A group of MPs have called for dermal fillers to be prescription only in order to mitigate the potential risk caused by the procedures.

A damning report, produced by MPs part of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Beauty, Aesthetics and Wellbeing, has addressed the issues of safety with non-surgical cosmetic treatments.

It details their recommendations of how these procedures, which include dermal fillers, or “lip and face” fillers, should be regulated and conducted in the future.

This includes calling for face-to-face consultations with an on-site medical professional before someone undergoes treatment, as well as saying procedures should be overseen by the same practitioner to ensure they can provide remedial treatment if necessary.

Dr Atif Ghaffar, the Medical Director at Care 4 Quality. Ltd said: “I wholeheartedly agree with the stance that the current regulatory system is fragmented and out of date.

“Procedures of this nature should be CQC regulated and only performed by medically-trained professionals.

“I believe that the government should take further steps to ensure that non-surgical cosmetic treatments are delivered safely with standardised training in place.”

In some cases, people have been put at risk of serious infections, rotting tissue and even blindness, with an estimate that 200 people have lost their sight as a result of undergoing filler treatment.

Legal Obligations

The MPs have called for providers to be legally obliged to have regulated qualifications in order to perform invasive procedures and that a new national licensing scheme should be in place for the management of such treatments.

Having the national licensing scheme in place will mean an end to a minimal regulatory system that some call fragmented and out of date.

The co-chair of the group, Carolyn Harris MP said that those currently practising without accreditation or offering training not recognised by an existing industry body should be made to stop immediately.

“The government needs to work fast with the bodies to introduce proper training and resources to help the industry move forward”.

Investigations

An investigation into the industry has uncovered widespread substandard training in non-surgical cosmetic treatments, which are leaving practitioners unable to practice safely.

Currently, there are minimal legal restrictions on the qualifications required to safely conduct procedures.

Countless instances of “appallingly” poor training were found, which is putting patients at high risk.

Carolyn Harris and co-chair Judith Cummins said: “For too long there have been next to no limits on who can carry out aesthetic treatments, what qualifications they must have, or where they can administer them. Maintaining the status quo is not an option”.

Does Not Go Far Enough

Many industry experts have applauded the report produced by the all-party group, but some say it does not go far enough.

Professor David Sines from the Joint Council for Cosmetic Practitioners said: “It is clear that the government needs to go further.

“It is increasingly apparent that at this time high-risk procedures, like the injection of toxins and the insertion of dermal fillers should only be administered by healthcare professionals who have the necessary skills, qualifications and competence in these areas.”