Everything you Need to Know About the "Botox Ban"

From the 1st October 2021, it'll be illegal for practitioners to give Botox or dermal filler treatments to under 18's for beautification purposes. The new The 'Botulinum Toxin and Cosmetic Fillers (Children) Act' was passed earlier this year and will make it illegal to provide either procedure to under-18s for cosmetic reasons.

The Act will also require a doctor, registered medical practitioner, or a health professional to administer the jabs when there is a medical need in young people. 

First things first, what is the Botox ban?

Health Minister Nadine Dorries announced the 'Botox Ban' in the UK, which comes into effect from 1st October 2021. This new ruling bans children (those under 18) from having Botox or dermal fillers, as the government battles against the surge in young people seeking injectable treatments after watching cult TV shows such as 'Love Island' (which we'll come back to shortly). Any practitioners breaking this rule - or failing to properly verify the age of their patients pre-procedure, will be prosecuted.

Under 18's can still have Botox - but only for medical purposes, if recommended by a doctor. Offering children Botox or dermal fillers for beautification purposes will become a criminal offence.

You might not think that under-18's would consider treatments such as Botox, which is typically associated with anti-ageing and wrinkles. You may also assume that practitioners wouldn't perform these treatments on patients this young. But unfortunately, due to a lack of regulation in the industry and combined with the pressure of Instagram, filter culture and the influence of shows such as Love Island, this is not the case.

Recent studies conducted by the Safety In Beauty Campaign revealed: 

- 87% of girls aged 15 -18 would want cosmetic treatments after watching Love Island

- 92% of these girls stated they would have a treatment irrespective of it being legally allowed or not - and would lie to access the treatment or provider 

- 79% believe that female contestants on the popular TV show represent what boys look for in girls in relation to beauty

The latest season of Love Island - which saw Millie & Liam crowned as the winning couple, sparked a surge of +37% searches for booking lip fillers - and a spike in demand in teens seeking cosmetic procedures. It is anticipated that the change could stop around 41,000 botox injections from being given to under 18s each year, according to the Department for Health.

Antonia Mariconda, Founder of The Safety in Beauty Campaign says, “For too long, the UK Aesthetics and Beauty Industry has remained unregulated and a serious concern for many, the current status cannot be allowed to continue, as a support organisation, we have had to pick up the shattered pieces of over 7,000 victims to date, we believe the situation has now reached crisis point. We will continue to actively campaign for change and support The APPG to pressure the government for urgent regulation.”