England Prepares Tighter Rules for High-Risk Cosmetic Procedures

The key facts

From 2027, high-risk procedures (liquid BBLs, 'vampire' facials, deep peels) will only be able to be performed by trained doctors, dentists and some nurses, midwives and pharmacists
Fillers outside the face (liquid BBLs) will be legally equated to surgical procedures — only doctors will be able to perform them
Procedures will be banned for under-18s; violators face criminal charges and fixed fines of up to £4,000

New Rules for England's Cosmetic Industry

The government of England has unveiled long-awaited plans to tighten the regulation of cosmetic procedures, which are due to come into force in 2027. According to BBC News, high-risk non-surgical procedures — liquid Brazilian butt lifts (BBLs), 'vampire' facials, deep chemical peels, dermal micro-coring and some laser procedures — will only be able to be performed by properly trained professionals: doctors, dentists, as well as some nurses, midwives and pharmacists who have undergone training.

What Will Change

Under the proposals, fillers injected into parts of the body other than the face (for example, liquid BBLs) will be legally defined as cosmetic surgical procedures, meaning only doctors will be able to perform them. Cosmetic operations and risky procedures will be banned for people under 18 — a ban on lip fillers and botox for children is already in force. Violators face new criminal offences and fixed fines of up to £4,000. A licensing scheme for botox clinics in England was previously announced.

Background: Tragic Cases

Consultations on the changes began in 2023, but calls for stricter regulation had been made for many years. The BBC cites cases of procedures reportedly carried out in Airbnbs, hotel rooms, garden sheds and even public toilets. Alice Webb, a mother of five from Gloucestershire, died within hours of a liquid BBL in 2024. That same year, Sasha Dean of Bedfordshire fell into a coma after a liquid BBL; part of the procedures was carried out in a private home, and she developed sepsis. 'Very quickly it all turned into a complete nightmare. I had a heart attack, one lung collapsed, my kidneys were failing. My body was just completely shutting down,' she told BBC News.

Reaction and Next Steps

Health Minister Karin Smith said: 'We want to drive cosmetic cowboys out of the market and raise standards across the industry, giving reputable businesses a fair chance to thrive, while helping people find safe, qualified providers they can trust.' The British Beauty Council welcomed the initiative. However, Keith Allison of the Royal College of Surgeons of England called the consultation 'long overdue' and noted that the proposals do not go far enough: 'Ministers must ensure they do not create a new loophole in patient protection by regulating non-surgical procedures more strictly than cosmetic surgery itself. A doctor should not have the right to perform cosmetic surgery simply because they hold a medical licence.' The government will now gather opinions from doctors, businesses, regulators and the public, after which the plans will pass through parliament in spring 2027.

The Situation in Other Parts of the UK

In Scotland, laws passed in March require cosmetic procedures to be performed by certain medical professionals or together with them in registered settings; non-surgical procedures are banned for under-18s. In Wales and Northern Ireland, there are no specific regulations for cosmetic procedures.