The rules of the game are changing again. Starting in 2025, Meta is rolling out major updates to its advertising policies and if you’re promoting anything in health, wellness or beauty. These changes are going to impact how you reach, track and convert your audience.
But don’t stress. With the right moves, you can still run strong, compliant campaigns that win trust (and sales). Here’s what’s coming, what’s restricted and how to stay ahead of the curve.
What’s Changing for Health and Wellness Advertising
Targeting Just Got Tougher
- No more detailed targeting based on specific health needs or conditions (think: weight loss, skincare problems, mental health topics).
- You’ll need to find broader ways to reach the right people without directly picking interests tied to sensitive health topics.
Lead Generation and Purchase Tracking Will Be Limited
- Meta is putting more restrictions on campaigns optimized for direct actions like “Lead” or “Purchase” when promoting health-related products.
- Lower funnel campaigns won’t perform the same way. They’ll need smarter setups.
Retargeting Is Getting Stricter
- Using Pixel or Conversions API to track users based on health related behavior (like visiting a page about weight loss) will face new restrictions.
- Retargeting based on sensitive health data will be heavily limited.
Products That Will Be Hit the Hardest
- Dietary supplements and vitamins
- Weight loss programs and products
- Fitness trackers and health gadgets
- Skincare products making medical claims (e.g., “treats acne”)
- Mental health support products
- Herbal and natural remedies with health promises
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New Creative Rules You Can’t Ignore
Meta’s updated content guidelines for health and beauty advertising include
No Before and After Transformations
You can’t use side by side photos showing dramatic body or skin changes for weight loss or anti aging treatments.
No Negative Body Messaging
Ads can’t shame users or suggest they need to “fix” themselves to be accepted.
No Promotion of Sexual Pleasure Products
Health focused reproductive ads are allowed but anything focused on pleasure is banned.
What’s Still Allowed (for 18+ Audiences)
- Promoting cosmetic procedures (like Botox, fillers) with realistic, non-exploitative visuals.
- Advertising anti aging skin treatments with authentic, time based improvements.
- Running health product ads that educate and empower, not promise unrealistic results.
How These Changes Will Affect Health Brands
- Niche targeting will be harder. You’ll need broader but smarter audience strategies.
- Lead generation will be trickier. Conversions might drop without optimization freedom.
- Retargeting needs a reset. No more relying purely on Pixel behavior engagement retargeting will become key.
How to Adapt Your Strategy (And Still Win)
Shift Your Goals
Move away from pure lead gen toward awareness, engagement and education campaigns.
Build Smarter Audiences
Use broader targeting tools like Advantage+, Lookalike Audiences and interest stacking.
Retarget Based on Engagement
Focus on retargeting people who watched your videos, visited your page or messaged your brand, not just those who landed on your site.
Level Up Your Content
- Focus on lifestyle benefits, real results and customer education.
- Avoid bold miracle claims.
- Make it about helping, not selling.
Strengthen Your Tracking
Shift toward first party data and Conversions API (CAPI) for privacy safe, reliable tracking.
Real Example: How One Brand Adapted
Before
A beauty brand directly targeted people interested in acne treatments and relied on Pixel retargeting after website visits.
After
- Built a Lookalike Audience from happy customer lists.
- Ran video campaigns showing gentle skincare routines without “cure” claims.
- Retargeted users who engaged with their videos and social posts.
Result
Steady growth, strong engagement and fully compliant ads.
Conclusion
Meta’s 2025 health and wellness ad rule changes might feel like a curveball but they’re actually pushing brands toward better marketing, more trust driven, more audience focused, and more resilient.
The brands that adjust now rethinking their funnels, broadening their reach and creating smarter campaigns will be the ones leading when others are still scrambling.
