Image authorization for a minor patient: how to ask
Photographing a minor patient changes the conversation. The photo is still health data, but now someone else decides, the patient is still forming their own view of their body, and the misuse of an image can follow a person for decades. This page covers how to ask for authorization clearly, without putting the family on the spot and without mixing purposes.
It does not replace legal advice. The LGPD (Brazil's data protection law) treats the data of children and adolescents with extra care (the best interest of the data subject is the criterion), and what your council allows you to do with this patient in HOF and in advertising is a matter of its rules. Here the focus is the conversation.
What must the image authorization separate?
The most common mistake is a single paper that mixes everything. Separate at least three purposes, each with its own consent:
| Purpose | What it is for | Who decides | Can it be refused without affecting care? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clinical photo in the patient record | Document the assessment and compare progress | Guardian, after explanation | Generally part of the care; refusal should be discussed and recorded |
| Internal and teaching use | Case study, discussion with the team | Guardian | Yes |
| Promotion (website, social media, talk) | Marketing or public teaching | Guardian, with extra attention | Yes, always |
For the base template of the document, see the guardian authorization template and the image use consent form. The difference between a clinical photo and a promotional photo is covered in image authorization for the chart only.
How to conduct the conversation with the guardian?
Ask for the authorization before taking the first photo, not in the middle of the procedure. The sequence below works in most cases:
- Explain the clinical purpose in one sentence. "The photo is to record how the face looks today and compare it later."
- Say where it is stored and who has access. Chart, restricted access, no sending through personal messaging apps.
- Ask separately about promotion. No pressure, no benefit in exchange, and making it clear that saying no changes nothing about the care.
- Explain how to revoke. One contact, one deadline to act on the request.
- Hand over a copy or offer one. The guardian must have what they signed.
Does the teenager take part in the decision?
They take part in the conversation, even if they do not sign. Speak to the teenager looking at them, not only at the guardian. Ask whether they feel comfortable being photographed and explain that the photo is neutral, unfiltered and unedited. A teenager who feels exposed may shut down for the whole consultation and leave things out of the medical history, and that is worse for safety than going without the photo.
If the teenager refuses and the guardian wants the photo taken, record the disagreement and talk with both. In some situations it is better to postpone. For each person's role in the clinical decision, see teenager and guardian at the consultation and saying no to a minor patient.
What if the guardian does not want the photo?
Respect it and document it. Without the reference photo, future comparison is weaker, and that is a legitimate clinical argument to explain, not to insist on. If the procedure depends on photo follow-up to be done safely, talk about that frankly. Refusing the record is a right; you decide whether you can treat without it. A template for the record is in procedure refusal form.
How does Harmy's projection fit into this conversation?
Harmy uses one frontal photo to generate the projection, and that photo is sent to a third-party AI, with the professional's consent in the app. The face contours are calculated on the device and are not stored. When the patient is a minor, treat sending the photo as one more purpose to explain to the guardian, before making the simulation. Never use a patient's face in public material; for examples, use the app's fictional person. More on how images are handled in consent and LGPD for photos and standardized clinical photography.
When does reaching adulthood change everything?
When the patient turns 18, they become the holder of their own decisions about their image. If you kept photos from when they were a minor, it is worth having a way in your process for the patient, now an adult, to ask for any promotional use to be withdrawn and to confirm what remains in the chart. Keep the chart retention period according to the rules that apply to your professional registration, and have your legal advisor confirm it. For a withdrawal request, see patient wants to revoke image authorization.
Frequently asked questions
Who signs the image authorization for a minor patient?
Generally the legal guardian, with identification and relationship recorded. Who may sign in each situation and how to prove it is a matter of legal advice and your council's rules, so have your advisor validate the template.
Does the teenager also need to agree to the photo?
Good practice says yes: explain to the teenager, in plain language, what the photo is for and listen to their opinion. The formal signature remains the guardian's, but the teenager's refusal to be photographed must be respected and recorded.
Can I use a minor's photo on social media?
That is the most sensitive use and requires a specific authorization, separate from the clinical photo, plus checking your council's and advertising rules. When in doubt, do not publish and keep the image in the chart only.
Does the authorization last forever?
The document should state the purpose, the retention period and how to revoke it. The guardian, and later the patient on reaching adulthood, can ask for promotional use to be withdrawn.
Harmy images are illustrative simulations generated by AI from the patient's photo to support the conversation between practitioner and patient. They are not a promise of results. Indication, technique, product and volume are solely the decision of the licensed practitioner. This content is for information only and does not replace a clinical assessment.