The Department of Health and Social Care has launched a public consultation on the question of whether non-surgical cosmetic procedures like certain types of dermal fillers should be subject to stricter licensing arrangements to make them safer for consumers.

The consultation, which is open until October 28, seeks views on common aesthetic procedures as the DHSC sets about forming a new licensing scheme for practitioners and businesses in England to tackle the high rate of “botched procedures”. 

Save Face, a Government-approved register of accredited practitioners, received almost 3,000 complaints in 2022, over-two thirds of which related to dermal fillers and almost a quarter to Botox injections.

The proposals include restricting the provision of certain “high risk” procedures like liposuction, genital augmentation procedures, nose surgeries and thread lifting to CQC-regulated professionals only.

The broader intention for the proposed licensing scheme is to identify procedures that pose a risk to the public and, through local authority enforcement, subject providers and their premises to stringent checks, as well as making it illegal to perform non-surgical cosmetic procedures without a licence.

Minister for the Women’s Health Strategy, Maria Caulfield, said: “Whether it’s Botox, dermal fillers or even a chemical peel, we have heard too many stories of people who’ve had bad experiences from getting a cosmetic procedure from someone who is inexperienced or underqualified.

“There’s no doubt that the popularity of cosmetic procedures is increasing, so it’s our role to ensure consistent standards for consumers and a level playing field for businesses and practitioners.”

Save Face director Ashton Collins commented: “Whilst we appreciate that we are still at very early stages of any potential licensing scheme being implemented in England, we are delighted to have been invited by the Government to contribute our thoughts and ideas ahead of the release of this public consultation. 

“As the largest and longest established Professional Standards Authority accredited register, we are able to provide a unique level of insight based on 10 years of gathering data from practitioner and clinic audits as well as patient reported complaints, adverse reactions and complications.”