Latest news with #KerryNicol
The Independent
11 hours ago
- Health
- The Independent
Crackdown urged as unsafe cosmetic fillers sold online for £20
The Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) has warned about a surge in unsafe cosmetic procedures, such as fat injections and fillers, being administered by untrained individuals in unregulated locations like public restrooms. CTSI is calling for immediate government intervention to regulate unlicensed practitioners and treatments, saying unsafe fillers are available online for as little as £20. The institute has uncovered practices, including administering fillers in pop-up shops, public toilet cubicles, and hotel rooms, which pose enforcement challenges. Kerry Nicol of the CTSI is urging a national licensing scheme to ensure qualified practitioners and coordinated multi-agency action. Ashton Collins, director at Save Face, is campaigning for the government to ban liquid Brazilian butt lifts (BBLs) from the high street and restrict their administration to qualified plastic surgeons following the death of Alice Webb after undergoing a liquid BBL procedure in 2024.
STV News
13 hours ago
- Health
- STV News
Fat injections and Brazilian butt lifts 'offered in public toilets'
A 'Wild West' of fat injections, Brazilian butt lifts (BBLs), Botox and fillers are being offered by untrained people in places such as public toilets, trading standards leaders have warned. The Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) said there was a need for urgent Government action over unregulated and unlicensed practitioners and treatments, alongside where they can be offered. It said it had uncovered: – 'Shocking' locations where procedures such as fillers are being administered, including 'pop-up' shops on high streets, cubicles in public toilets and hotel rooms. It said these locations fall outside typical business premises and make taking action difficult. – 'Unsafe and unregulated' fillers available for sale online to shoppers for as little as £20. – Growing concerns over fat-dissolving injections, such as Lemon Bottle, which have 'little to no regulatory oversight to ensure their safe use by the public'. – A 'postcode lottery' across the UK in the minimum age at which such procedures can be carried out – with young people crossing borders for treatment. The CTSI said lives could be at risk amid the 'major gaps' in regulation on who is responsible for the products and procedures. It also said no data is available on how often the NHS is having to deal with infections and life-threatening complications when things go wrong. The CTSI issued a fresh warning to the public to check the qualifications of people offering cosmetic procedures, be wary of people advertising on social media and to not buy products to use at home. Kerry Nicol, external affairs manager at the CTSI, said: 'I am genuinely shocked by the scale of potential harm facing the public due to the alarming lack of regulation in the aesthetic industry. 'Consumers' lives are being put at risk every single day. What's worse is that many of these unregulated practitioners are preying on people's vulnerabilities and the pressures they feel around body image, they are taking advantage of those who are often just looking for a boost to their confidence or self-esteem. 'Alarm bells would ring if someone was offering a tattoo in someone's kitchen or a public toilet at a cheap price – so those are the alarm bells we need ringing for people offering facial injections in these kinds of settings. '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.' Ashton Collins, director at Save Face, a register of accredited practitioners, said: 'Since 2023, we have been campaigning for the government to ban liquid BBLs from the high street and restrict their administration to qualified plastic surgeons. 'We cautioned that without urgent action, lives would be at risk, and sadly, in 2024, Alice Webb tragically lost her life after undergoing a liquid BBL procedure. 'Alongside CTSI, we are determined to ensure our call to restrict liquid BBLs is acted upon. 'Additionally, we are focused on reinforcing existing legislation that has long failed to protect patients from unscrupulous practitioners who continue to flaunt the law with impunity. 'For too long, regulations intended to safeguard patients have been inadequately policed and enforced.' A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: 'People's lives are being put at risk by inadequately trained operators in the cosmetic sector, which is why the Government is looking into new regulations to protect people. 'The safety of patients is paramount and we urge anyone considering cosmetic procedures to consider the possible health impacts and find a reputable, insured and qualified practitioner.' Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
BBC News
13 hours ago
- Health
- BBC News
Warning over fillers and botox being offered in public toilets
Cosmetic procedures such as fillers, Botox and Brazilian butt lifts are taking place in public toilets, hotel rooms and other "shocking locations" in Britain, officials have lives "are being put at risk every single day" by the lack of regulation in the industry, the Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) says, as it called for urgent action to set up a licensing has also uncovered unsafe fillers and fat-dissolving injections being sold Department for Health and Social Care says the government is looking into new regulations to protect people. Kerry Nicol, external affairs manager at the CTSI, said she was "genuinely shocked by the scale of potential harm facing the public due to the alarming lack of regulation in the aesthetic industry".She added that "action is urgently needed" to crack down on "bad players operating in this sector" and a cross-government approach was priority is giving the public a clear indication of who is qualified to carry out these procedures, Ms Nicol standards officials said they were particularly worried about young people getting injections, because finding practitioners who checked for the minimum age of 18 was a "postcode lottery".Their advice is always to:check the qualifications of those advertising cosmetic proceduresbe wary of practitioners who advertise and operate through social mediado not buy products to inject at homeTrading standards officials are also concerned about fillers being sold online for as little as £20 and fat loss injections, such as Lemon Bottle, which have no "regulatory oversight" in the this month, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) reported a number of people had suffered adverse side-effects after being injected with suspected counterfeit are also worried about consumers undergoing fat injections, such as liquid BBLs (Brazilian butt lifts), which involve injecting filler into the buttocks to lift them and make them look bigger or more procedure is very risky and can cause serious side-effects such as blood clots and September last year, 33-year-old Alice Webb is believed to have died after suffering complications from having a liquid BBL in Gloucestershire. As it stands, you do not need a licence to perform cosmetic procedures in England, but this could change if an amendment brought forward in 2022 is passed by government has previously suggested making changes to the Health and Care Act, which would bring in a scheme to protect consumers from unlicensed practitioners.A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Social Care said: "People's lives are being put at risk by inadequately trained operators in the cosmetic sector, which is why the government is looking into new regulations to protect people."The safety of patients is paramount and we urge anyone considering cosmetic procedures to consider the possible health impacts and find a reputable, insured and qualified practitioner." To improve safety for consumers, the Scottish government announced plans in May to regulate aesthetic are currently no plans to do the same in Northern Ireland and Wales. Ashton Collins, director at Save Face, which provides a register of accredited practitioners, said her organisation had been campaigning "to ban liquid BBLs from the high street".She added: "We are focused on reinforcing existing legislation that has long failed to protect patients from unscrupulous practitioners who continue to flaunt the law with impunity."For too long, regulations intended to safeguard patients have been inadequately policed and enforced."
Wales Online
13 hours ago
- Health
- Wales Online
Warning 'lives at risk' over fat injections being given in the UK
Warning 'lives at risk' over fat injections being given in the UK The CTSI has found unsafe locations, a lack of regulation, little oversight and a postcode lottery Cosmetic injections need to be more tightly regulated A 'Wild West' of fat injections, Brazilian butt lifts (BBLs), Botox and fillers are being offered by untrained people in places such as public toilets, trading standards leaders have warned. The Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) said there was a need for urgent Government action over unregulated and unlicensed practitioners and treatments, alongside where they can be offered. It said it had uncovered: 'Shocking' locations where procedures such as fillers are being administered, including 'pop-up' shops on high streets, cubicles in public toilets and hotel rooms. It said these locations fall outside typical business premises and make taking action difficult. "Unsafe and unregulated' fillers available for sale online to shoppers for as little as £20. Growing concerns over fat-dissolving injections, such as Lemon Bottle, which have 'little to no regulatory oversight to ensure their safe use by the public'. A 'postcode lottery' across the UK in the minimum age at which such procedures can be carried out – with young people crossing borders for treatment. The CTSI said lives could be at risk amid the 'major gaps' in regulation on who is responsible for the products and procedures. It also said no data is available on how often the NHS is having to deal with infections and life-threatening complications when things go wrong. The CTSI issued a fresh warning to the public to check the qualifications of people offering cosmetic procedures, be wary of people advertising on social media and to not buy products to use at home. Kerry Nicol, external affairs manager at the CTSI, said: 'I am genuinely shocked by the scale of potential harm facing the public due to the alarming lack of regulation in the aesthetic industry. 'Consumers' lives are being put at risk every single day. What's worse is that many of these unregulated practitioners are preying on people's vulnerabilities and the pressures they feel around body image, they are taking advantage of those who are often just looking for a boost to their confidence or self-esteem. Article continues below 'Alarm bells would ring if someone was offering a tattoo in someone's kitchen or a public toilet at a cheap price – so those are the alarm bells we need ringing for people offering facial injections in these kinds of settings. 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.' Ashton Collins, director at Save Face, a register of accredited practitioners, said: 'Since 2023, we have been campaigning for the government to ban liquid BBLs from the high street and restrict their administration to qualified plastic surgeons. We cautioned that without urgent action, lives would be at risk, and sadly, in 2024, Alice Webb tragically lost her life after undergoing a liquid BBL procedure. 'Alongside CTSI, we are determined to ensure our call to restrict liquid BBLs is acted upon. Additionally, we are focused on reinforcing existing legislation that has long failed to protect patients from unscrupulous practitioners who continue to flaunt the law with impunity. 'For too long, regulations intended to safeguard patients have been inadequately policed and enforced.' Article continues below A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: 'People's lives are being put at risk by inadequately trained operators in the cosmetic sector, which is why the Government is looking into new regulations to protect people. 'The safety of patients is paramount and we urge anyone considering cosmetic procedures to consider the possible health impacts and find a reputable, insured and qualified practitioner.'
South Wales Guardian
14 hours ago
- Health
- South Wales Guardian
Fat injections and Brazilian butt lifts ‘offered in public toilets', experts say
The Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) said there was a need for urgent Government action over unregulated and unlicensed practitioners and treatments, alongside where they can be offered. It said it had uncovered: – 'Shocking' locations where procedures such as fillers are being administered, including 'pop-up' shops on high streets, cubicles in public toilets and hotel rooms. It said these locations fall outside typical business premises and make taking action difficult. – 'Unsafe and unregulated' fillers available for sale online to shoppers for as little as £20. – Growing concerns over fat-dissolving injections, such as Lemon Bottle, which have 'little to no regulatory oversight to ensure their safe use by the public'. – A 'postcode lottery' across the UK in the minimum age at which such procedures can be carried out – with young people crossing borders for treatment. The CTSI said lives could be at risk amid the 'major gaps' in regulation on who is responsible for the products and procedures. It also said no data is available on how often the NHS is having to deal with infections and life-threatening complications when things go wrong. The CTSI issued a fresh warning to the public to check the qualifications of people offering cosmetic procedures, be wary of people advertising on social media and to not buy products to use at home. Kerry Nicol, external affairs manager at the CTSI, said: 'I am genuinely shocked by the scale of potential harm facing the public due to the alarming lack of regulation in the aesthetic industry. 'Consumers' lives are being put at risk every single day. What's worse is that many of these unregulated practitioners are preying on people's vulnerabilities and the pressures they feel around body image, they are taking advantage of those who are often just looking for a boost to their confidence or self-esteem. 'Alarm bells would ring if someone was offering a tattoo in someone's kitchen or a public toilet at a cheap price – so those are the alarm bells we need ringing for people offering facial injections in these kinds of settings. '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.' Ashton Collins, director at Save Face, a register of accredited practitioners, said: 'Since 2023, we have been campaigning for the government to ban liquid BBLs from the high street and restrict their administration to qualified plastic surgeons. 'We cautioned that without urgent action, lives would be at risk, and sadly, in 2024, Alice Webb tragically lost her life after undergoing a liquid BBL procedure. 'Alongside CTSI, we are determined to ensure our call to restrict liquid BBLs is acted upon. 'Additionally, we are focused on reinforcing existing legislation that has long failed to protect patients from unscrupulous practitioners who continue to flaunt the law with impunity. 'For too long, regulations intended to safeguard patients have been inadequately policed and enforced.' A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: 'People's lives are being put at risk by inadequately trained operators in the cosmetic sector, which is why the Government is looking into new regulations to protect people. 'The safety of patients is paramount and we urge anyone considering cosmetic procedures to consider the possible health impacts and find a reputable, insured and qualified practitioner.'
