Scots are coming to harm at the hands of unqualified practitioners injecting Botox and dermal fillers, a group of medics are warning.
Jackie Partridge from The British Association of Cosmetic Nurses (BACN) says Scotland has become the “wild west” of aesthetics, accusing the Scottish Government of acting too slowly in regulating non-surgical cosmetic procedures.
“Unfortunately, the horse has bolted,” she told STV News.
“It’s also illegal for under 18 to be injected for cosmetic indications in England. That is not the case yet in Scotland.”
The Scottish Government has launched a new public consultation on regulating the treatments and clarifying who can and cannot carry them out.
Jackie is also the owner of Dermal Clinic in Edinburgh and has worked in aesthetics for almost two decades.
“The public is not safe at the moment,” she said.
“I know from working with environmental health that people are being injected with counterfeit medications. There is no accountability, there’s no insurance.”
STV NewsCurrently people with no medical training can carry out non-surgical cosmetic procedures. But Jackie says this carries incredible risks.
“We don’t want to take people’s livelihoods away from them,” she said, “but ultimately, just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should.
“If you’re being injected with a non-sterile needle, the risk of infection or sepsis is through the roof. Never mind the fact they don’t know anything about facial anatomy before we start doing the treatment.
“We are in a situation where the number of people who are injecting us, we’ve got taxi drivers, builders, plumber, beauticians – people who have been on a one day course – they’re lovely people but please stick to what you’re good at and don’t put patients at risk.
“We have got people with rotting noses, rotting lips, rotting chins and I’m not dramatising this, this is what’s happening. Anyone who wants to keep safety at the fore has to be involved in this consultation.”
One in three Scottish doctors say they’ve treated botched cosmetic procedures.
Rachel Hush from Edinburgh is a dental hygienist who is trained in aesthetics.
She has had non-surgical treatments herself, such as Botox and filler.
STV News“It’s made me more empathetic and patient-focused,” she said.
“It’s all about communicating with the patient so they understand the options and outcome and that they’re fully informed of what can happen.
“Tighter regulations are necessary to ensure patient safety, proper training and good ethical practice.
“I’ve had aesthetics treatments myself in the past. Back in the day, there were only so many people who practised aesthetics, and treatments have come a long way. It’s grown rapidly but it’s lead to inconsistencies in standards as well.”
Rachel decided to dissolve her fillers, which was something she’d done before. But most recently, she had a severe allergic reaction.
She added: “For me, over time I had a build-up of filler and I no longer identified with the changes I’d made and I wanted to go back to a more natural appearance.
“I had facial swelling, it affected by lips and eyes and it was frightening, but I knew I was under the safe care of my friend and colleague at the clinic.”
She said patients interested in non-surgical cosmetic procedures should do thorough research into who is injecting them, how long the clinic has been established, and make sure it is registered with Healthcare Improvement Scotland.
“It highlights the importance of recognizing a complication, and knowing you’re in safe hands is reassuring for the patient,” she added.
“I think it’s important for a patient to go back to the original injector and discuss concerns or unhappiness with treatment.”
The Scottish Government consultation ends on February 14.
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