The Government is today launching a consultation to ask clinicians, regulators, businesses, the public and other experts for their say on the draft regulations before plans go through the Parliamentary process, which is currently planned for spring 2027.
Health minister Karin Smyth said: ‘These changes mean that only properly trained professionals can carry out the most serious, high-risk procedures and that young people will be shielded from treatments that can go badly wrong.'
The proposals include limiting liquid Brazilian Butt Lifts, vampire facials and chemical peels to qualified healthcare experts only and a ban on cosmetic surgery and other high-risk procedures banned for under-18s.
Breaking the rules could see providers being hit with unlimited fines, or fixed penalties up to £4,000.
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Keith Allison, cosmetic surgery co-lead at the Royal College of Surgeons of England, said the new proposals did not go far enough, however, commenting: ‘If the Government strengthens regulations for non-surgical procedures while leaving cosmetic surgery largely unchanged, it will create an unacceptable gap in patient protection.
‘A doctor should not be able to carry out cosmetic surgery simply because they hold a medical license.
‘We want the Government to ensure that anyone performing cosmetic surgery has the appropriate surgical training and expertise for the procedures they undertake. Patients deserve to know that their surgeon has the qualifications, skills and experience relevant to the specific operation they are having. As these proposals are developed, ministers must ensure they do not create a new loophole in patient protection by regulating non-surgical cosmetic procedures more robustly than cosmetic surgery itself.'
Chair of the Women and Equalities Committee and Labour MP Olivia Bailey said: ‘WEC's report warned back in February that procedures that are deemed high risk such as liquid BBLs and liquid breast augmentations, which have already been shown to pose a serious threat to patient safety, should be banned immediately.
‘However, another consultation into 2027 without immediate safeguards is no substitute for timely action - delays are prolonging a significant risk to patient safety.
‘As WEC recommended all practitioners performing invasive surgical cosmetic procedures should be required to have specialist training and hold appropriate board certification in the procedures they undertake.
‘While it is positive to hear a licensing system for non-surgical cosmetic procedures will be introduced within this Parliament, this issue requires much faster regulatory progress to fully crackdown on this evolving wild west and the Government is not moving quickly enough.'
