On May 14, south Leicestershire MP Alberto Costa led a debate in the House of Commons that called on the UK Government to introduce stricter regulations for the non-surgical sector, including banning treatments for those under the age of 18.
The debate follows on from another raised to the Prime Minister earlier this year on the regulation of non-surgical aesthetic procedures and coincides with the newly-launched patient awareness campaign by the Government.
MP Costa said, “I was very pleased to again raise this tremendously important matter in the House of Commons. The lack of regulation in this industry is hugely concerning; many people may not be aware of the stark lack of proper protections in place for my constituents and others receiving these treatments. For instance, at present, there is no minimum age requirement for cosmetic procedures, there are no rules in place to govern who can administer these procedures and there are no laws concerning the make-up of the materials being injected, it is truly shocking.”
He added, “While I welcome the Government’s new awareness campaign, unfortunately it does not go far enough. There are clear and obvious gaps in the legislation in this industry, and these must be addressed for the protection of consumers. We must also be mindful that social media has a huge influence on procedures such as dermal fillers and botulinum toxin; these are predominantly aimed at the young and impressionable in society, hence why the introduction of a minimum age for these procedures. I will continue to champion this issue in order to press for regulation to ensure my constituents and others can safely purchase and receive these procedures with peace of mind.”
