Plans to ban unlicensed Botox suppliers in England

Aesthetic practitioners offering Botox-like injections or dermal fillers may be required to be licensed as part of the government’s plan to protect patients in England.

Hopefully this will ensure consistent standards in an industry previously dubbed the “Wild West” by MPs.

Industry bodies say consult Welcome the new rules and hope the changes will be implemented quickly.

Currently, anyone can provide treatment, with few restrictions.

Health and Social Care Minister Sajid Javid said he had pledged to criminalise operating without a licence.

“While most cosmetic professionals follow good patient safety practices, too many are left emotionally and physically scarred after botched cosmetic procedures,” he said.

Complications can include infection, lumps, bruising, and even blindness.

Amendments to the Health and Care Act were filed on Tuesday.

If successful, the government would have the power to introduce a licensing scheme for Botox injections (often called Botox) or fillers.

However, full details will only be confirmed following a public consultation, which some fear could take months or even years.

Ashton Collins of Save Face said: “These unlicensed operators are like ghosts.

“They’re on social networks, they’re mobile, they come to find people.

“Then when someone complains, they just disappear and don’t have a fixed address.

“We desperately need a licensing system that suits our purposes.»

Hannah Russell, chief executive of Glowday, a website that connects patients with verified medical aesthetic practitioners, called for licensing standards to go beyond technical skills.

She said “the injector’s previous experience”, “ability to consent correctly” and “ability to resolve complications” all need to be considered.

Government plans also include the introduction of health and safety standards for premises.

BBC News has heard of many cases of treatment being given at home, sometimes near children or pets, which increases the risk of infection.

The spread of images on social media has fueled demand for these procedures, which plump or smooth skin, and the sites offer a platform to sell them.

In October, he became Unlawful Injecting or injecting Botox-based fillers for youth under 18 in England for cosmetic reasons.

Ads for cosmetic surgery targeting them starting in May will be banned.

All-party parliamentary group on beauty, aesthetics and wellbeing welcomes Ministry of Health plan but hopes All the advice he made last summer to implement.

This includes requiring practitioners to hold prescribed qualifications that meet minimum national standards.

The Welsh government said the proposed licensing regime for non-surgical cosmetic surgery would “effectively bring England into line with the powers we already have under the Public Health (Wales) Act 2017” – despite delays from Brexit and the pandemic.

Recommendations should be made in Scotland in the “near future”, and Northern Ireland does not intend to take such measures.