Anti-wrinkle treatments are a “crisis waiting to happen”, according to a report publishes in The Telegraph.
The study, headed up by England’s National Health Service Director Sir Bruce Keogh, advised that treatments should be restricted to distribution on a prescription-only basis.
It also cautioned the medication contained “dermal fillers” which are injected to fatten lips and skin. The study said that the “fillers” were “no more controlled than floor cleaners.”
The report calls a wide range of suggestions that should be made into law. The suggestions are meant to regulate the cosmetic surgery industry and make sure patients are safe when undergoing cosmetic procedures.
The report, which was requested by England’s former health secretary Andrew Lansley, follows a scandal in which approximately 50,000 British women underwent breast implant surgery—only to find that the implants were fakes.
Jean-Claude Mas, 73, is currently standing trial for the scandal as the founder of Poly Implant Prothese, or PIP. His implants, which leaked, were surgically inserted into British women and over 300,000 women around the world.
Although the report may be a good idea, PIP breast implant victim Jan Spivey said the report comes “too little too late.”
"We feel very disappointed indeed that here we have another report that does not address directly any of the issues facing the [PIP implant] women and provides no comfort for those of use that are still suffering with PIP implants,” Spivey said.
The committee also suggested there be specific requirements for surgeons to practice cosmetic procedures. Doctors who want to practice cosmetic surgery should achieve a certain number of qualifications and go through specific training. Also, their names would be required to appear on a central register.
In the effort to achieve accountability, the report also called for an ombudsman who could hear complaints of insufficient care. The committee also asked for the ban of marketing techniques such as offering two-for-the-price-of-one deals.
