The top doctor at the NHS urged the government to crack down on the cosmetic-surgery industry, warning of an almost total lack of regulation in some fields.
Bruce Keogh, the health service’s medical director, called for tougher controls over “highly misleading” advertising and voiced his concern at the example set by television reality shows, in a review published Wednesday.
He also raised doubts over the competence of non-Britain based “fly in, fly out” surgeons in carrying out facelifts, breast implants and nose straightening.
The report highlighted “the many TV makeover programmes where participants have procedures financed by providers.
“Of particular concern are TV reality drama shows in which its young stars glamorise cosmetic procedures,” it added. “It is not always made clear that these celebrities have contracts with particular providers.”
Keogh said that those putting their faith in the hands of private surgeons did not have “the safety net that those using the NHS have.
“This needs to change,” he added.
Health minister Dan Poulter backed the recommendations and said the government would respond in the summer.
“While there are some responsible clinics which do take proper care of their patients, Sir Bruce Keogh’s review makes clear that there is a significant risk of people falling into the hands of cowboy firms or individuals whose only aim is to make a quick profit,” he said.
“These people simply don’t care about the welfare of the people they are taking money from.”
The review was commissioned after breast implants made by the French company PIP were found to contain substandard industrial-grade silicone.
Top doctor calls for crackdown on cosmetic surgery
