A recent government review into the cosmetic industry has recommended tighter regulation of certain cosmetic treatments as published in a report by the Department of Health in April.
The review led by Sir Bruce Keogh, the Health Service’s Medical Director claims that procedures including laser hair removal, Botox and dermal fillers account for 90% of cosmetic procedures in the UK and that better regulation is needed.
The panel of experts have advised that skilled and responsible practitioners and providers offer cosmetic treatments.
They would also like to encourage the public to be better informed and empowered by ensuring they are offered accurate advice and accessible redress if problems arise following a cosmetic procedure.
The report also suggests that UK legislation should be introduced to make dermal fillers prescription only.
Dermal fillers were highlighted as an area of concern because at present, any person, without medical training can set up and give dermal filler injections.
They also highlighted the worrying the ease with which injectable filler products can be bought online and administered at home, as well as the lack of sufficient checks on the quality of certain new dermal fillers.
The committee want to ensure that all practitioners are properly trained and qualified and anyone performing dermal filler treatments, to be accountable to a professional regulator.
This could be provided via professional regulation that already exists for doctors, nurses and dentists in the form of the GMC, NMC and GDC respectively.
Here at Face Clinic London, we welcome the report’s findings and agree that only qualified and trained medical professionals should carry out injectable cosmetic treatments.
All injectable treatments at Face Clinic London are performed by qualified and trained GMC registered doctors. We use long established European and / or FDA approved dermal filler brands.
All patients having treatment with us should feel confident that their practitioner is trained, qualified and regulated and will carry out the procedure safely.
Most people would agree that better regulation is needed to protect the public however there may be some years yet before that protection arrives, as the recommendations need to be agreed by government and then implemented.
What do you think? We’d love to hear your thoughts.