Unregulated cosmetic treatments put women at risk

'Cowboy' cosmetic procedures put women at risk

BRITISH WOMEN ARE being used as guinea pigs for cosmetic surgery procedures that are ineffective and banned in the US, say leading plastic surgeons.

Treatments such as botox performed by hairdressers who have only had a weekend training course, lunchtime breast augmentation, 'fat-melting' treatments and facelifts using liberal amounts of dermal fillers have all been described as 'cowboy' practices. Now trained practioners are concerned the treatments have been allowed to prosper, according to the British Medical Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons.

Each year up to 415,000 people undergo non-surgical cosmetic procedures but fears have been raised that untrained hairdressers, dentists and beauticians are administering injections and fillers.

Douglas McGeorge, president of the Plastic Surgeon association said that the industry is full of 'aestheticians' whose treatments could go wrong or have side-effects. He explained women spend thousands of pounds but have little to show for it.

The advertisements for Botox 'at your place' where the anti-wrinkle injection could be administered on your doorstep was particularly criticised. 'This kind of service means a motorcycle courier will come and jab you,' explained McDouglas, 'but its part of an industry selling products that have no trial data on efficacy or long-term safety.'