A 'Cosmetic Crisis' Waiting To Happen - How Will It Affect you?

A new review into plastic surgery says companies are putting profit ahead of care, and we are calling on Marie Claire readers to help change this as part of our Take A Good Look campaign

There is currently a 'cosmetic crisis' in the UK, according to a report released today.

The independent review into cosmetic surgery, led by the Medical Director of the NHS, sets out how it would like to see the sector better regulated, practitioners better trained and people having proper redress if things go wrong.

Experts were shocked by the current 'trivalisation' of cosmetic surgery, a £2.3bn industry, and said providers 'put profit first'.

The review was commissioned by the Government following the PIP breast implant scandal, and the panel looked at the products used for surgical and non-surgical procedures (non-surgical includes Botox, lip fillers and laser hair removal), the people who administer them, the way they are advertised and the advice and support patients and consumers are given.

They found there is almost no regulation despite the fact that if something goes wrong it could have a permanent effect on a person's health and wellbeing.

The panel is determined to make fillers fall under the same controls as breast implants, so only fillers which have passed safety appraisals will be available, and only those skilled enough will be able to administer them.

Review chairman Professor Sir Bruce Keogh said: 'At the heart of this report is the person who chooses to have a cosmetic procedure.

'We have heard terrible reports about people who have trusted a cosmetic practitioner to help them but, when things have gone wrong, they have been left high and dry with no help. These people have not had the safety net that those using the NHS have. This needs to change.

'We would like to see everyone who chooses to have any cosmetic procedure better protected. We would like to see people who carry out procedures trained to a high standard. We would like the public to feel confident they are going to be well looked after and, if things go wrong, that they will be supported. And ultimately, if someone needs to step in on the side of patients, we think there should be an ombudsman to do that.

'This isn’t just about the past and present, this is about protecting people for years to come. We very much hope that our report will lead to a safer environment for patients and this industry in the future.'

Marie Claire editor Trish Halpin, who sat on the Review Committee chaired by NHS Medical Director Professor Sir Bruce Keogh, appeared on ITV Daybreak this morning to support the report's launch. Trish also spoke about our campaign for better regulation of cosmetic surgery.

Reader Laura-Alicia Summers also joined model and TV presenter Lizzie Cundy to speak about her experience with botched lip fillers and called for action.

Just like the new report, our #TakeAGoodLook Campaign Demands:

• a register for practitioners and procedures • standardised information for patients • a ban on special offers and procedures as prizes • a code of practice for advertising • training courses for non-surgical procedures • fillers to be made prescription-only • a national breast implant registry • an impartial organisation to turn to when things go wrong

So please, sign our petition if you think women should be empowered, informed and safe about cosmetic procedures.

You can read our full investigation into plastic surgery in the latest issue of Marie Claire – out now.

A full copy of the report can be found here.

VICTIM OF BOTCHED LIP FILLERS SPEAKS OUT IN SUPPORT OF #TAKEAGOODLOOK

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