The Scottish Government is determined to "close the gaps" in regulation surrounding Scotland's cosmetic sector amid growing alarm over botched procedures and a lack of protection for patients.
Writing in The Herald today, Public Health Minister Jenni Minto said the government wants to make sure it gets the "details right" as it considers how to improve safety.
This will include developing a "framework" so that practitioners can "undertake the necessary training and gain the appropriate qualifications", said Ms Minto.
An announcement is expected before the end of September.
READ MORE:
- The Herald goes inside Scotland's booming cosmetic sector - Read all the articles here
- 'It'll take someone dying': The 'wild west' of unregulated cosmetic treatments
- SPECIAL REPORT: How did we get here? The rise - and rise - of cosmetic medicine
It comes as The Herald has this week delved into the evolution of the sector, from the early days of plastic surgery in Scotland to the perils facing consumers as a result of the explosion in non-surgical treatments over the past 15 years.
Figures obtained by the Herald show that the number of independent clinics run by healthcare professionals has grown rapidly, from 200 in April 2017 to 503 by 2023/24.
A majority of these premises are providing some form of cosmetic procedure, such as Botox or filler injections.
While clinics run by healthcare professionals are subject to regulation by Healthcare Improvement Scotland in the form of fees and inspections, there is currently no regulation of cosmetic services offered by non-health practitioners such as beauticians.
Experts speaking to The Herald this week have described a "wild west" industry where consumers are being exposed to potentially dangerous treatments by individuals with little or no training, and a market being flooded with counterfeit products.
The Herald has heard of cases of women hospitalised after being injected with fake Botox which turned out to be beef gelatin, and of consumers who have suffered "horrific" disfigurements being unable to sue for damages because practitioners are uninsured.
There have been repeated calls for a crackdown on the sector, including a ban on non-healthcare workers performing cosmetic procedures.
Ms Minto said it was "alarming and distressing" to hear of cases where people have been harmed.
She said: "I want to...close the current gaps in regulation to keep people safe when they choose these procedures.
"The Scottish Government is considering what requirements can be put in place to reduce the potential for harm from riskier procedures and ensure this is a safer sector for everyone.
"Therefore, we want to make sure procedures are carried out by appropriately qualified and skilled practitioners...We must get any potential regulation right by making sure we capture the full range of non-surgical cosmetic procedures already available, as well as providing for any new ones in the future.
"That is why we are working with a range of stakeholders to make sure we get those details right."
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