Photos of minor patients: authorization

A photo of a minor patient carries two layers of care. The first applies to any health image: consent, purpose, confidentiality. The second is the special protection that law and ethics give to children and adolescents, who do not have full autonomy to decide on their own and may be more vulnerable to pressure, exposure, and unrealistic expectations.

This page offers a practical guide to clinical photos of minors. It does not replace your professional board's rules (in Brazil, CFM, CFO, or another, depending on your profession) or legal advice: always check the current version.

Who authorizes a minor's photo?

As a rule, the legal guardian, in writing, with the purpose of the photo clearly described. The form should identify the minor and the guardian, what will be photographed, where the images will be stored and for how long, and that the guardian can revoke the authorization. This adds to the treatment consent, described in informed consent and in image consent for clinical documentation.

Image authorization has its own page in the consultation section: image authorization for minors.

What about the minor's opinion?

Listening to the minor is part of the care. According to age and maturity, explain in simple terms why the photo will be taken, how it will be stored, and that they can tell you if they are uncomfortable. An adolescent who does not want to be photographed, or who is being brought in under pressure from others, deserves a calm conversation. A forced photo is a warning sign, and the decision to proceed rests with the professional, in light of ethical conduct.

Extra caution with the indication

Photography often goes hand in hand with the assessment for a procedure, and whether cosmetic procedures are appropriate for minors follows your professional board's rules, which should be checked by whoever treats this group. In many contexts, the most important question is whether the procedure is appropriate at all, not how to photograph. The topic of declining to treat minors appears in saying no to a minor patient.

What changes in data protection?

The LGPD (Brazil's General Data Protection Law) gives special attention to the data of children and adolescents, and a minor's image in a health context is sensitive data. In practice:

• collect only what is needed for the clinical purpose;
• store it in the medical record, with restricted access;
• do not send it through personal apps (see patient photos on personal WhatsApp);
• record the basis for the authorization and who gave it;
• set a retention period (retaining photos in the medical record);
• handle deletion requests with care (deleting a patient photo on request).

More on the legal basis in LGPD legal basis and consent and LGPD in photos.

Publication: what to consider?

Publishing a minor's image calls for maximum caution. Besides your professional board's advertising rules, there is a duty of protection, and the guardian's authorization, even if signed, may not be enough under the applicable rule. The practical recommendation is not to publish photos of minor patients, unless there is a clear legal basis reviewed by someone who understands the subject. See the overview in patient photos on social media: legal risks and separate consent for publication.

How to take the photo in practice

1. Ask the guardian to be in the room, if appropriate.
2. Explain the purpose and show the photo to the guardian and the minor.
3. Keep the setting calm, with no audience.
4. Respect the adolescent's discomfort about showing their face or the area.
5. Use the same technical standard as any clinical photo (clinical photos with a phone).
6. Record the authorization and the context in the medical record.

And in Harmy?

Harmy sends the photo to a third-party AI to generate the illustrative simulation, with the professional's acceptance in the app. For a minor patient, this transfer calls for additional caution: confirm the guardian's authorization for this specific use, and your professional board's rules on procedures for this age group. The app does not verify the patient's age or consent.

When the guardian wants to photograph their own child

Parents sometimes ask to photograph the minor with their own phone during the consultation. The recommendation is to agree on a rule beforehand: clinical photos are taken and stored by the clinic. If the guardian wants an image for themselves, explain the difference between a clinical record and a personal one, and that the clinic's images do not leave the medical record. Document the conversation. The goal is to keep treatment images from circulating in channels outside the control of whoever cares for the minor.

Summary

Legal guardian authorization, listening to the minor, photos restricted to the medical record, reinforced data protection, and, as a rule, no publication. If you are unsure about a rule, consult your professional board or a specialist.