New laws will make it illegal to inject fillers without a licence in win for Sun campaign
COWBOY cosmetic practitioners face a crackdown under plans to regulate popular non-surgical treatments – in a victory for The Sun’s Had Our Fill campaign.
It will soon be illegal to inject Brits with Botox and lip fillers without a licence under plans to stamp out dodgy providers.
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Clinics and salons will also have to prove their premises meet key hygiene and safety standards.
Until now, non-surgical cosmetic treatments – such as Botox and fillers – could be administered by an unqualified practitioner, with little consumer protection.
Ministers hope the planned amendment to the Health and Safety Bill will raise standards across the industry.
They are now launching a public consultation before introducing tough new laws.
The Sun’s Had Our Fill campaign has been calling for tighter regulation of the £2.75billion industry since 2020.
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Health Secretary Sajid Javid said: “While most of those in the aesthetics industry follow good practice when it comes to patient safety, far too many people have been left emotionally and physically scarred after botched cosmetic procedures.
“I am committed to protecting patient safety by making it an offence for someone to perform these cosmetic procedures without a licence.
“We’re doing all we can to protect patients from potential harm, but I urge anyone considering a cosmetic procedure to take the time to think about the impact on both their physical and mental health and ensure they are using a reputable, safe and qualified practitioner.”
Clinics and salons have already been banned from giving Botox and lip fillers to under-18s unless they are for GP-approved medical reasons.
And all adverts and social media for cosmetic procedures targeting youngsters have also been barred.
Minister for Patient Safety Maria Caulfield said: “The spread of images on social media has contributed to an increase in demand for cosmetic procedures such as Botox and fillers. While these can be administered safely, we are seeing an unacceptable rise in people being left physically and mentally scarred from poorly performed procedures.
“Today’s [Tues] amendment is the next step on the road to effective regulation of non-surgical cosmetic procedures in England.”
Save Face, the national register of non-surgical cosmetic treatment practitioners, welcomed the plans.
Director Ashton Collins said: “We commend the Government for seeking to introduce additional safeguards to protect the public.
“We are optimistic that the work we have already done in establishing the UKs leading register for aesthetic practitioners will help pave the forward for any future scheme.”
Had Our Fill campaign
Britain’s Botox and filler addiction is fuelling a £2.75billion industry.
The wrinkle-busting and skin plumping treatments account for 9 out of 10 cosmetic procedures.
50% of women and 40% of men aged 18 to 34 want to plump up their pouts and tweak their faces.
Fillers are totally unregulated and incredibly you don’t need to have ANY qualifications to buy and inject them.
83% of botched jobs are performed by people with no medical training, often in unsanitary environments – with devastating results.
Women have been left with rotting tissue, needing lip amputations, lumps and even blinded by botched jobs.
Despite the dangers, there is no legal age limit for dermal filler, which is why Fabulous has launched Had Our Fill, a campaign calling for:
- fillers to be made illegal for under 18s
- a crackdown on social media sites plugging fillers
- a Government-backed central register for practitioners with accredited qualifications
We’re working in conjunction with Save Face and are backed by the British Association of Plastic Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons (BAPRAS) and British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS).
We want anyone considering a non-surgical cosmetic treatment to be well-informed to make a safe decision.
We’ve Had Our Fill of rogue traders and sham clinics – have you?