Following the PIP breast implants scandal, the Health Secretary has announced a review of all cosmetic procedures, including dermal fillers and breast enhancements. The review will concentrate on areas of quality and safety within the market, and how it can be improved. Regulation is also a serious issue, as Botox injections and facial fillers are not regulated, which means they can be administered by unqualified personnel in unsafe environments.

‘We want to make a proactive opportunity to look at safety.’ Health Secretary Andrew Lansley told Sky News today, adding that ‘The vast majority of practitioners in the cosmetic industry are professional and well skilled – but I’m concerned that the sector as a whole does not have the systems for monitoring the results for patients and alerting us to possible problems.’

Well over a million non-surgical procedures were carried out in Britain last year, and the industry is expected to swell to a £3bn worth before long, as people strive to look younger and more like their favourite celebrities. However, the fear is that there are so many people offering anti-aging fillers without adequate training, that this could be a similar story to the PIP calamity. Watchdog chief Sally Taber spoke to The Daily Star about the lack of restriction on filler injections, saying ‘Unless we get this sorted out, dermal fillers will be the next disaster.’