The government has this morning announced plans to crack down on dodgy cosmetic practitioners who it says are exploiting people and causing harm.
Only qualified healthcare professionals will be able to perform the highest risk procedures – such as non-surgical Brazilian Butt Lifts.
These must be done by specialised healthcare workers working in providers that are registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
The planned crackdown follows a series of incidents where people have had high-risk treatments from people with little or no medical training, leading to dangerous complications, permanent scarring and even death. These new rules will protect people from unqualified, rogue operators and reduce the cost to the NHS of fixing botched procedures.
The new measures follow growing alarm over unqualified individuals performing invasive treatments in unsafe environments—including homes, hotels, and pop-up clinics. Many of these procedures are marketed as non-surgical but, in reality, are invasive and carry serious risks.
Minister of State for Health Karin Smyth said:
The cosmetics industry has been plagued by a Wild West of dodgy practitioners and procedures. There are countless horror stories of cosmetic cowboys causing serious, catastrophic damage.
This government is taking action to protect those seeking treatments, support honest and competent practitioners, and root out the cowboys as part of our Plan for Change.
This isn’t about stopping anyone from getting treatments – it’s about preventing rogue operators from exploiting people at the expense of their safety and keeping people safe. We’re giving them peace of mind and reducing the cost to the NHS of fixing botched procedures.
Other lower risk cosmetic treatments – including Botox, lip fillers and facial dermal fillers – will also come under stricter oversight through a new local authority licensing system. Practitioners will be required to meet rigorous safety, training, and insurance standards before they can legally operate.
Once regulations are introduced, practitioners who break the rules on the highest risk procedures will be subject to CQC enforcement and financial penalties.
The government also plans to bring in restrictions for under 18s on high-risk cosmetic procedures, unless authorised by a healthcare professional.
