A licensee posts an Instagram ad that promises 'medical-grade microneedling for guaranteed permanent acne scar removal in one session.' Which is the BIGGEST legal problem with the ad?
Explanation
Bus. & Prof. Code §651 broadly prohibits false, fraudulent, misleading, or deceptive advertising by licensed professionals. 'Guaranteed' and 'permanent' results, claims of 'medical-grade' procedures, and any service that pierces beyond the stratum corneum (such as microneedling beyond about 0.3 mm) cross into the practice of medicine and are outside cosmetology and esthetician scope. The licensee risks BBC discipline for unlicensed practice of medicine and false advertising, and potential Medical Board enforcement. Font size, price disclosure, and platform choice (options B, C, D) are not the substantive legal problem the exam is testing.
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