Last week, the government unveiled a series of measures to regulate high-risk cosmetic procedures, aiming to protect the public from unqualified practitioners and reduce the NHS burden caused by “botched” treatments. It’s a welcome measure, but one that is long overdue.

Under the new rules, only suitably qualified healthcare professionals will be permitted to perform the most dangerous procedures, including non-surgical Brazilian butt lifts. These treatments must be carried out by specialised healthcare workers in providers registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC). Other high-risk procedures, such as fillers injected into breasts or genitals, will also be prioritised under the new restrictions.

The measures follow incidents where invasive treatments were performed by untrained individuals in unsafe settings such as homes, hotels and pop-up clinics, leading to serious complications, permanent scarring and, in some cases, death. Health Minister Karin Smyth said in a statement: “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.”

Lower-risk procedures, including Botox, lip fillers and facial dermal fillers, will come under a new local authority licensing system. Practitioners will need to meet strict safety, training and insurance requirements before operating legally. Breaches involving the highest-risk treatments will be subject to CQC enforcement and financial penalties.

The government also plans to introduce age restrictions, preventing under-18s from accessing high-risk cosmetic procedures unless authorised by a healthcare professional. Public consultations will be held to determine the scope of procedures covered, with priority given to regulating the most dangerous first.

Millie Kendall OBE, CEO of the British Beauty Council, welcomed the move: “Any measures that increase protection for the general public and professionalise the industry will help instil confidence… This is the first step forward in raising the reputation of our £30.4 billion industry.”

Other industry figures echoed the support. Ashton Collins, Director of Save Face, said: “We have been campaigning tirelessly for nearly 2 years… I have seen first-hand the devastating impact these procedures can have.” Professor David Sines of the Joint Council for Cosmetic Practitioners called the proposals “imperative” for safeguarding patients. At the same time, Diane Hey of Armonia Health and Beauty described them as a “critical step” in restoring public trust.

Save Face, along with many other individuals and organisations, has long been highlighting the lack of regulations for aesthetic procedures. But why has it, for so long, been left unchecked? For me, it’s a complex answer of neglect and misogyny. It is predominantly women who have these procedures. A global 2023 study showed that 85.1% of 2022’s 9,221,419 Botox procedures were done on women. Almost 7.9 million women received Botox injections in 2022, while only 1.370 million went to men. Of all patients getting any cosmetic procedure in 2022, 85.7% were women.

The pressure to have these procedures is rooted in patriarchy, and whilst individual women conforming to these pressures (most of us do, in some way), are not to blame, the structures do need challenging. The people administering the procedures need to have more scrutiny placed upon them, especially those who, in some cases, risk the lives of their patients.