Debate contribution: Non-surgical Cosmetic Products and Procedures

Debate contribution by Ms Liz Kimmins on 2 December 2024.

MLA

Ms Liz Kimmins

Party at the time

Sinn Féin

Date

2 December 2024

Type

Debate contribution

Business

Private Members' Business

Heading

Non-surgical Cosmetic Products and Procedures

Assembly identifier

Official Report component 4686976

Read the official Assembly record

Text

I beg to move

We tabled this motion in the hope that we can create consensus on the urgent need for greater regulation of non-surgical cosmetic products and procedures in order to improve the safeguarding of the health and well-being of our population, particularly our young people. As many Members will be aware, in the past number of years, there has been a significant rise in the number of people seeking aesthetic procedures such as, but not limited to, botulinum toxin — more commonly known as Botox — and dermal fillers. There is no doubt that there are huge pressures in society to look good, which can largely be attributed to social media and the content that dominates our young people's social media platforms daily. In the past, aesthetic treatments of that nature were generally seen to be something that celebrities and the more affluent in our society could access, particularly in the US. However, over time, the demand for those treatments has risen exponentially, giving way for more and more people to offer these services, often at a much lower cost. From the outset, I want to say that I have no issue with aesthetic procedures, and as a woman of a certain age, I fully appreciate that they can help many people to feel good about the way that they look, which can go some way to boosting confidence and self-esteem. Many highly trained practitioners deliver an extremely safe service, using only high-quality products. It is also important to recognise the important use of botulinum toxin and fillers in medical treatments, including, but not exclusive to, the treatment of chronic migraines and excessive sweating, often under the direction of a medical professional. The genesis of the motion is therefore not to place a ban on those procedures but to ensure proper regulation to mitigate the risks of complications, particularly given the lack of regulation currently in place. Despite the clinical nature of these treatments and the very serious complications that can arise for various reasons, those providing treatments are not currently under any obligation to register with the Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority (RQIA) or any similar body. That is a shocking fact, and even more shocking is that, at present, there is no legislation in the North to protect young people under 18 when accessing treatments, despite the very evident rise in teenagers getting lip fillers and other treatments. Anecdotally, practitioners have told us that children as young as 14 have attempted to access these treatments for purely cosmetic reasons. That is why I welcome the amendment from Diane Dodds and Alan Robinson, which further strengthens our objective to protect our young people from the potential negative side effects of these procedures. As previously mentioned, more and more people are offering these services, many at a relatively low cost, yet there are serious concerns about the level of training and expertise obtained to enable them to do so. That is not a criticism of those who have undertaken training in good faith. They are not doing anything wrong under the current law. However, when things go wrong — whether a reaction to the product or an error in its administration — they may not always be in a position to provide the necessary aftercare to the client, and that can have many serious implications.

Complications from maladministered injectable aesthetic treatments can range from bruising and skin drooping to anaphylactic shock, permanent blindness, sepsis and, in some cases, even death. Many advanced practitioners in the aesthetics industry have professional qualifications in nurse prescribing, pharmacy, dentistry or medicine and have undergone much more advanced training in the aesthetics field. They have demonstrated from experience the importance of their clinical knowledge in ensuring that they respond effectively and efficiently to complications when needed, which many practitioners without the same level and depth of training would not be able to do. In a recent case in England, 33-year-old Alice Webb, a mother of five, passed away due to complications from a liquid Brazilian butt lift (BBL) procedure, which involves placing dermal filler in the buttock area. Among advanced medical practitioners, that is known to be an extremely unsafe procedure, and there have been many public calls, dating back to 2023, from industry leaders such as Save Face to ban the use of liquid BBL procedures. It beggars belief that there is no legislation here to determine who can administer those products and procedures. As is highlighted by the examples that I have described, regulations must be put in place urgently. In England, the Botulinum Toxin and Cosmetic Fillers (Children) Act 2021 made it an offence for a person to administer botulinum toxin or a filler by way of injection for a cosmetic purpose to a person under the age of 18 in England. In April 2022, the Health and Care Act 2022 gave the British Secretary of State for Health and Social Care the power to introduce a licensing regime for non-surgical cosmetic procedures in England. Similarly, in the South of Ireland, following an 'RTÉ Investigates' documentary that, earlier this year, provided a covert insight into the scale of illicit practices across Ireland, particularly on a cross-border basis, the former Taoiseach Leo Varadkar indicated that work was ongoing on strengthening regulation of the industry in the Twenty-six Counties. That further emphasises the need for us to act accordingly in the North. This is a crucial issue that we must get to grips with urgently in the interests of public safety. Making it an obligation to be properly trained and licensed by a relevant regulatory body is about protecting not just people who access treatments but practitioners. I therefore ask the Minister to develop options for essential regulation in the industry and to ensure the introduction of the appropriate oversight and training that is required for those who administer these products. I ask Members to support the motion.

986 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Assessment

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