Calls for beauty treatment laws

By Tamsyn Kent
Newsbeat reporter

They're often seen as a risk-free, cheaper alternative to plastic surgery, but there are calls for new laws over some of the beauty treatments carried out at high street salons.

The number of such procedures being carried out has doubled in the past two years.

The latest statistics from market researchers, Mintel, suggest that in 2007 almost 600,000 people had a non-surgical beauty treatment.

Things like Botox injections, chemical face peels and teeth whitening are all available at beauty salons at a range of different prices.

For example, a microdermabrasion treatment - where aluminium crystals are blasted at the skin with the aim of revealing a fresher, more youthful complexion - can cost anything between £40 and £100.

These non-invasive procedures have really taken off with many salons offering cheaper deals when booking a series of treatments.

Qualification concerns

One beauty therapist told Newsbeat: "A lot of people don't necessarily want to go under the knife and surgery is expensive.

"And nine times of out of 10 you do have to have those procedures done again.

"With a non-surgical treatment, it's something you can have ongoing and work with what your skin has naturally."

You could walk into someone's front room and they could give you Botox - there's no regulation to stop it happening Dr Patrick Bowler British Association of Cosmetic Doctors

But there's concern that these procedures don't have to be carried out by medically-qualified staff and that this part of the industry is still self regulated.

In comparison, anyone carrying out surgical treatments must be registered with watchdog the Healthcare Commission.

Dr Patrick Bowler, head of the British Association of Cosmetic Doctors, said: "You could walk into someone's front room and they could give you Botox - there's no regulation to stop it happening.

"Just as I wouldn't dream of doing a bit of brain surgery, I don't think beauticians should be shoving Botox into people."

'Distorted' face

And these delicate procedures can go horribly wrong.

Lee Parker, from Liverpool, wanted to get rid of his crow's feet and frown lines.

I felt tingling and put my hand up and felt blood Lee Parker More controls on beauty salons?

He popped along to his local beauty clinic and paid £200 for eight Botox jabs.

He didn't see a doctor first and never saw any evidence of his therapist's qualifications.

"She leant over me, put the needle in and I got a sharp pain down the side of my face," he said.

"I felt tingling and put my hand up and felt blood. I think she'd possibly hit a vein.

"After that, my face became distorted, I had arches over my eyes and creasing over one side of my face as well.

"My whole head looked deformed and this lasted for months."

People should seek personal recommendations, Dr Bowler says

But the Department of Health is reluctant to come up with new legislation.

A spokesman said: "There are limits to the levels of regulation one can expect the government to put in place when it comes to non-surgical cosmetic procedures that carry low levels of risk and which aren't medically necessary."

The British Association of Cosmetic Doctors advises people to think carefully about the benefits and risks of procedures before undergoing treatment.

Dr Bowler said: "First of all, go on personal recommendations.

"If your friend has been somewhere and had a good result, then that's a positive sign.

"You need to look at their qualifications and ask about their experience."