Unregulated Botox industry causes safety concerns
The increasing trend of non-surgical beauty treatments such as Botox, face peels and teeth whitening is leading to a number of concerns regarding their safety, reports BBC Radio 1’s Newsbeat.
The news source claims that many beauty salons are offering the treatments at a cut price when booking in bulk.
However, there is a worry that these procedures are being carried out by non-medically trained staff due to the industry’s self-regulating status.
"You could walk into someone’s front room and they could give you Botox – there’s no regulation to stop it happening," commented Dr Patrick Bowler, head of the British Association of Cosmetic Doctors.
"Just as I wouldn’t dream of doing a bit of brain surgery, I don’t think beauticians should be shoving Botox into people," he added.
However, a spokesman for the Department of Health claimed that there are limits to which the government can regulate non-surgical cosmetic procedures due to their low risk.
Botox manufacturer Allergen has reported that non-US sales of the drug rose 18 per cent during the first quarter of this year.
