licensee that finds a non-compliant advertisement must take reasonable steps to correct or withdraw it ^[16]. Reviews that patients post on their own, unpaid and unedited by the clinic, are treated differently from testimonials a clinic publishes ^[17].

SMC’s guideline G2 sets the standard for any medical information in the public domain: factual, accurate, verifiable, not misleading, not unduly persuasive, not sensational, not laudatory and not comparative ^[7]. That is why this website has no patient photographs, no reproduced reviews and no package offers; the reasons are in our editorial policy, and fees are explained on fees and what is included.

Who may perform which aesthetic procedures in Singapore?

Doctors may perform the procedures listed in the SMC guidelines once they meet its experience or certification requirements; injectables should only be given by qualified medical practitioners ^[6,13].

The SMC guidelines are written for doctors and list where each procedure may be done: most non-invasive and injectable procedures in a clinic, and some laser and invasive procedures in a clinic or operating theatre ^[6]. They do not describe treatments by beauty therapists. Outside medical practice, HSA’s guideline notes that NEA licenses people and facilities handling certain radiation-emitting equipment ^[11]. The practical differences between a clinic and a salon are explained in aesthetic clinic vs beauty salon.

At IN Eternity Clinic, Medical Director Dr Sin Yong assesses every patient and performs injectable treatments himself. What an aesthetic doctor does, and how to check one, is set out in aesthetic doctor in Singapore.

How can you check a clinic and a doctor before treatment?

Use three free official searches: the clinic on HealthHub, the doctor on the SMC register, and the product on HSA Infosearch ^[4,9,15].

1. Find the clinic in the HealthHub directory of licensed providers, and check that the name and address match what you were given.
2. Search the doctor on SMC’s “Search for Registered Doctors” by full name or MCR number; doctors are listed while they hold a valid practising certificate ^[9].
3. Ask which product will be used, look up the brand on HSA Infosearch (the Singapore Medical Device Register for fillers and devices, the Register of Therapeutic Products for medicines), and ask for the batch to be recorded in your notes ^[15].
4. Ask who performs the treatment, what happens if something goes wrong, and who you can reach afterwards.

The full walk-through, with the official links, is how to check an aesthetic clinic licence in Singapore. Warning signs worth walking away from are in aesthetic clinic red flags, and a wider guide is how to choose an aesthetic clinic in Singapore.

Frequently asked questions

Book an assessment

IN Eternity Clinic, 9 Scotts Road, #12-01 Pacific Plaza, Singapore 228210. By appointment with Medical Director Dr Sin Yong. Monday to Saturday, 11am to 8pm. WhatsApp or call +65 8815 3008. At IN Eternity Clinic a consultation fee applies, and it is waived if you go ahead with any medical treatment; the fee is S$120.