Botox and lip fillers are now banned on people under the age of 18 as part of a government crackdown on cosmetic beauty procedures in England.
The new laws, which came into force on Friday, bar young people from getting injections. Earlier there was no screening for those below 18 years of age.
Botulinum toxin procedures are often used by people who want to reduce the appearance of wrinkles on their faces. According to the NHS, the effects are not permanent and usually last about three or four months.
In the UK, the cost of botox injections can vary from around £100 to £350 for each treatment, depending on the clinic and the area being treated.
Botox injections are not available on the NHS for cosmetic reasons.
Dermal lip filler procedures are used by people who want to make their lips appear fuller.
The effect is also temporary and usually lasts between six and 18 months.
Most dermal fillers used in the UK contain a natural substance called hyaluronic acid.
The use of Botox and lip fillers has become increasingly popular in the UK over the years but their use is controversial.
Doctors are not required to administer injections and campaigners say the practice is dangerous and can be wrong.
Government estimates suggest 41,000 Botox-style procedures were performed in under-18s in England last year, raising concerns that there was not enough regulation in the non-surgical cosmetic industry.
However, campaigners say the new laws don’t go far enough.
There is no UK law that requires physicians to have formal qualifications or training for the procedures, and there are fears that young people may cross the border to obtain them.
Wales and Scotland are expected to update the law in the future, although there are no plans to do so in Northern Ireland.
Ashton Collins, director of Save Face, a national register of accredited physicians who provide non-surgical treatments, said the law needs to be expanded to include all non-surgical treatments.
She told the BBC: “We’re seeing a lot of women coming forward who have had these treatments and it’s gone wrong – because anyone can do these threads and they’re pretty invasive.
“Although medical professionals providing these treatments have to be regulated by the Care Quality Commission, laymen and beauty therapists do not.”
Tory MP Laura Trott, who called for changes to the law in parliament, said: “No child needs cosmetic Botox or fillers and from today [Friday] They will no longer be able to go to the clinic or someone’s home and get a dangerous and unnecessary procedure that could ruin their lives.
“It won’t fix all the problems in this industry, but it will make a real difference to the under-18s.”
