TS EN 16372

TS EN 16372 addresses the clinical delivery of aesthetic surgery services and the general framework within which they are provided. Its focus is surgical care for patients who wish to change their physical appearance, together with the ethical approach, the overall treatment process, and the broad principles that apply before, during and after the procedure. In other words, the standard treats aesthetic surgery not just as a technical intervention, but as a clinical service shaped by patient expectations, professional judgement and organised care.

Boundaries set by the scope

A key feature of the standard is that it clearly separates what is included from what is not. Dental procedures, reconstructive surgery procedures, and aesthetic non-surgical medical procedures are outside its scope. It also excludes aesthetic non-medical procedures such as tattoos and piercing, even when they may be lawfully performed by non-physicians such as beauty therapists or hairdressers. This distinction helps define where aesthetic surgery ends and other cosmetic, medical or non-medical services begin.

Clinical service context

From a general technical perspective, aesthetic surgery involves planned operative care intended to alter appearance, and it depends on coordinated clinical management rather than on the surgical act alone. Patient communication, realistic discussion of outcomes, preparation, the procedure itself and follow-up all matter in practice. The value of this standard lies in linking aesthetic practice to ethical principles and general service delivery rules, so the subject is understood as a broader clinical service model rather than a purely procedural one.

• General rules for clinical aesthetic practice
• Surgical services for patients seeking changes in physical appearance
• Broad principles before, during and after the procedure
• Ethical framework and service delivery principles
• Excludes dental, reconstructive and non-surgical medical procedures