A Cumbrian aesthetics clinic has welcomed a rule change making it illegal for under-18s to be given cosmetic botox or fillers.
The Botulinum Toxin and Cosmetic Fillers (Children) Act was passed by Parliament last month making it illegal to provide either procedure to under-18s for cosmetic reasons.
The act, which will come into force in the autumn, will also require a doctor, registered medical practitioner, or a healthcare professional to administer such procedures when there is a medical need in under-18s.
Vanessa Brown, director of VL Aesthetics, in Kingmoor Road, Carlisle, said the move was long overdue.
“It’s crazy to think that it was okay for under-18s to receive botox and fillers for cosmetic reasons beforehand, especially at a time when the digital world puts so many pressures on young people to look a certain way,” she said.
VL Aesthetics offers a range of cutting edge face, body and laser treatments including wrinkle reduction and fat removal.
It does not treat under-18s, but Vanessa said the new law would stop unscrupulous practitioners taking advantage of young and sometimes vulnerable people.
Vanessa said: “On a weekly basis we receive enquiries from people who might be 16 or 17 and even from parents asking if we can treat their daughter for lip enhancement.
“Unscrupulous individuals can target children with the promise of a quick fix in return for a relatively cheap procedure and up until now those young people would have been able to go and have someone stick a needle in their lips.
“Although we don’t treat children, we regularly have to correct work on adults carried out by other practitioners which has gone badly wrong. It is good to know that children will be safeguarded from being targeted by such practitioners in the future.
“If you’re considering any cosmetic treatment it is essential to look for safe and well-qualified practitioners with professional accreditation offering a high quality service – something we pride ourselves on providing.”
The firm has been nominated for the Best Patient/Customer Service award in the 2021 Diamond Safety in Beauty Awards.
The awards are part of the Safety in Beauty Campaign which aims to promote and inform people about safe practices in the sector. Businesses are nominated by the public and selected by an awards committee.
Winners will be revealed in December.
