Mr Rajiv Grover, president of the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS), recently said it was “shameful" that regulations surrounding dermal fillers still haven't been tightened up. It's been almost six months since a government-backed review claimed fillers were the "next crisis waiting to happen".
"There is very little regulation about fillers, many of which we know are being used and can cause harm," he said. “Given that, knowing they can be harmful, I think it's shameful that nothing is being done."
Non-surgical cosmetic treatment procedures and interventions are a growing industry in the UK, forecast to rise over 50% from 2010 to 2015, when it’s expected to reach £3.6 billion. Non-surgical cosmetic treatments such as dermal fillers, Botox or the use of laser or intense pulsed light (IPL) account for nine out of ten procedures and 75% of the market value.
Figures from a report in 2012 by BAAPs showed that 2 out of 3 surgeons are seeing botched filler ops. 69% of surgeons saw patients suffering complications from just temporary fillers, while nearly half (49%) of surgeons saw problems with semi- or permanent fillers. Out of those patients who suffered problems with permanent substances, nearly nine out of ten (84%) required corrective surgery or were deemed untreatable due to the damage caused by bad dermal fillers.
In April, The Keogh Report into Regulation of Cosmetic Interventions in England recommended that fillers should be available only on prescription and were currently covered by the same level of regulation as toothbrushes. The committee, led by Sir Bruce Keogh, fully investigated the industry guidelines, practices and patient experiences and came up with a series of recommendations to improve patients protection, including:
- Requiring fillers to be injected only by trained and qualified staff
- Making fillers a prescription-only medicine
- Classing fillers as a medical device
Dermal fillers are popular treatments for wrinkles, scarring, facial lines and other depressions of the skin, particularly around the eyes, mouth and on the forehead. There are more than 100 types of dermal filler injection procedures administered in the UK with successful treatment offering patients a wide range of benefits, including a more youthful appearance.
However if the clinician fails to inject the filler deep enough this can cause a devastating chain of adverse physical and psychological reactions which can have potentially long lasting, harmful effects. Injections that go wrong through negligent dermal filler treatment can result in a variety of symptoms including; allergic reactions, toxic shock, nerve damage, blurred vision, blindness, facial collapse, herpes, rheumatic disease, insomnia, blue-tinged flesh and most commonly localised swellings and bad scarring.
In a statement, the Department of Health said: "The government agrees with the principles of Sir Bruce Keogh's recommendations, and we are considering the report carefully and will put our detailed response to parliament shortly."
We Can Help
Have you, a friend or member of your family, recently undergone a dermal fillers procedure that you’re not happy with; you may be entitled to make a claim for compensation. Our friendly specialist advisors can talk to you about your situation and see if you have a valid compensation claim. There is no charge for this service and you are under no obligation to claim with us.
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http://info.mayiclaim.co.uk/personal_injury_compensation_claim_news/bid/321829/Did-You-Know-Dermal-Fillers-Have-The-Same-Regulation-as-Toothbrushes
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