Do 50% Of All Tweakments Really End Up In Complications?

A This Morning investigation recently revealed that half of surveyed women have required medical assistance following aesthetic treatment. That’s a headline that could really make you panic, but do 50% of tweakments really end up in complications? We asked the experts… 

The research

The This Morning report surveyed 2,000 women who had had non-surgical procedures, and a shocking 50% of them reported needing medical attention after experiencing complications. Even worse, 15% of that assistance was reportedly significant enough to cause patients to end up in hospital or A&E.

It’s fair to say, that makes incredibly worrying reading.

So, how worried should you be?

“The figures collated as part of This Morning‘s investigation correlate with the patient-reported complaints we have gathered over the past decade,” reveals Ashton Collins, director of Save Face, a Government-approved register of accredited practitioners. That unfortunately means that the 50% headline isn’t just clickbait gold dust.

“Currently, there appears to be far more press circulating around complications, not to mention non-surgical aesthetics are evolving at such a rapid rate and regulation is not keeping up,” affirms Lesley Blair MBE, CEO and Chair of BABTAC & CIBTAC. “With all this considered, it’s not surprising that complications appear to be on the rise,”

However, there are a few things to bear in mind before you panic…

Don’t get too hung up on the exact numbers

The survey was specifically designed to raise awareness about aesthetic treatment risks, and where media-run surveys like this do stumble, is that (even unintentionally) a lack of transparent methodology or peer review can lead to self-fulfilling statistics.

For example, it’s unclear how representative the survey was of all the women having treatments in the UK, and if the research was self-selecting (volunteer-based), it is likely to appeal to individuals who had complications. Which specific treatments and what constitutes “medical attention” has also not been clearly defined.

“We know how dangerous sub-standard treatments can be, so this is a critical issue regardless of exact statistics, but I think it’s important to note that there are a vastly different treatments available and many highly skilled therapists performing them so I would query what they are including in that statement,” steadies Blair.

“Even with the concerns that I have about safety, unqualified practitioners and lack of regulation, this absolutely shocking statistic is higher than I would have thought,” continues the president of BAAPS UK, Nora Nugent. “I don’t know how the research was done or what demographics were consulted about this so I can’t comment on the accuracy, but, it can be used to drawn attention to the problems that we are all aware of in the aesthetic industry.”

It is about the practitioner not the treatment

Supporting what Nugent alludes to, all the experts we spoke to were very particular about one thing: sub-standard aesthetic care is being widely fuelled by a very particular type of practitioner, who can be avoided.

While the risk of significant complications arising from adequately trained practitioners (like those listed on The Tweakments Guide) is low, unqualified practitioners, aka ‘cosmetic cowboys’ are a must-avoid risk.

Working without adequate training and even using fake products to cut corners and costs, big gaps in UK regulation are helping these unqualified practitioners administer treatments, sometimes with reckless abandon.

“Sadly, many consumers remain unaware that the beauty industry is largely unregulated so many may unknowingly choose a salon or therapist they believe to hold a fit for purpose qualification, but this may not be the case,” reveals Blair.

This Morning’s survey coverage even showcased just how easy it was to buy toxin (which is meant to be a prescription-controlled product) online for less than £100 in the UK…

Do we have a role to play?

A big problem is that these ‘cowboys’ are being bolstered by demand – stemming not just from a lack of awareness of the importance of a practitioner’s qualifications, but, more concerningly, the deprioritisation of those qualifications in favour of cheaper, convenient services.

In fact, one in three of the women who took part in the This Morning research revealed that they would go to someone who is not medically qualified just to save money,

And, people are following through. Half of those surveyed admitted they had had procedures that were not carried out by someone medically qualified, and half of the procedures had happened in non-clinical settings, including living rooms and kitchens.

Unfortunately, it is also the more vulnerable treatment-seeker who tends to get stung:

“Younger clients or patients who tend to rely on online sources for their aesthetic and beauty information are more vulnerable to misleading or unethical marketing,” states Nugent. “They also tend to be more financially constrained and therefore prone to accepting treatment at discounted rates (sometimes so cheap that the cost of reputable products or a clinical environment could not possibly be covered). Please prioritise your health and safety over price, and only see medical practitioners in clinical (CQC-regulated) environments.”

What are the issues with risky choices?

So, what’s the big deal about going to an unverified practitioner, especially for ‘just’ a non-surgical tweak?

“Lack of underlying knowledge about anatomy and physiology vastly reduces the quality of treatment, even if someone has undertaken a training course,” explains Nugent. “A much broader knowledge is needed than just a step-by-step way of administering the treatment. Unqualified practitioners also usually practise outside of clinical environments so hygiene and other standards may be overlooked. Plus, if a complication occurs, they will not have the skills to treat it.”

That’s true regardless of the tweakment you are having, from ever-popular toxin injections and dermal filler to invasive treatments such as Brazilian Bum Lifts. “Keep in mind it isn’t just the more advanced treatments that can cause complications,” says Blair. “For example waxing has one of the highest rate of claims.”

Unfortunately, it is also often well-trained practitioners being left to pick up the pieces.

“[The report] is deeply upsetting—though sadly, I’m not surprised,” reveals Dr Manav Bawa, cosmetic doctor, medical director of Time Clinic & trainer on behalf of Allergan Aesthetics. “At my practice Time Clinic, we regularly receive calls from patients who need help following treatments carried out by non-medical practitioners. We’ve seen tragic outcomes, such as the case of a young woman who died following buttock filler treatment from an unqualified provider and I’ve personally helped patients who were blocked and ignored (rather than supported) after suffering a blocked artery from nose filler. It’s heart-breaking, because no one should go through physical or emotional trauma from what should be a safe procedure. These statistics are a stark reminder that cosmetic treatments are medical procedures and must be treated as such.”

What is the industry doing about it?

When research and stories like these come out it is easy to feel worried or even angry. But, while change is slow, there is pressure – great pressure in fact – from reputable providers to tackle the problem.

Organisations like BAAPS, BABTAC, Save Face and this website, of course, are all advocating for further patient education and industry regulation to enforce safe aesthetic practice. And hopefully, despite continued delays, we will get there eventually. Click here for a bit of an update in Scotland.

The final advice

As for how individuals can help minimise their own risk of complications: “start with research – not just into the treatment, but more importantly, into the practitioner,” says Dr Bawa.

“This is exactly why we launched our T.I.M.E Campaign at UK Parliament at Westminster and Holyrood Parliament in Scotland,” reveals Blair. The campaign encourages individuals to think:

TRAINING – What training and qualifications (including continual professional development (CPD) do they have?)

INSURANCE – Are they insured & who by?

MONITORING – Do they carry out important pre- and post-appointment processes such as patch tests, consultations & aftercare?

EVIDENCE – Can they provide certified proof of training and insurance and client testimonials?

Ultimately, use the new research “as a wake-up call,” Dr Bawa concludes. “These treatments can be safe and incredibly effective – but only in the hands of someone with the right medical training and ethical standards. Make sure you’re in safe hands – because it’s not ‘just a quick beauty treatment,’ it’s your face.”