Review of cosmetic interventions

 In the wake of the report, and fallout from the PiP implant scandal, the regulation of cosmetic surgery is being reviewed.

Last year, NHS Medical Director, Professor Sir Bruce Keogh, launched a review of cosmetic surgery and procedures, following the PiP implant scandal and the results of a survey which found that many people consider the cost of surgery more important than the qualifications of the people performing it. Commenting on the need for better regulation of the sector, at the launch of the review, he said: “Many questions have been raised, particularly around the regulation of clinics, whether all practitioners are adequately qualified, how well people are advised when money is changing hands, aggressive marketing techniques, and what protection is available when things go wrong.” The final report, now published, calls for tougher controls over who can offer treatments and how they can be marketed. In particular, Sir Bruce Keogh highlighted the fact that non-surgical interventions, which can have major and irreversible adverse impacts on health and wellbeing, are almost entirely unregulated. “A person having a non-surgical cosmetic intervention has no more protection and redress than someone buying a ballpoint pen or a toothbrush,” he commented, adding: “Dermal fillers are a particular cause for concern as anyone can set themselves up as a practitioner, with no requirement for knowledge, training or previous experience. Nor are there sufficient checks in place with regard to product quality – most dermal fillers have no more controls than a bottle of floor cleaner.” He further criticised the ‘normalisation’ of surgical procedures, influenced by television programmes such as ‘The Only Way is Essex’, social media and the growth of celebrity culture. The review committee’s attitudinal research suggested younger people see cosmetic procedures as a commodity – something they might ‘get done’. There is also increasing pressure to look like celebrities: 41% of girls aged 7 to 10 and 62% aged 11 to 16 said they felt some pressure to look the way celebrities do. The report raised concerns that advertising and marketing sometimes trivialised the risks of procedures, targeted vulnerable consumers and gave a misleading impression of the outcome, which was unattainable for many.

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