DHSC Plans To Introduce Licensing Regime For Non-Surgical Cosmetic Procedures

Did you know that practitioners who administer non-surgical cosmetic treatments are not legally required to have any qualifications?

Currently in the UK procedures such as botulinum toxin injections, chemical peels, and laser hair removal can legally be performed by anyone, whatever their level of training. If performed incorrectly, these procedures can result in a range of complications such as burning, scarring, infection and even blindness.

License scheme for non-surgical cosmetic procedures

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has recently announced that the Government intends to amend the Health and Care Bill to give the Health Secretary powers to introduce a license scheme for non-surgical cosmetic procedures, such as botox and lip fillers.

The DHSC has said that licensing would reduce risk to individuals and help enforce the ban on cosmetic procedures being administered to under 18-year-olds.

This move to regulate follows the introduction of the Botulinum Toxin and Cosmetic Fillers (Children) Act 2021. This legislation came into effect on 1, October 2021 and means that it is now illegal to administer botox or lip-fillers for cosmetic reasons to under 18-year-olds.

Although the majority of the aesthetics industry shows good practice when it comes to patient safety, this step aims to ensure consistent standards and protect individuals from those without licenses, including from the potentially harmful physical and mental impacts of poorly performed cosmetic procedures.

This is supported by the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Sajid Javid:

The demand for consistent standards and further protection for individuals has increased following the amount of unlicensed operators on social media which are described as “ghosts” by Ashton Collins from Save Face.

Through the use of social media, these unlicensed operators are able to use social media to arrange appointments at home addresses but when someone complains, there is no fixed address for the unlicensed operator known which leads to them disappearing.

Comment

This licensing regime will hopefully help reduce the amount of unlicensed operators performing cosmetic procedures. It is vitally important for anyone considering a cosmetic procedure to ensure they are using a reputable, safe, and qualified practitioner because in the unfortunate event that the procedure has gone wrong, the details of the operator will be accessible and obtainable for the patient to complain and potentially issue a claim.