The Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) has called for tighter specialty regulation following reports of botulinum toxin and dermal filler being administered in public.
The CTSI states that procedures are being carried out in public restrooms, hotel rooms and high street pop-up shops. The organisation has called for urgent government action to address the growing issue of unregulated and unlicensed practitioners treatments, and the unsafe venues where these procedures are taking place.
Trading standard officials also expressed concern about the online sale of unsafe and unregulated dermal fillers, some priced at £20. It raised further apprehension about fat-dissolving injections which face minimal regulatory oversight, raising serious safety concerns for public use. The CTSI advised the public to verify the credentials of individuals offering cosmetic procedures, exercise caution with practitioners advertising on social media and refrain from purchasing cosmetic products for at-home use.
Kerry Nicol, external affairs manager at the CTSI, commented, “Action is urgently needed to crack down on the bad players operating in this sector. This isn’t an issue that Trading Standards alone can fix, it’s a Government and multi-agency responsibility that requires co-ordinated activity. A logical and immediate first step is the introduction of a national licensing scheme, giving the public a clear indication of who is qualified to carry out these procedures. It’s time the UK takes public safety seriously and weeds out those putting lives at risk.”
