A campaign to highlight the dangers of cosmetic procedures is soon to be launched by the UK Government. This has been announwced in response to a recent increase in the number of reported complications, and even deaths, for botched cosmetic treatments and surgeries, such as the Brazilian butt lift. A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Social Care told the BBC: ‘Anyone considering a cosmetic procedure should take the time to find a reputable, safe and qualified practitioner’ and that they ‘should make sure they understand the impact of any treatment on their physical and mental health’ (Eley and Walker, 2019).
The Government's campaign, scheduled to launch in the coming weeks, will aim to inform and educate the public about the importance of consulting with a professional regarding cosmetic procedures, including botulinum toxin and fillers. The public will be urged to consult a professional aesthetic practitioner before deciding to undergo any form of cosmetic treatment. It is hoped that this will help to tackle the number of ‘botched’ procedures, which can be both physically and mentally scarring for patients, as well as helping to reduce the costs to the NHS of treating patients who have undergone an improper procedure.
This comes as increased reports of patients self-injecting hit the headlines last week (BBC, 2019), adding to the accumulating number of incidents of botched cosmetic procedures. Sadly, stories of botched procedures by unqualified individuals are nothing new; but the rise in the number of members of the public claiming to self-inject with dermal fillers are something of a novelty, and one which is truly shocking to those who are aware of the risks associated with injectables. We are aware of the rare but possible complications that can arise as a result of injectable procedures, including tissue necrosis, vascular occlusion and blindness. These side-effects are worrying for even the most experienced of practitioners. Imagine how worrying this would be to a member of the public with no knowledge of facial anatomy, or of how to manage such complications.
We might assume that if people were aware of the potential complications of self-injecting, the majority of them would not put themselves at risk. If this is the case, and the root of the problem is a lack of proper education, then the government's campaign could be a driving force for change. On the other hand, it could be that these people are aware of the potential risks of self-injecting, but their desire for aesthetic enhancement far outweighs their concern for their own safety. This is, perhaps, even more troubling. The idea that some people are aware of these risks, but jeopardise their own safety anyway is a damning indictment of the lengths that some people will go to in order to change the way they look.
In conclusion, another campaign is a sign that the government is aware of the issues plaguing the aesthetics sector. However, when patient safety and welfare are at risk, what we really need is regulation. Until we have this, there is only so much aesthetic practitioners can do to protect their patients from unqualified practitioners and botched treatments.