Debate contribution: Non-surgical Cosmetic Products and Procedures

Debate contribution by Miss Nicola Brogan on 2 December 2024.

MLA

Miss Nicola Brogan

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 4687051

Read the official Assembly record

Text

Go raibh maith agat, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle.

I thank all the Members who participated in the debate. I thank the Minister for being here — for listening and responding — and Paul Frew for summarising Members' comments. Sinn Féin tabled the motion because it is clear that the lack of regulation in the non-surgical cosmetic industry is putting lives at risk. These are not abstract numbers or distant problems; these are friends, family members and neighbours who are being harmed when they seek treatments. The facts speak for themselves. As a number of Members said, Save Face reported nearly 3,000 cases of harm caused by unregistered practitioners. Each of those cases represents a person who trusted someone to enhance their appearance but was left with injuries, disfigurement or worse. Now, we see cases where non-medical practitioners perform what can only be described as life-threatening surgical procedures such as thread lifts and fat-dissolving injections. Those treatments are being carried out in unsafe environments by individuals with no medical training and without proper aftercare. The consequences can be catastrophic: blindness, severe infections, tissue necrosis, permanent scarring and even death are real risks. It is not just happening in distant places; it happens here because our current system allows anyone, regardless of qualifications, to set up shop and start offering treatments without oversight, training or accountability. The problem is not just about bad techniques or unskilled practitioners. The treatments involve sensitive, medical-grade products that need to be stored and administered with precision. Without proper training, practitioners risk clients' health, safety and trust. When things go wrong, the damage is often irreversible, not just physically but emotionally and financially. The motion calls for stricter regulation and accountability measures to ensure that only qualified, trained and regulated professionals are allowed to perform the procedures. Voluntary registers like Save Face do excellent work to set standards, but voluntary measures are not enough. We need enforceable laws to make safety the standard, not the exception. We also need to increase public awareness and improve public understanding of the issues. Too often, people are lured by cheap deals that they see on social media or in glossy advertisements. They are unaware of the risks. Many do not know what qualifications they should look for in a practitioner or what questions they should ask. It is our duty to empower the public with the knowledge that they need to make informed, safe choices. This is not about limiting anyone's ability to choose cosmetic procedures; it is about ensuring that, when people make that choice, their health and safety are protected. It is about protecting lives, preventing harm and creating an industry that operates on trust, professionalism and accountability. I urge colleagues to support the motion. I am glad that so many Members have spoken in support of the motion and the amendment. Together, we can make a meaningful change that protects people across our communities from unnecessary risk and harm.

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

Assessment

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Assessed 21 October 2026 at 11:37 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.

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