Why it matters
The question a website cannot answer
Someone has been thinking about it for months and finally asks at half past ten: am I a good candidate, how many units would I need, and can I see your before-and-afters.
All three are questions a clinic answers at a consultation, with a face in front of it. A chatbot that answers them anyway has made a treatment claim, an individualised dosing claim and an implied results claim, in one message, on behalf of a clinic that is regulated by a medical board.
This says the consultation decides, says what your pages say about the treatment, and books it. The enquiry converts and nobody has promised anything.
- 10,488medical spas were operating in the US, up from 8,899 the year before.American Med Spa Association, 2024 Medical Spa State of the Industry
- 81%of medical spas are a single location. Four out of five have no night receptionist and no marketing department, which is exactly the business a website that answers at 11pm is worth most to.American Med Spa Association, 2024 Medical Spa State of the Industry
- Doesn't cureis the FTC's verdict on the 'results not typical' disclaimer: it does not fix a deceptive claim. A before-and-after image needs a clear disclosure of what a typical client can expect, which is why the assistant offers neither photos nor promises.FTC, Health Products Compliance Guidance
Example conversation
A candidacy question at half ten
- I'm 34 with frown lines. Am I a good candidate for injectables, and how many units would I need?
Two questions only a consultation can answer
- That's exactly what the consultation is for, and ours is free and takes about half an hour. I wouldn't want to guess at whether a treatment suits you or how much of it you'd need. Would you like me to get you booked in?
No candidacy judgement, no dose, no outcome
- Can you send me your before-and-after photos? Your site says results are guaranteed for a year.
- I'm not able to send photos or promise how long anything lasts. The team can talk you through what to expect at the consultation, where they can actually look at you. What's your name and the best number?
Never offers a gallery, never repeats a guarantee
- Marta Kovac, 555-0192. I'm 12 weeks pregnant, is the peel still okay?
- That's a question for the clinician rather than me, and they'll go through it with you before anything is booked in. I've passed your details on and someone will call.
No medical reassurance, and the detail isn't written into the lead
- New enquiry · Marta Kovac · 555-0192 · New client · Asked about injectables and a peel · Wants a consultation
Texted and emailed to you, with no medical detail in it
What customers ask
What clients ask before they book
- How much is a treatment?
- Do I need a consultation first?
- How much downtime is there afterwards?
- Am I a good candidate for this?
- Who would be doing the treatment?
- How do I book an appointment?
- What are your opening hours?
- How long do the results last?
It answers these from your own website, and hands over any it can't.
What it does
What it does for you
Sends candidacy and dosing to the consultation
It never says someone is a good candidate, how many units or sessions they'd need, or how long a result lasts. It says the consultation decides, and books it.
Offers no photographs and repeats no testimonials
Not even the ones on your own website. Your gallery can carry the disclosures the FTC expects around it; a chat message lifting an image out of that context cannot.
Never asks about medical history
No medications, no pregnancy, no skin conditions, no previous treatments, and nothing about what someone dislikes about their appearance. Volunteered details are neither repeated back nor written into the lead.
Knows which post-treatment symptoms are urgent
Difficulty breathing, swelling of the face or throat, vision changes, skin turning white or grey and painful, or severe pain get told to call 911. Everything else gets told to contact the clinic straight away.
Rules it follows
Claim and privacy rules it follows
No outcome, no duration, no dose
It never says what a treatment will do for someone, how long it will last, how many sessions they need, or that they're a good candidate. A consultation decides all four.
No guarantees, and no disclaimer to hide behind
It never says results are guaranteed, permanent, dramatic or typical. The FTC requires competent and reliable scientific evidence for a health or beauty claim, and states that attempts to disclaim dramatic results with 'results not typical' don't cure the deception. So the claim isn't made at all.
No before-and-after photos, no testimonials
It never describes, offers or points to before-and-after images, and never repeats a testimonial or review, even one on your own site. A before-and-after needs a clear disclosure of what a typical client can expect, proximate to the claim, which a chat reply cannot provide.
FDA language only as you publish it
It never says a product or device is FDA approved or cleared, or approved for a particular use, beyond repeating your website's own words.
Never safe, never painless, never no downtime
It never calls a treatment safe, risk-free, painless, free of downtime or free of side effects.
No medical advice, and no medical questions
It never says whether a treatment is suitable alongside a pregnancy, a medication, a skin condition or a previous reaction, and it never asks about any of them. Where a client volunteers one, it doesn't repeat it back or put it in the lead.
Urgent symptoms go to emergency care
Difficulty breathing, swelling of the face or throat, changes to vision, skin turning white or grey and painful, or severe pain after a treatment get told to call 911. Anything else gets told to contact the clinic immediately.
Practitioners only as named on your site
It never names a doctor as the supervising physician, or says who will carry out a treatment, unless your website names them.
Prices as published, no cancellation deadlines
It quotes prices, packages and memberships only as your site publishes them, and never states a cancellation or refund deadline.
What reaches you
What reaches your phone
Each enquiry arrives by text and email with what you need to call back, and nothing medical.
- Name
- Marta Kovac
- Phone
- 555-0192
- New or existing
- New client
- Interest
- Injectables and a peel
- Wants
- A consultation
- Best time
- Evenings
Your tools
Works alongside your practice software
- Boulevard
- Aesthetic Record
- Zenoti
- Mangomint
Questions
Common questions
Will it tell someone whether a treatment is right for them?
No. Candidacy, dosing and how long a result lasts are all consultation questions, and it says so and books the consultation. A chatbot answering them has made an individualised treatment claim for a clinic a medical board regulates.
We have a before-and-after gallery. Why won't it share it?
Because a before-and-after showing dramatic results needs a clear disclosure of what a typical client can expect, sitting right next to it. Your gallery page can carry that; a chat message lifting an image out of it can't. The FTC is explicit that a 'results not typical' line doesn't fix the problem either.
Does it ask clients about their medical history?
Never. Not medications, not pregnancy, not skin conditions, not previous treatments. If a client volunteers something anyway, it doesn't repeat it back and doesn't write it into the enquiry you receive. Your consultation is where that conversation belongs.
What does it do if someone reports a problem after a treatment?
Tells them to contact the clinic straight away. If they mention difficulty breathing, swelling of the face or throat, vision changes, skin turning white or grey and painful, or severe pain, it tells them to call 911 first.
Will it quote treatment prices?
Only the ones your website publishes, exactly as published. It won't build a package price, estimate a course, or state a deposit or cancellation deadline.
Can it say who'll be doing the treatment?
Only if your site names them. It never names a supervising physician your website doesn't name, and never promises a particular injector will be the one in the room.
Can it book consultations?
Yes. It sends clients to your booking page, or offers real free times from your Google Calendar, and texts you the enquiry either way.
More business types
Built for other businesses too
- HVAC, plumbing and electrical
- Dentists
- Salons and spas
- Real estate agents
- Law firms
- Accountants and CPA firms
- Gyms and fitness studios
- Driving schools
- Tutors and tutoring centers
- Veterinary clinics
- Auto repair shops
- Medical clinics
- Roofing contractors
- Pest control
- Solar installers
- Cleaning services
- Moving companies
- Home improvement fitters
- Physiotherapy and chiropractic
- Nurseries and childcare
- Insurance and mortgage brokers
- Online stores
- B2B SaaS companies
- Fintech companies