Once the preserve of celebrities and only the richest women, botulinum toxin, otherwise known as Botox, is now widely available on the UK high street. Women in their 20s and beyond are increasingly opting for injections to "fill in" their wrinkles in an effort to look youthful.
But some beauticians and cosmetic surgeons who administer the prescription-only medicine are breaking the rules, a fact laid bare in an alarming new documentary.
BBC Three's The Botox Bust: Ellie Undercover sees undercover journalist Ellie Flynn, 24, delve into the murky waters of beauticians who are knowingly flouting the rules.
You must be a doctor, nurse, dentist or prescribing pharmacist to legally prescribe Botox in the UK and irrespective of who carries out the procedure, be it a beautician or a cosmetic surgeon, they must first refer you to a medical professional who'll check your eligibility for the procedure, enquiring about potential pregnancy and allergies, for instance.
According to General Medical Council (GMC) guidelines, anyone who injects Botox must also meet with potential clients in person for a consultation beforehand, rather than over the phone or via the internet.
But as Flynn, who poses undercover, finds out, the rules are being broken in two main ways: Botox practitioners, such as beauticians and cosmetic surgeons, are injecting people with the stuff without referring them to prescribers; meanwhile, prescribers are issuing prescriptions without face-to-face meetings, instead opting for phone calls and Skype chats.
This disquieting reality goes some way towards explaining why botched Botox has become so commonplace in the UK – over a million Botox injections are administered every year and barely a week goes by without another patient sharing their story and eye-opening before and after photos in the press or online.
The documentary has already left people better equipped with the facts, as the response on social media so far highlights. In a world where "Botox parties" exist, adverts for cosmetic surgery on social media, and an increasingly visual culture put pressure on women to have "flawless" skin, it's an eye-opening, educational and highly important watch.
WOW this #botoxbust @ellieflynn is UNBELIEVABLE I did not know you need a prescription or a face2face medical consult 🤷🏼♀️ so educational
— Lucy Haynes (@juice_haynes) March 7, 2018
Stamp it out @scotgov and have the courage to put this industry right in Scotland #patientsafety @scotgov @patientsmattershttps://t.co/k5PkKRCMo9
— JP Smith (@JPSmith18496392) March 7, 2018
Pleased to see @BBCNews taking on this issue & @bbc3_iplayer hosting a documentary on Botox practices currently happening in the U.K.#knowyourprovider
— Karen Lindsay (@MsKJ_Lindsay) March 8, 2018
Check out advice and guidance from @RCSnews & @BAPRASvoice https://t.co/F8L5sGn4A4
Watching @bbcthree @ellieflynn #EllieUndercoverTheBotoxBust.
— Lucie Kerley (@luciekerley) March 8, 2018
DYK a bad #Botox reaction can be as serious as a bad nut allergy? You can go blind from having it done by a rogue prescriber! So many young women ruining their beautiful faces 😢#bbloggers #internationalwomensday2018 pic.twitter.com/wUBrJIIQvS
Charities have also praised the documentary for shining a light on an underreported issue. Ashton Collins, a director at Save Face – a government-approved register of accredited non-surgical cosmetic practitioners – told the BBC she believes 90% of people don't realise Botox is a prescription medicine.
Please tune in to Ellie Undercover: The Botox Bust on @bbcthree on 7/03/18
— Save Face (@SaveFaceUK) March 5, 2018
For the past several months, Save Face have been working alongside the production team providing information, evidence and advice which led the filming of this programme. pic.twitter.com/aDuLNtzQe1
The Botox Bust: Ellie Undercover is available now on BBC iPlayer.
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I Got Botox & Now I Feel Guilty About The Sisterhood
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