The Keogh Review was commissioned in the wake of the PIP breast implant scandal to look at the entire cosmetic industry and how it operates.  However the review has brought to light that this burgeoning industry is seriously under regulated and many people don’t realise just how serious the implications of having cosmetic surgery and other non-invasive procedures can be.

The finding have shown that many women choose a Botox practitioner with about as much thought as choosing their hairdresser when really; they should be undertaking much more re-search and ensuring that their therapist is suitably qualified.  There has been an increase in awareness recently due to increased media reporting but until now; many people did not realise just how under regulated and perhaps how untrained Botox and filler administrators were.

Sir Bruce Keogh, the NHS medical director for England who led the review also said that cosmetic surgery deals, such as buy one get one free offers and hading out free breast surgery as competition prize were a “particularly distasteful” way of incentivising people to go under the knife.

The review also uncovered that there were no checks on qualifications and more than half of cosmetic surgery was performed by “fly in, fly out” doctors who are not formally based in the UK..

The review recommends:

•    Legislation to classify dermal fillers as prescription only•    Formal qualifications for anyone who injects fillers or Botox•    Register of everyone who performs surgical or non-surgical cosmetic interventions•    Ban on special financial offers for surgery•    Formal certificate of competence for cosmetic surgeons•    A breast implant register to monitor patients•    Patients’ procedures must be approved by a surgeon not a salesperson•    Compulsory insurance•    A pooled fund to help patients when companies go bust