The regulations would limit the highest-risk cosmetic procedures to qualified professionals and introduce licensing standards for lower-risk treatments to improve patient safety.
The UK government has announced new regulations aimed at addressing unsafe cosmetic procedures and reducing the burden of complications on the National Health Service (NHS).
Under the planned measures, only qualified healthcare professionals will be permitted to perform the highest-risk procedures—such as non-surgical Brazilian butt lifts—and these must be carried out by specialized practitioners working with providers registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
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.
The government also plans to bring in restrictions for under-18s on high-risk cosmetic procedures, unless authorized by a healthcare professional.
The planned regulations follow a series of incidents where individuals 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 aim to “protect people from unqualified, rogue operators and reduce the cost to the NHS of fixing botched procedures,” according to a press release from the UK government.
“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,” says Minister of State for Health Karin Smyth in a release. “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. ”
Priority will be given to introducing regulations to restrict the highest-risk procedures first, such as fillers injected into breasts and genitals. A public consultation will be published early next year. This will seek views on the range of procedures that should be covered in the new restrictions.
“The Joint Council for Cosmetic Practitioners warmly welcomes the UK government’s decision to introduce legislation to regulate and license cosmetic procedures according to the risks they present,” says professor David Sines, CBE, PhD, executive chair and registrar at the Joint Council for Cosmetic Practitioners, in a release.”
Next Steps and Public Consultation
While the measures are being developed, the government urges anyone considering a cosmetic procedure to check their provider’s qualifications and insurance and to avoid treatments that appear suspiciously cheap.
The new regulations will be subject to public consultation and Parliamentary scrutiny before they are introduced. The government notes that it will also work with stakeholders to develop further proposals for consultation on introducing the licensing regime for lower-risk procedures to seek views on education, training standards, qualifications, infection control, and insurance.
The regulations follow a consultation on the licensing of non-surgical cosmetic procedures launched in September 2023, which received almost 12,000 responses. This was the first consultation on proposals for strengthening regulation in this space.
The measures come as the UK Health Security Agency, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, local authorities, and the NHS continue to investigate after a number of people had adverse reactions following cosmetic procedures involving botulinum toxin.
“This long-awaited action is a critical step in protecting the public from the dangers of unregulated and unsafe non-surgical cosmetic procedures. For too long, poorly trained individuals completing short courses have been able to carry out high-risk procedures with little accountability,” says Diane Hey, chief executive officer of Armonia Health and Beauty, Beauty Professional Trailblazer Apprenticeship steering group chair, and Beauty Industry Group Licensing Task and Finish group chair, in a release.
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