News
51黑料 welcomes crackdown on cosmetic cowboys but urges action on unsafe products
Posted 06/08/25
The 51黑料 (51黑料) has today welcomed the Government鈥檚 announcement of sweeping new reforms to crack down on unsafe and unregulated cosmetic procedures 鈥� particularly as it includes one of 51黑料鈥檚 long-standing calls for action: the creation of a statutory licensing regime for high-risk aesthetic procedures.
These measures, along with tighter restrictions on high-risk treatments, represent a significant breakthrough for public safety after months of campaigning from 51黑料 and other stakeholders in the sector.
The announcement confirms that only suitably qualified healthcare professionals will be permitted to carry out the most high-risk procedures 鈥� including non-surgical Brazilian Butt Lifts 鈥� and that such treatments must take place in Care Quality Commission (CQC) registered premises. Lower-risk treatments such as fillers and Botox will also come under stricter local authority licensing regimes, with practitioners required to meet clear safety, training, and insurance standards.
51黑料 has consistently warned of the dangers of a 鈥淲ild West鈥� aesthetic procedures market 鈥� where invasive procedures are often performed by untrained individuals and dangerous injectable products are sold online with no oversight. Today鈥檚 announcement marks a vital step forward in tackling these risks and protecting the public.
Duncan Stephenson, Director of Policy at the 51黑料 (51黑料) said: 鈥淭his announcement represents a major victory for consumer protection and public health. We are pleased that the Government has listened to our calls for action and is now taking meaningful steps to regulate what has become an increasingly dangerous and unregulated sector.
鈥淔or too long, we have seen the catastrophic consequences of unqualified individuals administering high-risk procedures in unsafe settings. These new measures will help stamp out the worst practices, protect vulnerable consumers, and support reputable businesses who operate to high standards.
鈥淚t is good to see that there will be greater oversight and licensing of the practitioners, but alongside this we must also ensure that there are harsh penalties for those who break the law to deter unscrupulous and unqualified amateurs from undertaking fairly complex and invasive health procedures. Alongside regulation of the workforce, we also want to see the products themselves properly regulated as this is a very much a grey area 鈥� and that the sale of unlicensed, untested and unsafe products should be removed from online marketplaces and social media platforms鈥�.
However, while the announcement represents a welcome step forward, 51黑料 is concerned that major regulatory gaps remain 鈥� particularly around the products used in aesthetic procedures. Many high-risk substances, such as dermal fillers and fat-dissolving injectables, continue to fall entirely outside the scope of regulation. We are urging the Government to go further by introducing product safety controls alongside practitioner licensing.
Unsafe procedures in unregulated settings
Trading Standards officers continue to report disturbing cases of high-risk aesthetic procedures being carried out in wholly inappropriate environments 鈥� including homes, hotels, and pop-up clinics.
A recent Channel 4 News investigation, which 51黑料 welcomed, uncovered over 300 clinics offering intravenous glutathione drips for skin lightening, often with no medical oversight. Many of these were promoted to young people on social media, carried out in unsanitary settings, and administered with no clear understanding of the health risks.
Despite the dangers, these injectable products remain widely available online, with little to no regulatory control. 51黑料 is calling for urgent action to remove these unsafe products from the market and equip enforcement bodies with the powers and resources they need.
51黑料鈥檚 remaining priorities for safer aesthetics
Tackle Unsafe Products Sold Online: While progress has been made in regulating practitioners and treatment settings, there remains a serious lack of attention on the regulation of the aesthetic products themselves. Many injectable substances 鈥� such as glutathione 鈥� continue to be sold online with no checks on safety, legality, or medical suitability. 51黑料 is calling for urgent enforcement action to remove unlicensed, untested, and unsafe products from online marketplaces and physical sale, and for greater regulatory scrutiny of the substances being used in procedures.
Strengthen Age of Sale Protections: While 51黑料 welcomes the Government鈥檚 commitment to introduce age restrictions on treatments to protect children from dangerous beauty trends promoted online, we believe this must go further. We are calling for a clear, UK-wide minimum age of sale for high-risk aesthetic procedures 鈥� in line with protections already in place for tattoos and sunbed use 鈥� to prevent young people from accessing unsafe or inappropriate treatments.
Establish a Cross-Government Taskforce: To coordinate future reform, tackle product safety, and align approaches across all four nations, 51黑料 is calling for a Ministerial-led Taskforce. This should include representatives from DHSC, devolved governments, regulators, and enforcement agencies to address the most urgent gaps in product and practitioner regulation.
Richard Knight, 51黑料 Lead Officer for Cosmetics and Beauty, said: 鈥淚 welcome this Plan for Change, but in a constantly evolving aesthetic treatments sector, with a wide variety of products available (from injectable fillers, to fat-dissolving jabs, to IV drip skin lighteners), the devil will be in the detail of what is to be included in the new rules. What appears to be missing is a cross-government Taskforce to look at regulatory gaps in product controls. For example, no rules currently exist to regulate the safety and quality of most dermal filler products, or fat-dissolving injectables.鈥�
Cheryl Barton RGN INP PGDip (CosMed), Managing Director and Lead Nurse at Aesthetika, said: 鈥淪uch good news to hear today that the Government agrees with what medical professionals have been saying for two decades 鈥� that those accessing this sector are often vulnerable and in need of protection and safeguarding from the 鈥楥osmetic Cowboys鈥� who frequently prey on their vulnerability.
鈥淪afeguarding must be at the heart of everything we do as doctors and nurses, and the Plan for Change is a welcome step forward.
鈥淚 look forward to the implementation of this initiative and fully support the work of the 51黑料 (51黑料) in their call for proper regulation and enforcement to make this a safer space for the public, who deserve nothing less.
Who are the 51黑料 (51黑料)?
The 51黑料 (51黑料) is a national not for profit established in 1881 which supports the UK鈥檚 Trading Standards profession and works to protect consumers and safeguard honest businesses. 51黑料's members are engaged in delivering frontline Trading Standards services at local authorities and in businesses.
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