Botox-style injections and lip filler banned for under-18s in England

Under eighteens are no longer able to get botulinum toxin injections – often known as Botox – or dermal lip fillers in England, it has been announced today.

The new law has been introduced in a bid to ‘protect’ young people from harm after years of efforts to regulate the non-surgical beauty industry. However, the ban doesn’t cover other procedures like thread lifts that some seek to achieve the popular ‘fox-eye’ look.

Before the new legislation came into place, under-eighteens were able to have Botox-style procedures and dermal fillers with no checks on their age.

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MP Laura Trott, who called for the legislation change in Parliament, told the BBC: “No child needs cosmetic Botox or fillers and from today [October 1st] they will no longer be able to walk into a clinic or someone’s home and get a dangerous and unnecessary procedure that could ruin their lives.

“It will not fix the entirety of the problems in this industry, but it will make a real difference for under-eighteens.”

However, Save Face, a national register of accredited practitioners who provide non-surgical treatments, has said more still needs to be done, pointing out that the law needs to expand to incorporate all non-surgical treatment like the previously mentioned thread lifts.

Director of Save Face Ashton Collins said: “We are seeing loads of women coming forward who have had these treatments and it’s gone wrong – because anyone can do these threads and they are quite invasive.

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“Although medical professionals who provide these treatments have to be regulated by the Care Quality Commission, lay people and beauty therapists do not.”

Government estimates suggest that as many as 41,000 Botox-style procedures were carried out on under-eighteens in England last year.

The analysis, by the Department of Health and Social Care, also suggests there were up to 29,300 dermal filler procedures for under-eighteens in 2017 alone.