Dissatisfied with an aesthetic procedure

Important to know 

• If you are dissatisfied with a procedure, you need to complain to the clinic as promptly as reasonable. 

• Document the problem/complaint as best you can, so that you have evidence of what went wrong. 

• Always go back to the clinic that performed the procedure first before going elsewhere. 

What is meant by “aesthetic procedure”? 

Aesthetic procedures refer to surgical cosmetic interventions and injectable cosmetic treatments used to change the appearance of the patient, such as fillers and Botox. 

This information here does not concern medical treatments for the prevention, investigation, and treatment of diseases and injuries. If you have any questions about such medical treatments or procedures, contact your local health care provider or clinic.  

If you would like guidance on a simple aesthetic treatment such as skin care or nails, read our article on aesthetic beauty treatments. 

Learn more aesthetic treatments (In Swedish)

What are the applicable rules and regulations? 

Law on aesthetic surgical procedures and aesthetic injections 

The Swedish Act (2021:363) on Aesthetic Surgical Procedures and Aesthetic Injection Treatments gives you protection. The statute requires, among other things, that the practitioner performing the procedure is licensed and has specialist skills in the field. 

The clinic is under an obligation to verify the age of the patient; the minimum age to consent to a procedure is 18 years old. Under the law, the clinic is also required to provide information both verbally and in writing. The prospective patient must be informed about the risks the procedure entails, the course of treatment, whether the treatment or procedure needs to be repeated, the expected results, and the aftercare. You must also be given a waiting period for reflection before the procedure is performed. After the reflection, you will be able to provide your consent, which is required before the procedure/treatment may begin. 

Read the full text of the statute on the website of the Swedish Parliament (In Swedish)

The Swedish Patient Injuries Act 

Complying with the provisions of the Patient Injuries Act means that the clinic carrying out the procedure must have insurance to provide coverage in the event you suffer an injury or other bodily harm. If it is a private clinic, you will need to ask which insurance company they have taken out insurance with. If it is a publicly funded clinic, they are insured under the Swedish Patient Insurance Scheme (Löf). 

Read the full text of the statute on the website of the Swedish Parliament (In Swedish)

Further information about the Swedish Patient Insurance Scheme (Löf) 

The Swedish Patient Safety Act 

The intention behind the Swedish Patient Safety Act is to increase patient safety in the provision of medical and health care. 

The statute regulates: 

• the obligations of the health care provider and health care professionals 

• questions of licencing and expertise 

• IVO’s regulatory responsibilities. 

Read the full text of the statute on the website of the Swedish Parliament (In Swedish)

Dissatisfied with the results? 

If you are dissatisfied with the outcome of an aesthetic procedure or injection, you should lodge a complaint with the clinic as soon as you become aware of the issue. You should lodge the complain in writing via sending an e-mail. You then will have evidence that you have contacted the clinic concerning the situation. 

Document the problem

Document the problem as best you can, for example by means of photographs, videos, or a medical certificate from a doctor if needed. 

If you want to pursue a claim, you must be able to establish that the clinic was at fault. For example, you will need to show that you did not get the outcome you and the clinic agreed on.  

Your rights if the procedure goes wrong 

You can expect the procedure to be performed by a licensed practitioner who has the necessary skills and expertise to perform the procedure. 

Sometimes, even if the procedure has been done correctly, the results of an aesthetic procedure may be worse than expected. In such a situation, you will need to read the terms and conditions of the contract to see what you are entitled to. 

If the outcome is poor or does not correspond to what you agreed to, you may be entitled to: 

• a new procedure to correct the problem 

• a reduction in price or a refund 

• reimbursement of the extra costs you incurred to correct the problem. 

To claim a reimbursement for expenses or compensation for damages, you must have receipts to substantiate the extra costs you incurred because of the poor results. 

If you have been injured 

If you have been injured as a result of a procedure, you may be entitled to compensation. The clinic is legally obligated to have insurance to cover such compensation. If it is a private clinic, you will need to ask which insurance company they have taken out insurance with. If it is a publicly funded clinic, they are insured under the Swedish Patient Insurance Scheme (Löf). 

Further information about Löf is available on their website 

Document the injury as best you can, for example with photographs, videos or a medical certificate from a doctor if necessary. If you want to pursue a claim, you must be able to establish that the clinic was at fault. 

If you are not satisfied with the decision of the clinic’s insurance company, you can turn to the Patient Claims Panel. The Patient Claims Panel can examine insurance claims from any insurance company that has issued patient insurance. The decision is only advisory, however it will usually be accepted by the insurance companies. 

Further information about the Patient Claims Panel is available on their website  

If the injury falls outside the scope of the Patient Injuries Act, for example if the injury is due to a substance that was injected, you can instead have the case reviewed by the Swedish Pharmaceutical Insurance.

Further information about the Swedish Pharmaceutical Insurance is available on their website 

Exercising your right of withdrawal or cancelling an appointment for an aesthetic procedure 

Right of withdrawal 

If you book your treatment remotely, for example online, the Swedish Act on Distance Contracts and Off-Premises Contracts applies and you have the right to cancel the booking within 14 days. If you cancel within these 14 days, the clinic is not entitled to charge you, no matter how close it is to the date booked.  

For the Swedish Act on Distance Contracts and Off-Premises Contracts and the right of withdrawal to apply, your booking must have been made through the Clinic’s distance booking system. For example, this could be a web-based booking system or a dedicated telephone number for bookings. 

You do not have a right of withdrawal if you booked the time for the procedure at the clinic itself. 

Cancellation of the appointment

Whether you have a right of withdrawal or not, you can always cancel the appointment for a treatment. However you may not be entitled to a refund of any deposit or other amounts paid.  

At the clinic’s discretion, they may charge a cancellation fee. The charge may be equal to the cost the clinic incurred due to your cancelling the booking. In some circumstances, the cancellation fee may be as much as the cost of the actual treatment. This is quite common if the patient cancels at the last minute and the clinic does not have time to get another client in for your booked appointment. Read the clinic’s cancellation policy to find out what applies. 

If you and the clinic cannot reach a mutually agreed solution 

If you and the clinic cannot reach a mutually agreed solution, in certain situations the National Board for Consumer Disputes (ARN) can review and assess the dispute. However, their jurisdiction over disputes involving injections, surgery, and other cosmetic procedures is limited. 

ARN cannot review the dispute if medical expertise is required. In other words, they will not examine cases resulting from a lack of medical competence or care. They can however hear disputes concerning non-medical matters, for example the right of withdrawal or cancellation charges. 

Further information about how to submit a complaint to ARN 

If the case requires medical expertise, you will need to turn to the Patient Claims Panel to have the dispute examined or a district court to have the dispute adjudicated. The decision of the Patient Claims Panel is only advisory, however it will usually be accepted by the insurance companies. 

Further information about the Patient Claims Panel 

Further information about settling a dispute in court (In Swedish)

If the case and the dispute concern the medication itself, for example what has been injected in you, you have the possibility to have the case assessed by the the Swedish Pharmaceutical Insurance.

Further information about the Swedish Pharmaceutical Insurence

The Health and Social Care Inspectorate (IVO) has regulatory responsibilities 

The Health and Social Care Inspectorate (IVO) is the regulatory authority in this field. If the clinic fails to comply with the law on aesthetic surgical procedures and aesthetic injections, you can tell IVO. 

Register a complaint about healthcare on IVO’s website