Unlicensed Botox and Injectables Might Soon Be Illegal in England, Announces Sajid Javid

Despite having heavy regulations in cosmetics and food standards, the UK undeniably falls short when it comes to regulation of injectables (including lip fillers) and botulinum toxin (the most famous of which is Botox). At present, anyone can take a short course in injectables (and by short we mean as little as a few hours in some cases) and set up shop — quite literally. This has caused an increase in unlicensed practitioners, leading to dangerous consequences. What's worse, it doesn't seem to be common knowledge among the public that the industry is unregulated. The British Association of Beauty Therapy and Cosmetology (BABTAC) reported that in 2019, 70 percent of consumers surveyed believed there was legislation to ensure standardisation of all injectables training, which is sadly not true.

Thankfully, on 1 March 2022, the government stated that they are committed to introducing regulations in England for nonsurgical procedures, including Botox and fillers. Health and Social Care Secretary Sajid Javid said he is committed to ensuring tighter regulations, which means that with new rules, it would be an offence for someone to inject without a proper license. "While most of those in the aesthetics industry follow good practice when it comes to patient safety, far too many people have been left emotionally and physically scarred after botched cosmetic procedures," he said. "I am committed to protecting patient safety by making it an offence for someone to perform these cosmetic procedures without a licence."

The proposal is welcomed news in the beauty industry. "After so many years of campaigning for further regulation of our industry – including contributing and providing evidence to the APPGs and other industry authorities — BABTAC are delighted that the government has today announced that they intend to introduce a nationwide licensing regime for non-surgical cosmetic procedures such as botulinum toxin and fillers", says BABTAC CEO and chair Lesley Blair.

"The confirmation [from the 2019 BABTAC survey shows] that the government committing to further regulation in the beauty industry is more important than ever, especially when considering that if done incorrectly, injectables can lead to permanent facial damage including blindness, paralysis, distortion, and even necrosis of the skin tissue," explained Blair. "So with injectables in particular it is critical that a legal and qualified prescribing practitioner is on site to manage any complications should they arise."

This move comes after under 18s were banned from injectables for cosmetic reasons in October 2021. "To be clear, I have no problem whatever with an individual's right to alter their appearance, should they so wish," said Baroness Wyld during her speech in parliament on the topic. "However, children are still developing, physically and emotionally, and without this legislation, we are leaving them exposed to completely unacceptable risk."

This legislation isn't to scare consumers out of getting injectable treatments. There are so many fantastic treatments and practitioners out there who can create life-changing solutions for a wide variety of concerns. However, patient safety should always be of utmost importance. Making it easier for consumers to identify licensed practitioners is critical in making the industry a safer place for all.

Despite these key moves towards a safer industry, many practitioners say it isn't enough. "[The] government needs to step up and protect the public," says Dr Nestor Demosthenous, owner of Dr Nestor's Medical Cosmetic Centre based in Scotland. Noting that one of the problems is unqualified non-medics thinking that they are qualified to inject. Dr Demosthenous urges Javid to join the British College of Aesthetic Medicine (BCAM) and British Association of Aesthetic Nurses (BACN) to have "meaningful conversation" along with Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.

There are no further details on exactly what the legislation will include (and which parts of the UK it will affect) or when it will be introduced.