Experts at Liverpool University say harm caused by cosmetic cowboys in Britain is increasing as they join the Mirror in demanding a clampdown
Harms are increasing from non-surgical cosmetic procedures like botox and fillers, experts have warned.
A review by Liverpool University concluded that the lines between surgical and non-surgical procedures have become “blurred” and experts are demanding that people carrying them out are better regulated. Writing in the British Medical Journal, they highlight that almost a million botox-like injections are carried out in the UK every year and reported side effects include inflammation, anxiety, dry eyes, vision problems and nerve damage.
Dermal fillers make up around two thirds of non-surgical cosmetic procedures in the UK and have higher rates of complaints. Researchers said that while many side effects are mild, skin and tissue going black or dying off, blindness, and sepsis are recognised risks.
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It comes after the Mirror launched the campaign to Ban the Cosmetic Cowboys to stop the Wild West in cosmetic procedures. We have highlighted how hundreds of unregulated clinics offering cut-price and often dangerous surgical treatments by unqualified staff, sometimes with just hours of training. Rogue outlets have caused life-changing injuries and even cost lives.
Author Dr Danielle Griffiths, of Liverpool University, said: “Once considered a consumer concern, cosmetic interventions now raise substantive patient safety and health system issues. Although deaths remain rare, evidence suggests that associated harms are increasing.”
One study included in the new review showed half of patients presenting to the NHS with complications after non-surgical procedures required surgery, including drainage of abscesses and split skin grafts. Two thirds had their procedure done in the UK.
Dr Griffiths said: “Surgical or invasive cosmetic procedures are generally understood as those that involve the insertion of instruments or equipment into the body, such as tummy tuck or breast augmentation, while non-surgical procedures are minimally invasive and include subcutaneous injections to alter appearance such as botox or dermal filler. However, non-surgical procedures are becoming increasingly invasive, blurring the distinction.”
The Mirror reported in 2024 that mum-of-five, Alice Webb, 33, had become the first person to die following a liquid Brazilian butt lift (BBL) surgery in a UK clinic. Another mum ended up in a coma after a liquid BBL. Sasha Dean, 54, from Bedfordshire, was in a coma for five days and spent over a month in hospital following complications and said her practitioner was not a qualified surgeon.
A 2022 study identified that the most common complications after cosmetic surgery were wounds coming apart and infection. Nine out of ten had breast surgery or tummy tucks for which the most common complications were “separation of a closed wound”, infection, and fluid-filled bumps under the skin, researchers said. In contrast to non-surgical procedures, most patients presenting to the NHS with complications from cosmetic surgery had been treated abroad, with 72% in Turkey.
Dr Griffiths said: “Some practitioners exploit idealised body images to push misleading marketing, using celebrities, influencers, and promotional incentives. Capitalising on these trends, cosmetic surgery tourism has grown rapidly, with Turkey emerging as the top destination from the UK for cosmetic procedures.”
The research team said botox complications should be reported to the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) yellow card scheme. However some 92% of participants in one study reported that they were not informed of the scheme, with many complications thus going unreported.20 An estimated 900 000 botox-like injections are carried out in the UK each year.
Dr Griffiths concluded: “All invasive cosmetic procedures should be performed by trained healthcare professionals under statutory oversight. Coordinated regulation across the four UK nations is essential to safeguard patients and reduce cosmetic tourism.”
