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Plastic surgeon TikTok: formats that build trust, and the license case every surgeon should know
Updated 3 November 2026 · Written by Reyansh Juneja and Naman Dhiman, the co-founders of SOVE7GN, who run the campaigns and review the clips
A plastic surgeon should be on TikTok to answer the questions patients are already asking there, with the surgeon on camera explaining risks, recovery and candidacy in plain words. What a surgeon should never do is film for TikTok while operating: in 2023 Ohio's medical board permanently revoked a plastic surgeon's license after she livestreamed parts of patients' surgeries on the app.
Short answer: Post comment replies, Stitches that correct a trend claim, recovery explainers, honest risk clips and "would I do this?" answers, all with the surgeon talking and no patient in frame. Add a risk line to any clip that shows a procedure or result, because TikTok bars under-18s from viewing cosmetic surgery promotion without risk warnings. Never livestream from the operating room. Name your certifying board in full. General information, not legal advice. Checked 3 November 2026.
What happened with the surgeon who lost her license over TikTok?
This is the case behind the autocomplete search "plastic surgeon tiktok lost license". On 12 July 2023 the State Medical Board of Ohio permanently revoked the license of Dr. Katharine Grawe, known online as "Dr. Roxy". According to CBS News, the board found she neglected patients while livestreaming parts of their surgeries, talking to the camera and answering viewer questions during procedures; its notice cited three patients who suffered severe complications and needed intensive care, and the board had warned her about patient privacy as early as 2018. Her license had been suspended the previous November.
The lesson is not "stay off TikTok". It is that the camera can never compete with the patient for the surgeon's attention. Our cautious reading for any practice:
- No livestreams from the operating room or the procedure room, by the surgeon or by staff.
- Any surgical footage is filmed by a separate person, under a written practice policy, with a signed patient authorization that covers social media, and edited later.
- The surgeon answers viewer questions after the operation, never during it.
Which TikTok formats work for plastic surgeons?
| Format | Example opening line | The rule to watch |
|---|---|---|
| Reply to a comment | "You asked how long tummy tuck swelling lasts. In my practice, here is the usual pattern." | Answer the general question, never the commenter's own body |
| Stitch a trend claim | "This video says a BBL heals in a week. Let me show you what recovery really involves." | Correct the claim, never mock the creator |
| Would I do this? | "Rhinoplasty at 17: here is what I tell parents." | Speak in general terms, and think about the audience age |
| Recovery explainer | "Week one after a breast augmentation, step by step." | Your own protocol; no promised timeline |
| Honest risk clip | "The three complications I warn every facelift patient about." | Plain words, no "risk free"; more in facelift marketing |
| Credentials explained | "What 'board certified' means, and how to check it." | Name the board in full |
| Before-and-after, with consent | "Same light, same angle, 6 months apart." | Procedure named, results line, authorization on file |
Comment replies and Stitches are built for reach, because the viewer already cares about the claim being answered. Recovery and risk clips do less for reach and more for consults, because they show the surgeon's judgment. A good week has both.
What does TikTok's own rule on cosmetic surgery mean?
TikTok's guidelines bar users under 18 from viewing videos that promote cosmetic surgery without warning of the risks, including before-and-after images and procedure footage, as reported by CBS News in July 2025. TikTok's site would not load from our office on 3 November 2026, so check its current Community Guidelines yourself before relying on the detail. The same CBS test found such videos were still reachable from a teen test account, so do not treat the platform's filter as your protection.
Our cautious reading: put a risk line on screen in any clip that shows a procedure, a result or a price, such as "All surgery carries risks. Book a consult to discuss yours." It costs one line and keeps the clip on the right side of the rule. In the UK, cosmetic intervention ads may not be targeted at under-18s at all (ASA cosmetic surgery advice), and TikTok's ad policy treats surgery ads differently by country; our med spa TikTok page has that table.
Can surgeons post surgery footage on TikTok?
Carefully, and less than you might think. Our cautious reading is to keep graphic open-surgery footage off TikTok: it falls under the risk-warning rule above, it can upset viewers who came for the explanation, and it raises consent questions. The clips that build trust are the surgeon at the whiteboard, the surgeon in clinic, and the patient's recovery told with consent. If you do show procedure footage, our plastic surgeon YouTube channel page covers how to handle graphic content on the platform built for long explanations, and the TikTok version can link there.
What wording rules apply on TikTok?
The same as everywhere else, because a clip that promotes your practice is an ad.
- Board certification. California lets a physician say "board certified" only with the full name of the certifying board (B&P 651). Our cautious reading is to follow that in every state: "certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery" on screen and in the bio.
- No superlatives. The ASPS lists "Dr. X is the best plastic surgeon in" and "the #1 breast surgeon in" as problematic unsubstantiated statements (ASPS advertisers guidelines).
- Injectors on the team. Nurses posting from their own accounts also answer to nursing board guidance on patient images; see nurse injector TikTok.
- No fear hooks. The same guidelines bar "appealing to the layperson's fears, anxieties, or emotional vulnerabilities", which rules out most "fix your [body part]" trends.
- Typical results. The FTC reads a featured result as typical unless you disclose otherwise (16 CFR 255.2).
- Music. TikTok moved verified business accounts to its royalty-free Commercial Music Library in 2020 (Social Media Today). Talking clips need no trending sound.
State-by-state and UK and Canadian rules are on cosmetic surgery advertising rules.
How does a busy surgeon post daily?
By filming once a week, not every day. One hour of the surgeon answering last week's comments and consult questions usually gives 12 to 20 clips, which covers daily posting. We cut those clips, caption them to a rules card agreed with you, and post them on your own TikTok, Instagram and YouTube accounts. You approve 2 example clips before anything goes live, and we go live within 48 hours. Entry is $2,000 a month for 2 clips a day. See plastic surgeon social media, how we work with founder-led businesses, or book a 30-minute call.
Questions people ask
Should plastic surgeons be on TikTok?
Yes, for education: comment replies, recovery explainers and honest risk clips with the surgeon on camera. Add a risk line to any clip showing a procedure or result, and keep the operating room off camera during surgery.
Which plastic surgeon lost their license over TikTok?
Dr. Katharine Grawe, known as "Dr. Roxy". The State Medical Board of Ohio permanently revoked her license in July 2023 after finding she neglected patients while livestreaming parts of their surgeries on TikTok.
Can plastic surgeons post before and after videos on TikTok?
Yes, with a signed patient authorization, the same pose and lighting, the procedure named and a results line, plus a risk warning on screen. TikTok bars under-18 users from viewing cosmetic surgery promotion without risk warnings.
Can a surgeon go live on TikTok?
To answer questions, yes, outside clinical time. Our cautious reading is never to livestream while operating or treating a patient.
Want a straight answer for your videos?
Book a 30-minute call. Send us a link first and we'll tell you which plan fits and how many clips we can make.
Book a call See plans and pricing- Social media for plastic surgeonsDaily clips from a surgeon's consults and Q&As, with the cosmetic surgery ad rules.
- Plastic surgeon YouTube channelFormats, YouTube's surgery footage rules, patient consent and Shorts that link back.
- Cosmetic surgery advertising rulesFTC, state board, ASA, GMC and CPSO rules for cosmetic surgery ads, with sources.