Eighteen-year-old Ruby David of Bridgend harbours a deep desire for lip fillers, a yearning triggered by the pressures of social media. However, the only thing keeping her from going under the needle has been her parents’ concern, and yet, she firmly believes that a law to protect minors from such treatments is needed in Wales. In a heart-to-heart conversation with Wales Live, David reflected on her changing perspective on life as she matured, “Two or three years ago I probably wouldn’t have cared as much as I do now. When I was 15 or 16, I was like ‘oh whatever it doesn’t matter – you only live once’. The older you are, the more you think about things. You think about the outcome, or what could happen.”
Notably, Save Face, an organization comprising a register of credentialed practitioners in the UK, has reported on minors traveling from England to Wales to undergo Botox procedures, taking advantage of the existing regulatory gap. Ashton Collins, the director of Save Face, warned of the emerging crisis involving young people and the popularity of such aesthetic treatments. Collins, who previously collaborated with MP Laura Trott to enforce such a law in England, believes it imperative for Wales to follow suit. To her, an age limit could prevent minors from having to grapple with potential health complications resulting from aesthetic procedures.
The organization has also witnessed a surge in reports of minors crossing the border post England’s law change, visiting Wales specifically for undergoing aesthetic treatments. Collins expressed her concern saying, “People only report to us when something goes wrong, so what we’re seeing is literally the tip of the iceberg.”
Save Face has received testimonies from concerned parents reporting on their underage children receiving aesthetic treatments in Wales. None of them were asked to confirm their age before the procedure. In a bid to analyse the scenario, BBC Wales Live made attempt to book appointments for a 17-year-old at 10 clinics across Wales. None of these clinics asked for the age of the client before offering an appointment, an alarming reality portraying a glaring loophole in the system.
South Wales-based pharmacist prescriber Sophie Riddell expressed her dismay regarding the rampant issue. Although she staunchly refuses to book anyone under 21, she feels “powerless” to stop them from seeking treatment elsewhere.
Meanwhile, the Welsh government acknowledged the regulatory gap and stated, “Botox is a prescription-only medicine and the qualified prescriber is responsible for ensuring the product is given safely and in accordance with accepted professional standards and in the patient’s best interests”. The government also assured that further action will be taken to manage regulations for such procedures.
