What Is Save Face Accreditation and Why Does It Matter?
Published 2026-02-18 · ClinicSpark Team
What Is Save Face Accreditation and Why Does It Matter?
When choosing a practitioner for facial aesthetics treatments in the UK, one of the most useful independent quality signals is Save Face accreditation. Save Face is a government-approved register of aesthetic practitioners and clinics that have met rigorous standards for training, qualifications, patient safety, and insurance. Understanding what Save Face is — and how to use it — can significantly reduce the risk of choosing an underqualified provider.
What Is Save Face?
Save Face was established as a government-approved voluntary register under the Professional Standards Authority (PSA) for Health and Social Care. The PSA oversees regulators and registers of health and care workers in the UK; its approval means that Save Face's accreditation standards have been independently assessed and met the PSA's criteria for protecting the public.
The register focuses specifically on aesthetic practitioners — a group that has historically operated in a largely unregulated environment. Save Face aims to provide patients with a reliable way to identify practitioners who have exceeded minimum legal requirements and committed to a higher professional standard.
What Are the Save Face Accreditation Requirements?
To achieve and maintain Save Face accreditation, practitioners must demonstrate:
- Core healthcare qualifications: Save Face requires registrants to be qualified healthcare professionals — doctors, dentists, nurses, or pharmacists — registered with their relevant regulatory body (GMC, GDC, NMC, or GPhC). This immediately excludes beauty therapists without healthcare qualifications.
- Aesthetics-specific training: Practitioners must have completed recognised postgraduate training in aesthetic medicine, not merely a short introductory course. Save Face assesses the depth and quality of this training.
- Professional indemnity insurance: Registrants must hold appropriate indemnity insurance specifically covering aesthetic procedures. This protects patients in the event of a claim.
- Clinical governance: Practitioners must have protocols in place for managing complications, including access to hyaluronidase for filler emergencies and a clear pathway for accessing medical support.
- Compliance with advertising standards: Save Face-accredited practitioners agree to comply with ASA/CAP guidelines, including the restrictions on displaying before and after images for botulinum toxin and filler treatments in promotional material.
- Continuous professional development: Registrants must maintain and evidence ongoing training to keep their skills current.
The register is not a one-time tick-box exercise. Practitioners must renew their accreditation and continue to meet standards to remain listed.
The Patient Complaint Service
One of the most distinctive features of Save Face accreditation is its patient-facing complaint and resolution service. If a patient has a concern about a Save Face-accredited practitioner, they can raise it with Save Face directly. The organisation:
- Investigates patient complaints about registered members
- Mediates between patients and practitioners
- Can remove practitioners from the register for serious failures
- Publishes data on the complaints it receives
Save Face also reports annually on the types and frequency of adverse events and complaints it handles. This transparency is unusual in the aesthetics industry and valuable for patients and practitioners alike.
Save Face and Government Recognition
Save Face's PSA-approved status distinguishes it from the many self-declared 'accreditation' schemes that have proliferated in the aesthetics market. The PSA is a body accountable to Parliament that assesses whether voluntary registers meet standards for protecting the public. Achieving and maintaining PSA approval requires ongoing compliance with its standards framework.
Save Face was also referenced in the Independent Review of Cosmetic Interventions (Keogh Review, 2013) as part of the proposed solution to the risks of an unregulated aesthetics market. It has since been recognised in subsequent government consultations on aesthetics regulation as a model for voluntary quality assurance.
How to Check Save Face Accreditation
The Save Face register is publicly searchable at saveface.co.uk. For a full step-by-step guide on all the registers you should check before booking, see our article on how to check your aesthetics practitioner is qualified. You can search by practitioner name, clinic name, or location. A listed practitioner will have their healthcare registration details, aesthetics qualifications, and clinic information visible on the register.
It takes less than a minute to check. We recommend doing so before booking any facial aesthetics treatment, regardless of how a provider has been recommended to you.
Save Face Accreditation Among Dental Aesthetics Practitioners
A number of GDC-registered dentists who offer facial aesthetics hold Save Face accreditation, reflecting their commitment to professional standards that go beyond minimum legal requirements. For dentists, Save Face accreditation complements GDC registration and CQC oversight — creating a multi-layered assurance of quality.
ClinicSpark highlights Save Face accreditation status for dental practitioners in our directory where this information is available. Search for Save Face-accredited dentists offering facial aesthetics near you — including in London, Birmingham, and Manchester. For context on why these credentials matter, read our comparison of dentists vs beauty salons for facial aesthetics.
Are There Other Similar Registers?
Yes. Other relevant registers and membership bodies in the aesthetics field include:
- British Association of Cosmetic Nurses (BACN) — for nurse aesthetic practitioners
- British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (BACD) — for dentists with an interest in cosmetic and aesthetic dentistry
- British College of Aesthetic Medicine (BCAM) — multidisciplinary aesthetic medicine body
- Complications in Medical Aesthetics Collaborative (CMAC) — focused on complication management training
However, among voluntary registers specifically for patient protection, Save Face with its PSA-approved status remains the gold standard.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Save Face accreditation?
Save Face is a government-approved voluntary register of aesthetic practitioners in the UK, accredited by the Professional Standards Authority (PSA). It lists healthcare professionals who meet rigorous standards for training, qualifications, indemnity insurance, and patient safety protocols.
Is Save Face a government organisation?
Save Face is a private organisation, but it holds government-approved status through the Professional Standards Authority (PSA) for Health and Social Care — a body accountable to Parliament. PSA approval means Save Face's standards have been independently assessed as adequate to protect the public.
Can beauty therapists join the Save Face register?
No. Save Face requires registrants to be qualified healthcare professionals registered with a recognised regulatory body such as the GDC, GMC, NMC, or GPhC. Beauty therapists without healthcare qualifications do not meet this requirement.
How do I check if my aesthetics practitioner is Save Face accredited?
Visit saveface.co.uk and search by practitioner name, clinic name, or location. The register is publicly accessible and free to search. It takes less than a minute to verify accreditation before booking any treatment.
Does Save Face accreditation replace CQC registration?
No. They serve different purposes. CQC registration is a legal regulatory requirement for providers of injectable treatments in England. Save Face accreditation is a voluntary quality signal that demonstrates a practitioner has met higher professional standards. Both are desirable; they are complementary, not interchangeable.
Medical disclaimer: Informational content only. Always seek personalised advice from a qualified clinician.