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Home › Guides › Who may give Botox and fillers in Costa Rica

Who may give Botox and fillers in Costa Rica

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Costa Rica's health authorities treat botulinum toxin and dermal fillers as medical procedures for doctors only. This guide explains what they said, how to check the person holding the syringe, and where the public record goes quiet.

ClinicTrue is not a clinic and gives no medical advice. ClinicTrue lists surgery only for Costa Rica, not injectables. This guide is for patients who are offered Botox or fillers alongside a surgical trip.

What the authorities said in 2021

On 7 December 2021 the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Economy (MEIC) and the Colegio de Médicos y Cirujanos published a joint statement to stop misleading sales of aesthetic procedures. It says some aesthetic services "deben ser realizados únicamente por un profesional médico", must be performed only by a medical professional, and gives a list of examples.

Under "procedimientos estéticos invasivos no quirúrgicos" (invasive non-surgical aesthetic procedures) that a doctor must perform, the list includes "Aplicación de toxina botulínica", the application of botulinum toxin. The same list has platelet-rich plasma, thread lifts, cryolipolysis, laser hair removal, sclerotherapy, mesotherapy and laser therapies. "Infiltración de materiales de relleno", the injection of filler materials, appears in the surgical list, next to breast surgery, rhinoplasty and liposuction.

The statement adds two practical points. Any medication or substance applied must be registered with the Ministry of Health. And if a device's manufacturer says it is for use by a doctor, that is how it must be used. If an establishment cannot name the doctor in charge, the statement says to report it to the Colegio.

Two things to be clear about. The statement is a joint communication and consumer campaign. It does not cite a law article or a decree number, and we did not find one in the text. And it says "a doctor", not "a plastic surgeon" or "a dermatologist". The Colegio's professional profile for plastic surgeons, approved in November 2021, lists facial aesthetic botulinum toxin and filler materials (only products approved by the Ministry of Health) within that specialty's scope, but the 2021 statement does not limit injectables to specialists.

The Colegio published the same text on its own site.

Dentists

In May 2023 the newspaper La Teja reported a complaint from Dr. Karla Aguilar Moya, president of a Costa Rican aesthetic medicine association (ACCOLME), that dentists across all seven provinces were offering Botox for cosmetic purposes. The Colegio de Cirujanos Dentistas, the dental college, replied that "armonización orofacial" procedures may still be performed by properly registered dentists. The same article cites a Ministry of Health letter, oficio DGASS-D-052-2019, which says the reason for a dentist's prescription must be "completamente funcional", following a diagnosis of a functional pathological condition.

In plain terms, as reported, a dentist in Costa Rica may use botulinum toxin to treat a diagnosed functional problem, not to smooth wrinkles. We read the newspaper report, not the oficio itself. If a dentist offers you cosmetic Botox, that is outside what the Ministry's letter describes.

How to check the doctor

Ask for the full name and registration code of the person who will inject. Then look them up in the Colegio de Médicos directory. The link is "Buscador Medico" on medicos.cr and it opens medicoscr.hulilabs.com/es/search. Search by name or code. A registered doctor shows the title "Médico y Cirujano", a code in the form "cod. MED" plus a number, the status "Activo" and any registered specialty. If you can't find the name, search by the registration code instead, since names are sometimes listed in a different form. A doctor who can't give you a code they appear under has not answered the question. Dentists are registered with a different college and will not appear.

Ask which product will be used and ask to see the vial. The 2021 statement says substances must be registered with the Ministry of Health. A clinic that cannot tell you the brand, or will not show the packaging, has not answered the question.

Ask where the procedure will happen. The 2021 statement says to check that the establishment has a Ministry of Health permit.

Ask the doctor the same things you would ask a surgeon. How many of these do you do a month? What happens if I have a reaction while I am still here? Who do I call once I am home? Get the answers by email.

Where to complain, from the 2021 statement:

  • A doctor who breaks the ethics code or practices outside their scope: the Colegio's Fiscalía through medicos.cr or by phone at 2210-2263.
  • A non-doctor performing procedures reserved for doctors: the Fiscalía of the Ministerio Público, the public prosecutor.
  • Problems with the establishment: the Ministry of Health.
  • A broken contract: the Comisión Nacional del Consumidor at consumo.go.cr. The statement notes this body can only order refunds for breach of contract. It cannot rule on harm from a badly done procedure.

What is not clear

We could not confirm the following from public sources. We are telling you rather than guessing.

  • Nurses. The 2021 statement says "a doctor" and names no exceptions. We found no public statement from the Colegio de Enfermeras or the Ministry of Health on whether a nurse may inject under a doctor's supervision. We do not know. Ask who will actually inject and check that name.
  • The draft regulation. In July 2018 the Ministry of Health put a "Reglamento para la aplicación de procedimientos estéticos y cosmetológicos invasivos" out for public consultation, with 33 procedures and 12 articles, according to El Mundo CR. We could not confirm it was ever published in La Gaceta or whether it is in force.
  • General doctors and injectables. The 2021 statement requires a doctor. The plastic surgery profile includes injectables in that specialty's scope. We found no public rule that limits botulinum toxin or fillers to specialists. Treat this as open.
  • Enforcement. We have no data on how often these rules are enforced.

Sources

Last updated Oct 2, 2026.

ClinicTrue is not a clinic and gives no medical advice. This guide is general information, not advice about your care. Ask your surgeon and your own doctor.

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