Beauty industry invited to participate in Government consultation on licensing of cosmetic procedures

The beauty industry is being invited to participate in an eight-week consultation on how to make non-surgical cosmetic procedures safer for consumers as the Government considers the introduction of licensing for the sector.

Views from industry professionals and consumers who have undergone such procedures will be used to shape regulation to prevent 'botched' procedures, from Botox to laser hair removal, following thousands of complaints.

The new licensing agreement could include age limits and restrictions for high-risk procedures, including those involving injecting fillers into intimate parts of the body – including the breasts and buttocks – and would apply to practitioners and cosmetic businesses in England.

"Any new licensing scheme would protect patients from potential harm associated with poorly performed procedures. This will provide reassurance to people that wherever they go to get their treatments, they will receive the same high standards of practice," the Department of Health and Social Care has said.

The consultation will run for eight weeks and will close on Saturday 28 October 2023. It follows the passing of the Health and Care Act in April 2022, which gave the Health and Social Care Secretary the power to introduce a licensing regime.

Under the proposed scheme, which will be operated by local authorities in England, practitioners will need to be licensed to perform specific procedures, and the premises from which they operate will also need to be licensed.

The government has already made it illegal for under 18s to access Botox and filler treatments for cosmetic purposes and banned TV and social media adverts targeting under 18s with cosmetic procedures.

"Whether it’s Botox, dermal fillers or even a chemical peel, we have heard too many stories of people who’ve had bad experiences from getting a cosmetic procedure from someone who is inexperienced or underqualified.

"There’s no doubt that the popularity of cosmetic procedures is increasing, so it’s our role to ensure consistent standards for consumers and a level playing field for businesses and practitioners.

"We want to make sure we get this right for everyone, which is why we want to hear your opinions and experiences through our new consultation," Minister for for the Women’s Health Strategy, Maria Caulfield said.

An estimated 900,000 Botox injections are carried out in the UK each year. Save Face – a government approved register of accredited practitioners – received almost 3,000 complaints in 2022, with over two-thirds of those complaints relating to dermal fillers and almost a quarter relating to Botox.

Ashton Collins, Director, Save Face said: "Whilst we appreciate that we are still at very early stages of any potential licensing scheme being implemented in England, we are delighted to have been invited by the government to contribute our thoughts and ideas ahead of the release of this public consultation.

"Being involved in the process has enabled Save Face to actively contribute to roundtable discussions with ministers, policy makers and key stakeholders.

"As the largest and longest established Professional Standards Authority accredited register, we are able to provide a unique level of insight based on 10 years of gathering data from practitioner and clinic audits as well as patient reported complaints, adverse reactions, and complications.

"This will enable us to help develop a fit for purpose scheme that has public safety as its primary focus. We look forward to continuing to work closely with the government and key stakeholders during the next stages of the process."

The consultation was also welcomed by the Joint Council for Cosmetic Practitioners and the British Beauty Council.

British Beauty Council Chief Policy Officer Victoria Brownlee said: "Since its inception, the British Beauty Council has been working to raise the reputation of the beauty industry and we see greater checks and balances around aesthetic procedures as a key part of this. Having worked with the government to achieve the ban on injectables for under 18s in 2021, we are delighted that they have continued this momentum with the commitment to introduce a licensing scheme covering a raft of higher-risk aesthetic treatments, many of which are largely unregulated.

Those wishing to participate in the consultation can visit the relevant page on Government's website here.