MPs call for statutory regulation on non-surgical beauty treatments

MPs are calling for the statutory regulation of non-surgical beauty treatments involving injectables, fillers, invasive lasers, ‘deep’ peels and other invasive treatments, saying they should only be administered by regulated healthcare professionals.

This call comes after the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Beauty, Aesthetics and Wellbeing has published a report on an important inquiry into advanced aesthetic non-surgical cosmetic treatments.

MPs were concerned that currently anyone can carry out any treatment, with minimal legal restrictions on who can provide them or what qualifications they must have to do so.

The report concluded that there is a complete lack of a legal framework of standards around these treatments, which has left consumers at risk and undermined the industry’s ability to develop.

The APPG has made 17 recommendations to the Government to help this issue, including:

• Setting national minimum standards for practitioner training;
• Mandate practitioners hold a regulated qualification in line with national standards;
• Legislate to introduce a national licensing framework;
• Make fillers prescription only;
• Develop and mandate psychological pre-screening of customers;
• Extend the ban on U18s receiving botox and fillers to other invasive aesthetic treatments;
• Place advertising restrictions on dermal fillers and other invasive aesthetic treatments;
• Require social media platforms to do more to curb misleading ads and posts promoting these treatments.

These recommendations are based on evidence given in public inquiry sessions and written submissions from a wide range of stakeholders including trade associations, aesthetics industry operators, trainers, practitioners, health bodies, regulatory agencies and consumers themselves.

“We strongly urge the Government to implement the recommendations in our report and to take action to improve to improve the situation for the benefit of the industry and public safety. Maintaining the status quo is simply not an option.”- Co-Chairs of the APPG, Carolyn Harris MP and Judith Cummins MP

To read the APPG report in full, click here