Advertising Skincare and Supplements in India: Platform Restrictions to Check

What has changed in health ad rules since 2024?#

Meta's July 2026 rewrite of its Health and Wellness policy is the biggest change, and seven others since July 2024 also affect supplement and skincare ads in India.

When	Who	What changed	What to do
July 2024	Ministry of Information and Broadcasting	Food and health advertisers told to upload an annual self-declaration certificate before ads run	File it and keep the proof
January 2025	Meta	Some health and wellness websites blocked from sharing purchase and other lower-funnel events	Check your dataset's category in Events Manager
May 2025	FSSAI	Food businesses told to stop using "100%" on labels and promotions	Drop "100% natural" and similar lines
June 2025	Google Ads	Melatonin products allowed outside the US and Canada, under local law	Check Shopping ads separately
March 2026	Google Ads	Healthcare policy pages reorganised, with no change in enforcement	None
April 2026	Google Ads	Certified online pharmacies may promote prescription drug services in India	Only relevant if you run a pharmacy
July 2026	Meta	Health and Wellness policy rewritten	Recheck every weight, supplement and cosmetic ad
July 2026	Google Ads	In-account appeals closed for policy decisions more than 6 months old	Appeal disapprovals promptly

What Meta's July 2026 rewrite changed#

Meta dropped its ban on side-by-side before-and-after images for weight loss and anti-ageing products. In its place, the policy now lists the claims Meta rejects.

Still 18+ only: ads for dietary, health, weight loss or weight gain products, and for cosmetic products, procedures or surgeries.
No age limit: general food including protein products, fitness products, non-permanent cosmetics such as creams, makeup and hair products, and teeth whitening.
Allowed at 18+: weight loss or weight gain supplements can show people using the product, its effect and the time taken to see results. General cosmetic products can show before-and-after transformations.
Rejected: statements that attack someone's appearance, body parts or hygiene, close-ups of pinched fat, and claims that a wearable alone delivers results.
Rejected: claims to cure, heal or eliminate diabetes, herpes, thyroid, psoriasis, Ebola, cancer, autism, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, ALS or HIV. Claims about treating or managing symptoms fall outside this rule.
Rejected: sensational or extreme claims, and promises of a result within a set time without a disclaimer or qualifier.
Still banned: skin whitening or bleaching products that change skin colour permanently.

How often are health and skincare ads rejected?#

Meta rejects 18% of health and supplement ads and 13.3% of skincare ads at review, against 6.5% across all D2C categories. These benchmarks come from ProfitBox360 research, 2025 (client data and shopper surveys).

Measure	Benchmark
Meta ads rejected at review: health and supplements	18%
Meta ads rejected at review: skincare	13.3%
Meta ads rejected at review: all categories	6.5%
Google ads disapproved: health and supplements	12.5%
Rejections overturned on re-review: health, supplements and skincare	45%
Health and supplement brands with an ad account restricted in the past 12 months	23.5%

Meta's review is mostly automated and usually finishes within 24 hours. It checks the image, video, text, targeting and landing page. When you ask for another review, Meta relies more on human reviewers. Nearly half of the rejections that go back for review are overturned.

What rejections cost a supplement brand#

On the benchmark rates, rejections leave about a tenth of a supplement brand's Meta creative needing rework, even after re-review.

Illustrative example: a supplement brand spends ₹1,00,000 a month making new Meta ads.

Rejections fall evenly across that spend, at the 18% benchmark
The brand asks for another review of every rejected ad
45% of those rejections are overturned

Step	Calculation	Creative value
Put on hold by rejection	₹1,00,000 × 18%	₹18,000
Released on re-review	₹18,000 × 45%	₹8,100
Still rejected	₹18,000 − ₹8,100	₹9,900

So ₹9,900 of every ₹1,00,000 of creative needs editing or replacing each month. At the 6.5% all-category rate, only ₹6,500 would be put on hold in the first place. A review request costs nothing and brings back ₹8,100 of work that would otherwise sit unused.

What will Meta reject in a supplement or skincare ad?#

Meta rejects ads that tell viewers something is wrong with their body or health. It also rejects cure claims for listed diseases and timed promises without a qualifier.

Leave the viewer's condition out of the ad#

Describe the product and its benefit, and keep "you" away from any condition. Meta bars ads that assert or imply personal attributes, including age and physical or mental health. Its own examples show where the line sits:

Rejected: "Ready to upgrade your skin to look younger?" and "Do you have diabetes?"
Allowed: "Our new lotion and creams fight wrinkles like never before!"

Rewrite risky lines before you submit#

Line likely to be rejected	Why	Safer approach
"Tired of your belly fat?"	Implies a personal attribute and attacks appearance	Show the product and how it's used
"Lose 5 kg in 2 weeks"	Promises a result in a set time with no qualifier	State realistic results and the time taken
"Cures psoriasis"	Claims to cure a disease on Meta's list	Describe how skin looks and feels
"Say goodbye to dark skin"	Attacks appearance	Talk about texture, hydration or glow
"Over 40? Try our anti-ageing cream"	Implies the viewer's age	"Night cream for smoother-looking skin"

When before-and-after images are allowed#

Meta's policy now allows before-and-after images when the ad meets four conditions:

Target people aged 18 or over for supplements, weight products and cosmetic procedures.
Show realistic results and state how long they took.
Add a qualifier such as "results vary".
Keep the wording neutral about the "before" image.

Use real customer photos with written consent. Keep the records, because ASCI can ask for proof of any claim.

Check the product itself is allowed#

Meta bans ads for supplements it judges unsafe, at its own discretion. Over-the-counter medicines must follow local law and target people aged 18 or over. CBD ads are allowed only in the United States, and hemp product ads only in Canada, Mexico and the United States. So an Indian brand can't advertise either on Meta in India.

Can Meta block purchase tracking for health brands?#

Yes: since January 2025, Meta has stopped some health and wellness businesses from sharing purchase and add-to-cart events. Meta says these limits can apply to certain countries or to all of them. Its help pages don't list the countries, so check your own dataset rather than assume India is exempt.

Meta applies one or more of three levels:

Core setup: custom parameters and the part of each URL after the domain are removed.
Restriction on certain standard events: specific mid- and lower-funnel events, such as purchases, stop being shared.
Full restriction: no events are shared, so Meta's business tools can't be used for ads.

Meta assigns the health and wellness category from your site's topics and products. The category covers medical conditions, health statuses and health-related products and services, such as a pharmacy or a wellness tracker. Pages that talk about treating conditions can put a store in it.

Check your category in Events Manager#

Open the Settings tab of your dataset and look for Manage data source categories. You need full control of the business portfolio, or admin access to the ad account that owns the dataset.

Open Meta Events Manager and click Datasets in the left menu.
Select your dataset and open the Settings tab.
Scroll to Manage data source categories and click Manage. If the section isn't there, your data sources aren't in a restricted category.
If Meta assigned a category you think is wrong, click View details, then Request review. Meta emails its decision.

If purchase events are restricted, optimise for the events that still work. Meta suggests upper-funnel events. Under a full restriction, it suggests the Awareness, Engagement or Traffic objectives.

What does Google allow for supplements and skincare?#

Google allows most supplement and skincare ads. It bans unapproved substances outright, rejects unrealistic health claims and blocks your own audience lists for condition-related products.

Products Google bans outright#

Google bans these products even if the seller claims they're legal:

anything on its non-exhaustive list of unapproved pharmaceuticals and supplements, which includes many slimming capsules and teas
products that contain ephedra, and hCG sold for weight loss or weight control
herbal and dietary supplements with active pharmaceutical or dangerous ingredients
products that imply they work as well as prescription drugs
products without government approval marketed as safe or effective for preventing, curing or treating a disease
products that have faced a government or regulatory action or warning
names confusingly similar to a banned product, and DHEA products outside the United States

Google warns at least 7 days before suspending an account for these violations. In June 2025, it lifted its ban on melatonin products outside the United States and Canada. Shopping ads follow Merchant Center's own healthcare list, which allows melatonin only in named countries, and India isn't one of them.

Health claims Google rejects#

Google rejects "miracle cures" and claims of unrealistic weight loss within a set time or with little effort. If you guarantee a result, you need a clear refund policy. A testimonial that claims a specific result must carry a visible disclaimer that results vary and aren't guaranteed. Google may also apply local rules on health claims.

Audience limits for health products#

Google puts health conditions, and products that treat or manage chronic conditions, in a sensitive health category. Intimate health products and invasive procedures such as cosmetic surgery are in it too. For these products, you can't use advertiser-curated audiences:

Customer Match
your data segments, which include remarketing lists
audience expansion
lookalike segments

Predefined Google audiences, such as in-market, affinity and life events, still work. Ads that use body shaming fall under a separate category with the same limits. Google reorganised this policy in January 2026 without changing its substance. In June 2026 it added notes on how the limits affect Demand Gen campaigns.

Which Indian rules limit what your ads can claim?#

Four sets of rules limit health claims in India: the Drugs and Magic Remedies Act, FSSAI's claims regulations, the Drugs and Cosmetics Act and the ASCI Code. They're stricter than Meta or Google on disease claims, so write every ad to the Indian standard first. Meta lets you talk about managing symptoms, but Indian rules generally don't let a supplement do that.

Rule	What it means for your ads
Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act 1954	No ad may suggest a drug, including an Ayurvedic one, for any of 54 listed conditions. The list includes diabetes, obesity, high or low blood pressure, heart disease, height ("stature of persons"), leucoderma and sexual impotence.
FSSAI Advertising and Claims Regulations 2018	A food, including a supplement, can't claim to prevent, alleviate, treat or cure a disease unless another FSSAI rule allows it. Claims must be truthful and scientifically substantiated. New disease-risk claims need FSSAI approval.
FSSAI rules for health supplements	Labels must say "NOT FOR MEDICINAL USE".
Drugs and Cosmetics Act 1940	A cosmetic cleanses, beautifies or changes appearance. A product meant to treat or prevent a disease is a drug.
ASCI Code	Claims must be capable of proof when ASCI asks. Research-based claims must name the source and date.
ASCI guidelines	Fairness ads can't show darker skin as unattractive or a disadvantage. Health influencers need relevant qualifications and must state them upfront.

A first conviction under the 1954 Act can bring up to six months in prison, a fine or both. Ask a regulatory lawyer to check any claim that comes near a listed condition.

File the self-declaration certificate#

Upload an annual self-declaration certificate before your food or health ads run. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting set this out on 3 July 2024, following a Supreme Court order of 7 May 2024. Print and internet ads use the Press Council of India portal. Share the proof of upload with a publisher when asked.

What should you do when an ad is rejected?#

Ask for another review if you believe the ad follows the policy, and edit it if it doesn't. Read the rejection reason first. On re-review, 45% of rejections are overturned.

On Meta#

Meta aims to decide a review request within 48 hours.

Go to Business Support Home.
Select the account or catalogue with the rejected ads.
Select the ads, ad sets or campaigns you think were wrongly rejected.
Click Request review, then Submit.

Keep the rejected ad while the review runs, because deleting it may cost you the right to a review. An overturned rejection doesn't count as a violation, and asking for a review doesn't hurt your standing. If the ad is rejected again, you can't ask for another review of the same ad. Editing or deleting a rejected ad leaves the violation on your account.

On Google Ads#

Go to Ads in the Campaigns menu.
Tick the disapproved ads.
Select Edit, then Appeal policy decision.
Choose Dispute decision, or Made changes to comply with policy.

An edited ad is reviewed again, which usually takes 24–48 hours. Since 21 July 2026, you can't appeal from your account a decision made more than 6 months earlier.

Repeated rejections can restrict the account#

Meta can restrict the business account, ad account or Page for severe or repeated violations. In the past 12 months, 23.5% of health and supplement brands had an ad account restricted. Appeals for a restricted account follow a separate process.

How can you get health ads approved first time?#

Run seven checks before you submit each health or skincare ad:

Target people aged 18 or over for supplements, weight products and cosmetic procedures.
Remove any line that asks about, or hints at, the viewer's health, age or appearance.
Remove disease names and cure words from the ad and the landing page.
Add the time taken and "results vary" to any result claim or before-and-after image.
Keep the study, its source and its date for every research claim.
Check your dataset's category in Events Manager after any site change.
Upload the year's self-declaration certificate before the first ad runs.

FAQ#

Can a supplement ad say it helps manage blood sugar?#

No, not for an Indian audience. Meta's policy permits claims about managing diabetes symptoms, but FSSAI's claims regulations bar any food, including a supplement, from claiming to alleviate or treat a disease. Diabetes is also on the list in the 1954 Drugs and Magic Remedies Act. Use a nutrient function claim that FSSAI permits instead.

Do protein powder and face cream ads need 18+ targeting?#

Usually not. Meta's July 2026 policy exempts general food, including protein products, and non-permanent cosmetics such as creams, makeup and hair products from its 18+ rule. Supplements, weight loss or weight gain products and cosmetic procedures still need 18+ targeting. A protein powder marketed for weight gain falls into that second group.

Can a nutritionist or dietician promote a supplement in India?#

Yes, if the advice matches their qualifications. ASCI requires influencers who make health or nutrition claims to hold relevant qualifications, such as a nutritionist's or dietician's certificate, and to state them upfront in the post. Creators without them can share general product information, but not prevention, treatment or cure claims.

Can Indian brands advertise CBD or hemp products on Meta?#

Not to people in India. Meta allows CBD ads only in the United States, and only for advertisers certified by LegitScript who have Meta's written permission. Hemp product ads are allowed only in Canada, Mexico and the United States. Ads for THC, or cannabis products with other psychoactive parts, are banned everywhere.

Can a skincare ad say "clinically proven"?#

Yes, if you hold the evidence and name it. The ASCI Code says an ad claiming research support must state the research's source and date. ASCI can also ask for proof at any time. Keep the study report, sample size and dates on file before the ad goes live.

Can customer testimonials appear in supplement ads?#

Yes, with a clear qualifier. Google requires any testimonial that claims a specific result to carry a visible disclaimer that results vary and aren't guaranteed. Meta rejects timed promises without a qualifier. Use real customers who have given written consent, and keep records that support what they say.

Does the self-declaration certificate cover Instagram and Google ads?#

Yes. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting's July 2024 advisory covers food and health advertising in print media and on the internet, which includes social and search ads. Advertisers should upload an annual certificate on the Press Council of India portal. Keep the proof of upload, because publishers may ask to see it.