Something that is little known to many UK citizens is the frightening lack of law and regulation surrounding the non-surgical cosmetic industry. It is no surprise that any procedure which is non-surgical does not require a surgeon to perform, however, due to the lack of regulation, administers of any non-surgical treatment are not required by law to any qualifications at all. This means that the patient, or the consumer, is not protected by a regulatory body to safeguard against circumstances in which things go terribly wrong. For information on regulations or lack of, surrounding the non-surgical facelift and other cosmetic procedures, continue reading this article.
The Non-Surgical Facelift
A non-surgical facelift is a combination of non-invasive treatments and procedures that aim to minimise the signs of ageing on the patient’s face. Two of the main treatments are volume restoration and muscle relaxing. Both of these treatments are implemented with injectable components to achieve the desired look. In addition to the main treatments, administers can sometimes use chemical peels or IPL to reduce skin damage caused by sun exposure, pigmentation or thread veins. Unfortunately, there are no regulations for administers of any of these tools and machinery. This means that without proper research you could have someone injecting chemicals into your face without much or any experience.
Dr Darren McKeown’s Advice
Dr Darren McKeown is a qualified plastic surgeon with a special interest in non-surgical treatments. He has two clinics, one in London and one in Glasgow, dedicated to delivering subtle yet effective aesthetic and cosmetic treatments. Dr McKeown tells us that the key to success with injectable is practice and precision. In other words, knowing precisely where to inject and how much to inject is something that only years of training and practice can bring. In addition, Dr McKeown’s medical training equips him to deal with any circumstances in which something goes wrong effectively and efficiently, ensuring the safety of the patient at all times. Although procedures such as the non-surgical facelift are non-invasive and by law to not require a doctor to perform, a bad reaction to the products or an error in the administration would become a medical issue. Therefore, it is recommended that patients requiring non-surgical cosmetic treatments should attend a clinic with medical staff on-site.
Why Regulation is required and why it doesn’t exist
If any cosmetic treatment is performed incorrectly, it could result in various complications that are detrimental to the patient’s health. These complications include:
- Burning
- Scarring
- Infection
- Blindness
By law, it is only stated that surgical treatments are performed by medical professionals. The government has not responded to continuous demands that there be a register for officially trained professionals in the performance of commercial cosmetics. The reason for this, at least partly, is due to funding. The government argue that funding should not be given to commercial cosmetics when the NHS is currently lacking in funds. Therefore it is up to the patient or consumer, to properly research their chosen establishment for a non-surgical facelift or any other non-surgical cosmetic procedures. It is also the consumer’s responsibility if they choose to allow a non-medical professional to perform these treatments on them should something go wrong.
