Protect Yourself: Here’s How To Tell If Your Beauty Doctor Is Licensed
Injectables can only be administered by licensed aesthetic doctors.
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Here’s an annual reminder not to undergo cosmetic and beauty procedures with unlicensed or unqualified aesthetic doctors.
These days, it can be hard to tell apart beauty clinics from the real ones with licensed and trained doctors. Often, customers only know they’ve been duped when they run into serious issues after undergoing a beauty treatment.
In July 2025, the Sessions Court awarded RM800,000 in exemplary damages to a woman harmed by breast filler injections at an unlicensed Petaling Jaya beauty clinic.
The case was shocking because the clinic did have a qualified doctor – she just wasn’t qualified to carry out aesthetic procedures. The doctor in question did not possess the Health Ministry’s Letter of Credentialling and Privileging (LCP) and did not disclose to the patient that she wasn’t qualified to carry out the aesthetic procedure.
How to tell if you’re consulting with a licensed aesthetic doctor?
In Malaysia, the doctor needs to have an LCP from the Health Ministry. LCP is an official document issued by the Health Ministry to confirm that the doctor has the training, skills, and experience to safely perform aesthetic procedures, such as Botox, dermal fillers, or lasers.
Threads user @natnalyd shared some steps to take to check your doctor’s credentials.
First, head over to the Malaysian Medical Council’s Medical Register Information and Technical System (MeRITS) website here to search for your doctor’s name. This database lists the names of licensed doctors.
Next, ask the doctor if they have an LCP and their other credentials during your visit. It’s better to be thorough beforehand than to be sorry later.
Another telltale sign is that a legitimate clinic has the word ‘’Klinik’’ on its signboard to imply a licensed medical establishment, instead of identifying itself as a ‘’Pusat Kecantikan.’’
There’s nothing wrong with beauty salons, but the establishment is not qualified to carry out medical procedures. They can carry out certain grooming and cosmetic treatments.
So far, the best way to be sure you’re working with a licensed doctor is to check their credentials.
It’s also important for customers to verify that products such as Botox, fillers, and skin boosters are registered under the National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency (NPRA).
Customers can do this by visiting NPRA’s website here to double-check the products they’re recommended to use.
Threads user @natnalyd also shared some red flags to look out for:
- When they can’t tell you which doctor will perform your treatment, do not go forward with the treatment or procedure.
- Going straight to treatment without consultation. A responsible doctor will go through the steps and checks with their patient before carrying out the procedure.
- When you feel pressured to commit or sign up for packages on the spot.
- When they claim they’re using ‘’special imported formulations’’ that are not available in other clinics. It’s often code for unregistered products.
- When the prices are significantly below what the other licensed clinics charge.
- When they’re reluctant to answer questions about their doctors’ credentials or products.
Other things that raise red flags
Not many people know that breast and buttock fillers, and Vitamin C IV drips are illegal and unauthorised by the Health Ministry. Any clinic offering this service or product is operating illegally.
Injectables like Botox, dermal fillers, and skin boosters can only be administered by or under the direct supervision of a licensed doctor. In other words, beauticians and independently acting nurses cannot legally carry out these treatment procedures.
Another product to be wary of is whitening products. Most whitening products sold in Malaysia are unregistered and may contain harmful ingredients like mercury and steroids.
How to report unlicensed beauty operators?
If you come across an unregistered beauty operator like a beauty salon or spa offering injectables, you can report the establishment to the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living (KPDNHEP) at 1-800-886-800 or lodge a police report.
If it’s a registered clinic that’s carrying out suspicious procedures, selling unregistered products, or a doctor without an LCP, you can report to the Health Ministry at 1-800-888-828 or via its official website here.
TLDR: Better to be thorough with your checks before undergoing a beauty procedure that might wreck your health and more.
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