Are cheap Botox, fillers and BBLs creating a 'wild west' industry in Scotland?

Cheap Botox, fillers and cosmetic surgery procedures are contributing to a “wild west” in the beauty industry, say experts.

It comes after Scottish Government plans were revealed earlier this year to crack down on “cowboy” procedures done by those who are not qualified professionals.

Dermal fillers and the use of Botox must be supervised by a qualified healthcare professional, while “breast and buttock augmentations” must be performed by a qualified professional under the plans.

The sector, which is not fully regulated, means anyone can carry out the procedures without formal training.

Trading standards leaders warned earlier this year that fat injections, Brazilian butt lifts (BBLs), Botox and fillers were being offered by untrained people in places such as public toilets.

Improvements in safety and standards in the sector have been set out by Holyrood, with a minimum age of 18 to be introduced for all procedures.

On Tuesday, those in the industry gave evidence to a Holyrood committee on non-surgical procedures.

Victoria Brownlie, from the British Beauty Council, said: “There are others who are taking part in a race to the bottom with cheap prices.

“They’re in competition with each other because there is such greater accessibility to providers than there was five or ten years ago.

“This ‘wild, wild west’ sounds dramatic but ultimately it is a bit of Russian roulette when you go and have treatments as to whether or not you’re going to get a safe procedure.”

Lesley Blair MBE, from the British Association of Beauty Therapy and Cosmetology, added: “What we don’t want to do is encourage people to do a nursing degree only to then leave and come into aesthetics.

“Then there’s the burden on the NHS of paying that and not getting the benefit of it.”

Meanwhile, Lynsey Wilson, co-chair of the Scottish Aesthetics Safety Standards Group, said: “If we can’t have enough prescribers to facilitate these clinics, they may have to close.

“That pushes consumers into not having the same safe access to treatments that they had previously.”

What does the new bill entail?

The Non-surgical Procedures and Functions of Medical Reviewers (Scotland) Bill was introduced on October 8, 2025 and is currently at Stage 1.

Treatments have been classified into three groups depending on the risks involved. They are:

Group 1 – such as microneedling and non-ablative laser treatments – will both require a premises licence and individual practitioner licences issued by local authorities
Group 2 – includes injectables like Botox and dermal fillers – will have to be supervised by a qualified health care professional in a setting regulated by Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS)
Group 3 – includes procedures such as breast and buttock augmentation – will have to be performed by a qualified healthcare professional in a Healthcare Improvement Scotland-regulated setting

Public health minister Jenni Minto said earlier this year: “It is deeply upsetting to hear of cases where people have suffered as a result of non-surgical cosmetic procedures going wrong.

“The current gaps in regulation mean that anyone can perform most of these procedures without the need for any formal training or qualifications.

“These proposals reflect our determination to protect the public and ensure high standards across this growing industry.

“I am particularly heartened by the broad support for action to make the sector safer, and we will continue to work closely with Healthcare Improvement Scotland, local authorities, and the wider industry to support a smooth and effective implementation.”

‘I thought I was having a stroke after I got Botox – my face was drooping’

STV News previously spoke with a woman who thought she was having a stroke after her face began to droop following a “bargain” procedure.

Florence Docherty, who got a mini facelift three months ago after seeing an advert on Instagram, began to feel numbness and tingling in her face weeks after the procedure.

When she smiled, her face would droop to one side.

During the procedure, a muscle on her face which should not have been injected with Botox was hit.

Florence has since visited a medical aesthetics clinic in Barrhead, who confirmed the treatment she was promised was not possible.

Florence said when she got the procedure, it wasn’t explained to her what Botox would be used but that she did not ask because it was a “bargain”.