Only properly trained professionals will be allowed to offer high-risk cosmetic procedures like liquid Brazilian butt lifts (BBLs), vampire facials and chemical peels, under long-awaited government plans for England in 2027.
The government said it wanted to “drive cosmetic cowboys out of the market” and shield people from treatments “that can go badly wrong”.
Currently, there are no restrictions over who can carry out these ‘no scalpel’ procedures, which can harm or kill if not performed safely.
Under the new rules, high-risk procedures for under-18s will also be banned, and rogue providers will face new criminal offences and fixed fines of up to £4,000.
The government began consulting on changes to the cosmetic surgery industry in 2023, but there have been calls for stricter regulations for many years.
It comes following horror stories of procedures reportedly carried out in Airbnbs, hotel rooms, garden sheds and even public toilets, by “cosmetic cowboys”.
Women have told the BBC of dangerous complications, pain and permanent scarring after treatment by rogue operators.
Alice Webb, a mother-of-five from Gloucestershire, died within hours of getting a liquid Brazilian butt lift in 2024.
That same year, Sasha Dean, from Bedfordshire, was left in a coma after receiving a liquid BBL.
A BBL is a non-surgical cosmetic procedure in which dermal fillers are injected into the buttocks to alter their size or shape.
Some of Sasha’s treatment took place in a private house and she ended up developing sepsis.
She told BBC News: “Very quickly it turned into a complete nightmare.
“I had a heart attack, one of my lungs had collapsed, my kidneys were failing. My body was just completely shutting down.”
Under the government’s new rules:
Health Minister Karin Smyth said: “We want to drive cosmetic cowboys out of the market and raise standards across the board, giving reputable businesses a fair chance to thrive by helping people identify safe, qualified providers they can trust.”
The British Beauty Council said the government should be congratulated for tackling the issue head-on.
But Mr Keith Allison, from the Royal College of Surgeons of England, said the consultation was “long overdue” and, while welcome, the proposals did not go far enough.
“Ministers must ensure they do not create a new loophole in patient protection by regulating non-surgical cosmetic procedures more robustly than cosmetic surgery itself.
“A doctor should not be able to carry out cosmetic surgery simply because they hold a medical license.”
The government will now ask doctors, businesses, regulators, the public and other experts for their say on the draft rules, before plans go through parliament in spring 2027.
A licensing scheme for Botox clinics in England to improve safety standards has already been announced.
In Scotland, laws passed in March mean cosmetic procedures must be performed by, or alongside, certain healthcare professionals in a registered setting. Non-surgical procedures are banned for under 18s.
There are no dedicated regulations around cosmetic procedures in Wales or Northern Ireland.
