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Meta ad rejected · Health and Wellness

Why was my before-and-after Meta ad rejected?

Updated · By Ahmed, six years running Meta ads

Short answer

Meta now allows before-and-after photos for cosmetic products and procedures, and lets dietary weight loss ads show a product’s impact, if the ad targets people 18 and over. So a rejection usually points to the audience, a pinched-fat close-up, a fixed result in a set time, skin whitening or copy that attacks how people look; fix that, then resubmit or request a review.

A real check of an ad that breaks this rule

We wrote this ad to break the rule on purpose and ran it through our checker on 20 October 2026. The score, flags and safer version below are the checker's real output.

Original adHigh risk · 78/100
Primary text

Look at these before and after photos: wrinkles gone in 14 days. Swipe to see Sarah's transformation.

Headline

Erase wrinkles in 2 weeks

Link

https://ageless.example/cream

  • Unrealistic Outcomes (Health and Wellness)“wrinkles gone in 14 days”high
  • Misleading Claims“Erase wrinkles in 2 weeks”high
  • Misleading Claims“Swipe to see Sarah's transformation.”medium
  • Unrealistic Outcomes (Health and Wellness)“Look at these before and after photos”medium
  • Creative (images and video frames)“https://ageless.example/cream”low
Safer versionWritten by the checker
Primary text

Meet the Ageless cream: a daily moisturizer made to help reduce the look of fine lines and leave skin looking smoother with consistent use. Lightweight texture, easy to add to your morning or evening routine. Tap to learn more about what's inside.

Headline

Smoother-looking skin, daily

Also change: Landing page: remove any wrinkle-erasure, "14 days" or timeframe claims, and any before-and-after or Sarah testimonial unless it is labelled "results may vary". Make sure the product and its ingredients are clearly described. Creative: replace the before-and-after photos with a product shot or texture/application close-up, with overlay text such as "Visibly smoother-looking skin with consistent use".

The ad promises wrinkles erased in 14 days, uses before-and-after photos, and frames a cosmetic cream as a cure-like result, which commonly triggers rejection.

What usually triggers it

  • The ad set reaches people under 18. Weight loss, supplement and cosmetic procedure ads must target 18+.“A cosmetic clinic ad with the minimum age lowered to 16.”
  • The “before” image is a close-up of a body area with fat being pinched.“Fingers squeezing a stomach roll next to a flat-stomach “after.””
  • The caption or text attacks the “before” body, body part or hygiene.“Say goodbye to that disgusting belly.”
  • The transformation is tied to a specific result in a set time, with no disclaimer or qualifier.“Down 4 dress sizes in 3 weeks!”
  • The result is credited to a wearable product alone.“Same woman, 30 days in our sauna belt.”
  • The before-and-after shows skin whitening or bleaching that permanently changes skin color. Meta gives this as a not-allowed example.“Side-by-side photos of a face several shades lighter after treatment.”

How to fix the ad

  1. Set the ad set’s minimum age to 18 for any weight loss, supplement or cosmetic procedure ad.
  2. Use real customer photos, taken in similar light and pose, with the customer’s written consent.
  3. Replace pinched-fat close-ups with full, neutral shots or images of the product being used.
  4. Caption the change neutrally. Describe the product and the routine; do not insult the “before.”
  5. If you show how long it took, give the real timeframe and a qualifier like “results vary,” and only claim what you can support.
  6. Do not advertise skin whitening or bleaching products that permanently change skin color at all; Meta bans them with or without before-and-after images. Make sure the landing page follows the same rules as the ad.
  7. Check the full ad in our free checker at /check before upload. It estimates policy risk from the copy and images; it is not Meta’s decision.

Risky wording, and safer wording

Illustrative examples to show the difference. Always check the full ad, image and landing page too.

RiskySafer
From disgusting to confident in 14 days!Week 1 and week 12 of her routine. Results vary.
Get rid of your ugly acne scars fast.A serum made for the look of acne scars.
Same belt, 30 days: 6 inches gone!Our support belt, worn during her workouts.
Lighter skin, permanently.A daily moisturizer for a more even-looking tone.

If your ad is already rejected

  1. Read the rejection reason in the email or in Meta Business Support Home, and check the image, the caption, the age targeting and the landing page.
  2. Edit the ad in Ads Manager to fix the problem. The edited ad is reviewed again automatically. Avoid deleting it if you may want a review, because a deleted ad may lose that option.
  3. If you believe the ad followed the policy, request another review in Business Support Home: select the account, select the ad, click Request review, then Submit. Meta aims to decide within 48 hours, and an ad rejected again cannot be sent for another review.
  4. Do not crop, blur or re-upload the same images in new ads to get past review. Editing or deleting a rejected ad does not remove the violation, and repeated violations can lead to account restrictions.
  5. Keep the rejected creative, the reason, the date and what you changed, plus the customer consent for each photo.

Check your next ad before you upload it

Paste the copy and add the image or video. The free checker scores the rejection risk, points to the exact words at fault and the Meta policy behind each one, and suggests a safer version. It estimates risk; it isn't a decision from Meta.

Start with an example, or paste your own ad
Creative (optional image or video)

What happens to your ad: images are shrunk in your browser, checked, then discarded. Videos never leave your browser; we send 4 still frames. We keep only a fingerprint of each image. More

More details · headline and landing page
3 free checks a day · no signup
What the checker can't doIt can't see Meta's own review, so a low score is a good sign, not a guarantee.It doesn't check voiceover or audio, and it reads 4 frames of a video, not every frame.It checks the link you give, not the full content of your landing page.
Example result. A real check of the supplement example.Your result will appear here.
Rejection riskHigh risk
96/ 100

Likely to be rejected. Fix the flagged lines before you upload.

This supplement ad combines a personal-attribute callout, a specific weight-loss result, guaranteed results, clickbait and a URL shortener, so it is very likely to be rejected.

Primary text

Are you struggling with belly fat? Our gummies helped Maria lose 12 kg in 3 weeks!!! See the before and after pics. Doctors hate this one trick.

Headline

GUARANTEED RESULTS

Landing page

https://bit.ly/slim-offer

6 issues found · tap a highlight to jump to it

Personal Attributeshigh

“Are you struggling with belly fat?” · primary text

The ad asserts a personal characteristic about the viewer by addressing them directly about a body condition.

Fix: Our gummies are designed to support a healthy metabolism.

Unrealistic Outcomeshigh

“helped Maria lose 12 kg in 3 weeks!!!” · primary text

A specific weight-loss amount within a short timeframe is an exaggerated, unrealistic result, and supplement ads must target 18+.

Fix: Remove the specific result; use a general statement such as 'Part of a balanced routine for healthy weight management.'

Unrealistic Outcomeshigh

“GUARANTEED RESULTS” · headline

Guaranteed results are a prohibited claim for health and weight-loss products.

Fix: Use 'Start your wellness routine today' or remove the claim entirely.

Low Quality or Sensational Contentmedium

“Doctors hate this one trick.” · primary text

This is classic clickbait, and the triple exclamation marks add to the sensational tone.

Fix: Replace with 'Learn how our gummies fit into a healthy routine.'

Unrealistic Outcomeshigh

“See the before and after pics.” · primary text

Before-and-after comparisons for weight loss are high risk and draw rejection.

Fix: Remove the before-and-after reference and focus on the product's ingredients.

Circumventing Systemshigh

“https://bit.ly/slim-offer” · landing page

URL shorteners hide the true destination and are high risk, and can lead to account-level enforcement.

Fix: Use the full, direct landing page URL on the brand's own domain.

Safer version

Your ad

Are you struggling with belly fat? Our gummies helped Maria lose 12 kg in 3 weeks!!! See the before and after pics. Doctors hate this one trick.

GUARANTEED RESULTS

Safer version

Meet our gummies, designed to support a healthy metabolism. Easy to add to your day and made to fit into a balanced routine for healthy weight management. Learn how they fit into a healthy routine.

Start your wellness routine today

Also change: Link: replace the bit.ly shortener with the full, direct URL on your own brand domain, and make sure the landing page has no before-and-after photos, guaranteed-result claims or specific weight-loss numbers. Creative: remove any before-and-after images and any overlay text about kilos lost. Show the product or lifestyle shots instead, with overlay text like "Support your healthy routine". Set ad targeting to 18+.

Questions

Are before-and-after photos banned in Facebook and Instagram ads?

No. Meta’s Health and Wellness policy allows general cosmetic products, procedures and surgeries to show before-and-after transformations when the ad targets people 18 and over. The rest of the ad still has to follow the policy.

Can weight loss ads show results?

Yes, within limits. For dietary weight loss products shown to people 18 and over, Meta allows ads that show use of the product, its impact and a clear indication of how long noticeable results take. Pinched-fat close-ups, wearable-only claims and timed promises without qualifiers are not allowed.

Can I post a personal weight transformation that isn’t tied to a product?

Not as an ad. Meta’s Suicide, Self-Injury, and Eating Disorders ad policy bans side-by-side before-and-after weight images that are not related to a product or service, and admissions of extreme weight loss behavior.

Why do some Meta pages mention a Personal Health and Appearance policy?

Some older Meta pages still link to that name. The current rules for weight loss, cosmetic and before-and-after ads are published under Health and Wellness.

Can I appeal a rejected before-and-after ad?

Yes. Request another review in Meta Business Support Home if you believe the ad followed the rules; Meta aims to decide within 48 hours. If it is rejected again, you cannot request another review for that ad.

Will this rejection get my ad account banned?

A single rejection is not a ban, but Meta can restrict ad accounts and businesses for severe or repeated violations. A rejection that is overturned on review does not count as a violation.

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