Scotland’s new law bans cosmetic jabs for under-18s and threatens cowboy clinics with £20,000 fines to stop botched BBLs and fillers from ruining lives
Scotland is declaring war on backstreet beauty cowboys with a hard-hitting new law designed to stop horror cosmetic procedures from ruining lives.
In a unanimous Holyrood vote, MSPs backed the Non-surgical Procedures and Functions of Medical Reviewers (Scotland) Bill, which aims to wipe out the wild west of unregulated fillers and liquid Brazilian Butt Lifts (BBLs).
Under the strict new rules, it will become an offence to perform these treatments on anyone under 18. Those who break the rules will face a massive £20,000 fine if they are caught operating on children or working out of unapproved clinics.
An estimated 1,500 businesses in Scotland are currently operating without any formal regulation. This has led to a terrifying rise in botched jobs, with Advice Direct Scotland warning that teens as young as 15 have sought help after fillers went wrong.
The new legislation ensures that non-surgical tweaks can only be carried out in NHS GP surgeries, dental practices, or pharmacies, as well as private clinics registered with Healthcare Improvement Scotland.
Every procedure must be overseen by a high-level professional, such as a doctor, nurse, midwife, or pharmacist.
While surgical BBLs use fat or silicone, the “liquid” version uses hyaluronic acid. If injected incorrectly, the results are catastrophic. Ashton Collins, director of Save Face, has seen the devastating aftermath first-hand.
The group has supported women who suffered heart attacks or sepsis after cut-price procedures. Some victims have even had huge sections of their buttocks removed, leaving them unable to walk.
Speaking to BBC Scotland News, she said: “It’s very hard to articulate how much these ruin people’s lives.”
Collins highlighted that young people are often lured in by cheap deals on social media, only to be left with life-altering injuries and no money to fix them. She added: “The psychological ramifications of that are really, really significant.”
The law also covers chemical peels, microneedling and cellulite treatments, giving the government power to enforce strict hygiene and safety standards.
However, campaigners fear the law is only as strong as its enforcement. With Healthcare Improvement Scotland tasked with policing the industry, Collins questioned if the agency has enough teeth to bite back.
She said: “Is this going to be effectively policed and enforced? Because if not, it’s just another piece of paper that isn’t taken very seriously, and people will continue to operate under the radar.”
For the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletter by clicking here.