Cosmetic Surgery in UK: Is it Safe? British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons president Nigel Mercer has described the British cosmetic surgery industry as an “unregulated mess” and said that tighter control is needed to clamp down on untested products and two-in-one medical offers.
Mercer said there is also a need to regulate new products like dermal fillers, which currently do not have to be tested as drugs. He also called for the government not to allow discount offers in the medical field.
Mercer has gotten the support of several British doctors. For instance Dr Harvey Marcovitch, editor of the Clinical Risk Journal, warns: “We need tight control of advertising of cosmetic surgery – including internet advertising. We need proper regulation of the industry and we need both surgeons and GPs to manage patient expectation.”
Mercer reveals that there is no regulatory body in UK to look upon these issues.
Although the UK DOH said that there is a range of regulatory systems in UK that covers a wide range of cosmetic services from laser treatment to surgery, Mercer argues that there should be specific regulator for the cosmetic surgery industry.
Cosmetic procedures are becoming more popular as the number of people opting to alter the way they look rise every year.