Two years after the recommendations of the Keogh report were published, new medical and aesthetic training academy, MATA, asked a panel of experts whether safety in the cosmetic intervention industry has improved at all.
In April 2013 the UK Department of Health published its recommendations to help protect people opting to undertake cosmetic surgery. The Keogh review had discovered that procedures such as Botox, dermal fillers and laser hair removal – which account for nine out of ten procedures in the UK – were largely unregulated. This is despite the fact that all these procedures can have significant and permanent effects on consumer health.
The review recommended a number of steps to improve safety in the industry, including better training, making fillers prescription only and introducing an independent ombudsman. But how much has the industry changed since then?
Vanda Thomas had a session of laser hair removal 18 months ago at a high-street beautician. She said: "I didn't know the difference between a laser and an IPL. I know now that [the beautician] used an IPL, which was not suitable for my dark skin. I was burnt to a crisp." Thomas is still undergoing restorative treatment after the procedure left her with scarring on her face. She added: "I find it quite astonding that someone can inject a consumer without any medical qualification. If I visit the dentist, even the hygenist who brushes my teeth is a registered professional. I think every procedure should require medical qualifications."
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