anti-wrinkle, fillers and laser hair removal by saying;
New proposals to regulate cosmetic procedures were widely reported in the papers today, with the Daily Mail reporting the need to "rein in cosmetic surgery cowboys", and The Daily Telegraph warning that anti-wrinkle treatments are "a crisis waiting to happen".
The stories are based on an independent review of regulations governing the UK cosmetic industry. The review was chaired by the NHS medical director, Professor Sir Bruce Keogh, who said anyone having cosmetic procedures should be better protected than at present and people carrying out cosmetic procedures should be trained to a high standard. The review particularly highlights concerns about non-surgical cosmetic procedures, such as:
Dermal fillers (injections of an acid to reduce the appearance of wrinkles and scars)
Anti-wrinkle (injections of a toxin used to smooth the skin)
Chemical peel (where chemicals are used to remove dead skin)
Laser hair removal
Under current regulations, all of these procedures can legally be performed by anyone, whatever their level of medical training. This is in spite of the fact that, if performed incorrectly, these procedures can result in a range of complications such as burning, scarring, infection and even blindness.The review proposes that much tighter and rigorous regulation is required for these types of non-surgical cosmetic procedures to ensure their safety.
Trained Nurses, Doctors only should perform injections
We agree with the majority of the Sir Bruce Keogh Review, however we suggest there are two areas which need clarifying or further explanation; 1. If over half of the cosmetic injections in the UK are performed by Nurses, why was there no nurse on the review body? There were eight members of the review committee including a journalist. 2. Why has the report not recommended that all injection treatments can only be performed by a qualified medical practitioner (Nurse, Doctor or Dentist) as in many other European countries? The article goes on to say;
What did the Keogh review find? The review committee gathered evidence from those working in the cosmetic procedures sector, the public, academics and international policymakers. Their review report says that cosmetic interventions have become “normalised”, with men as well as women increasingly likely to consider them. It says advances in technology mean there is a growing range of – mainly non-surgical – interventions available. The report also found that the industry is highly fragmented, with a range of different interest groups, product manufacturers and practitioners. It makes the case that the rapid growth of the sector means that quality control is hard to police. The review found that dermal fillers are a particular cause for concern because anyone can set themselves up as a practitioner, with no requirement for knowledge, training or previous experience. There are insufficient checks in place on the quality of the products used during the procedure, the report says, pointing out that “most dermal fillers have no more controls than a bottle of floor cleaner”.
What recommendations have the review group made?
The report outlines the need for safer products, more highly skilled practitioners and more responsible providers. It calls for: EU regulations on medical devices to be extended to cover all cosmetic implants including dermal fillers, and new UK laws to make this happen sooner dermal fillers to be classified as prescription-onlythe Royal College of Surgeons to set standards for cosmetic surgery practice and training and to issue formal certification of competenceall those performing cosmetic procedures to be registeredqualifications to be developed for providers of non-surgical proceduressurgical providers to provide patients and their GPs with proper records – and individual outcomes for surgeons to be made available on the NHS Choices websitea breast implant registry to be set up within 12 months and extended to other cosmetic devices as soon as possible, to provide better monitoring of outcomes and device safety
You can read NHS Bruce Keogh Review of Cosmetic Procedures here. Qutis clinics, are a nurse-led group of three clinics on Oxfordshire. We have over 15 years of experience. All injections are performed by specially trained, qualified registered nurses. You may ask us a question or request an obligation-free appointment here. We have clinics in Oxfordshire, in Witney, Abingdon and Thame find your nearest clinic here.
