[Current aspects regarding the documentation and publication of photos in plastic surgery]

When using photos of patients for the purpose of documentation, their distribution or publication various legal obligations are to be considered. It is essential to know in which cases a written consent of the patient is mandatory and when it is not necessary. Moreover, it is decisive to note that even if a written consent of the patient exists, there are laws in the German legal system that regulate the publication of photo documentations. This is a difficult-to-read legal issue that unsettles many medical colleagues. In the following review we have tried to put the most important parts of the relevant legislation into an easier-to-read context.