The Government has launched a 12-week public consultation and a crackdown on unqualified practitioners performing procedures like liquid Brazilian Butt Lifts (BBLs) on the high street. Under the new rules, potentially deadly filler procedures such as BBLs can only be carried out by qualified medics such as doctors, working for Care Quality Commission regulated providers. Those who flout the rules could face a jail sentence or hefty fines of more than £4,000.
Health Minister's Warning to Rogue Operators
Health Minister Karin Smyth sent a direct message to 'cosmetic cowboys', saying: "We're coming for you and we are stopping you. I use the words 'cowboys', that's absolutely right. It is a bit of a wild west. We want to make sure that is not the case. It will be a criminal activity."
"Clearly in extreme cases, imprisonment may be part of that and fines. How to enforce the law is a matter for the courts and the criminal justice system. I am really shocked about the way people are operating and the lack of regulation and also the lack of training for some of these people. Making it safe is a big priority," she added.
The minister also warned the public: "If it's very cheap and it looks a bit too good to be true and it's run out of someone's back room then don't do it. We want to make this a good industry. This is a good business for lots of women and brings much joy to people who want to have some of these treatments but we want to make it safe."
Campaigners Welcome the Move but Demand Speed
Ashton Collins, from long-term campaigners Save Face, welcomed the move but said 'rogue operators' should face jail. She said they had now escalated to performing dodgy surgeries with scalpels. "It is absolutely good news, any move to regulate these cowboys is positive," she said.
Collins revealed Save Face are now seeing more cases of bodged eyelid lifts, dodgy liposuction and even vaginal surgery, performed by unqualified 'cowboys'. She said: "We have been campaigning for years to get these high risk treatments taken off the high street. These are people with no scruples or no moral compass and will probably continue to do this after the law comes in. So our biggest hope is for a speedy turnaround on the legislation and to make sure they are serious when it comes to policing and enforcing these rules, nothing short of a prison sentence will stop some of these rogue operators."
The Mirror has been fighting alongside Save Face to demand regulation for the 'wild west' beauty industry since Britain's first death linked to a liquid BBL in 2024. Mum-of-five Alice Webb, aged 33 from Wotton-under-Edge, died in hospital after falling ill following a non-surgical BBL.
Family Calls for 'Alice's Law'
Alice's sister, April Palmer, 37, who has been supporting Save Face, said: "We welcome the Government's announcement of a public consultation on liquid BBLs and other high-risk cosmetic procedures... As a family, we are asking for Alice's Law to be implemented and for liquid BBL procedures to be restricted, as a matter of urgency, to appropriately qualified surgeons only."
"We believe this will prevent avoidable harm, provide better protection for people considering cosmetic procedures and spare other families the same heartbreak," she added.
Health Minister Karin Smyth praised those women who have been fighting for change and praised the Mirror's campaign. She said: "If you're planning to undergo a major cosmetic procedure, you deserve to know you're in safe hands - not risking your life with a rogue operator."
New Rules for High-Risk Treatments
The Government's proposed new rules would stop under-18s having risky cosmetic or wellbeing treatments, while fillers are already restricted for children under a separate law. Under the new regulations, treatments that involve injecting fillers anywhere other than the face, such as BBLs, would be legally defined as cosmetic surgical procedures - meaning they can only be performed by qualified medics.
Other high-risk treatments such as deep chemical peels, vampire facials and some laser procedures would be restricted to doctors, dentists, some nurses, midwives and pharmacists. Those who flout the rules could be hit with unlimited fines or fixed penalties up to £4,000.
The Government will launch a consultation asking for input from doctors, regulators and businesses to draw up draft regulations. The blueprint will then go through the parliamentary process, which is currently planned for spring 2027.
Victoria Brownlie, chief policy and sustainability officer at the British Beauty Council, said: "Over a number of years, the line between a beauty treatment and a medical procedure has blurred. A lack of regulation in what has become a booming market has led to an exploitation of these gaps, placing members of the public at serious risk. I believe this is a vital step toward the required regulation and commend the Government for tackling this issue head-on."
