Consultation launched into unregulated cosmetic procedures

People and businesses are being invited to share their views on how to make non-surgical cosmetic procedures safer as the government launches its first ever consultation on aesthetic procedures.

The consultation will be used to shape a new licensing scheme for practitioners and cosmetic businesses which operate in England, and comes on the back of ‘thousands’ of complaints of ‘botched’ procedures.

Aesthetics procedures, also known as ‘treatments’, include, but are not limited to botulinum toxin (commonly known as Botox) anti-wrinkle injections, cosmetic fillers (commonly known as dermal fillers), chemical peels and energy-based treatments.

An estimated 900,000 Botox injections are carried out in the UK each year. Save Face – a government approved register of accredited practitioners – received almost 3,000 complaints in 2022, with over two-thirds of those complaints relating to dermal fillers and almost a quarter relating to Botox.

Under the proposed scheme, which will be operated by local authorities in England, practitioners will need to be licensed to perform specific procedures, and the premises from which they operate will also need to be licensed.

The scheme could also include age limits and restrictions for high-risk procedures, including those involving injecting fillers into intimate parts of the body - including the breasts and buttocks.

It is already illegal for under 18s to access Botox and filler treatments for cosmetic purposes and television and social media adverts targeting under 18s with cosmetic procedures are also banned.

The government says any new licensing scheme would protect patients from ‘potential harm’ associated with poorly-performed procedures, and provide ‘reassurance’.

In the consultation, the government is seeking views on: 

• the types of treatments that we propose are included within the licensing scheme 
• whether any procedures should be carried out only either by qualified and regulated healthcare professionals or under their clinical oversight 
• whether procedures permitted to be carried out only by qualified and regulated healthcare professionals should only be carried out by Care Quality Commission (CQC) registered providers 
• whether potential age restrictions should be imposed on those receiving specified procedures, in line with age restrictions on botulinum toxin injections, cosmetic fillers, tattoos, teeth whitening and sunbed use 

The need for industry regulation has been welcomed by Rebecca Hunter, a qualified medical practitioner, who runs her own nurse-led aesthetics company in Littleborough, and Rochdale MP, Sir Tony Lloyd.

Rebecca qualified as a nurse in 2009 after working for the NHS since 2005, and has since gained other nursing qualifications from the University of Manchester.

 

 

Rebecca set up her business at the start of 2022 – which provides skin rejuvenation and anti-aging treatments, Botox, dermal fillers and chemical peels – and feels very strongly about the importance of regulation in the aesthetics industry.

She said: “I warmly welcome any changes within the aesthetics industry if it ultimately means that patients will become safer and more educated. Non-surgical procedures carry the risk of harm if they’re not administered correctly and by suitably trained professionals.

“Currently there are no regulations within the UK which means that anybody can conduct non-surgical and injectable treatments, some without training and most importantly without the knowledge and solutions of complications.

“The regulations will restrict who can and can’t administer injectables as there will be a minimum standard of aesthetics training and education which can only be a positive for everybody.

“If the new regulations are enforced, I feel it will ensure that patients will receive a better and safer service from practitioners who will be adequately trained, insured and operating from a hygienic workplace, decreasing the risk of complications, infections and the use of products bought from the black market.

“I see patients on a weekly basis who have been ‘botched’ in back bedrooms and have no idea what it is they have been injected with when I ask.”

She added: “I am so passionate about medical aesthetics, and my ultimate goal is to achieve confidence for every patient with the ethos, ‘natural but noticeable enhancements’.”

Rochdale MP, Tony Lloyd, is also backing the plans and is encouraging constituents to get in touch to share their experiences — good or bad. 

 

 

Mr Lloyd said: "Every now and then you'll see people on TV who have been through cosmetic procedures, some of which are successful and some are not. The procedures that have gone wrong may leave severe complications and there is a rise in people being left physically and mentally scarred from poorly performed procedures. 

"There does need to be a system of licensing to protect people's health against bodged jobs and the government will move ahead with this, but I would be interested to know from my constituents if there are issues I should raise with the government from those who have either delivered these procedures, or received them. 

"I'd be happy for people in Rochdale to let me know about their experiences — good or bad — by emailing me at tony.lloyd.mp@parliament.uk." 

The consultation will run for 8 weeks and will close on Saturday 28 October 2023.

Anyone wishing to respond can do so directly online, here.