Aesthetics professionals call for industry regulation in Ireland

The Irish faculty of the British College of Aesthetic Medicine (BCAM) has raised numerous concerns of patient safety across Ireland and is now calling on the Minister of Health to regulate aesthetic procedures here.

Presided over by Dr Eithne Brenner, other Irish faculty members include Dr Jennifer Owens, Dr Sean Fitzpatrick and Dr Peter Prendergast.

The group wants changes to be implemented as soon as possible to protect current and future doctors and their patients. Committed to three crucial objectives, these are stricter regulation and control of dermal fillers, surgical threads, and deep chemical peels to ensure that only qualified medical professionals perform these procedures; standardising advertising of cosmetic procedures in collaboration with the Medical Council and Dental Council to promote transparency and inform patients about potential risks; and introducing robust regulations for aesthetic courses to ensure that only qualified instructors teach these procedures, with insurance companies carefully evaluating these courses to ensure they maintain quality standards.

According to the faculty, Ireland currently faces a significant issue in the aesthetics industry, where botulinum toxin A (Botox and other brands) remains a prescription-only medicine under the administration of qualified doctors and dentists.

However, dermal filler, which it says is an equally invasive treatment, is not subjected to the same stringent regulations. Unlicensed aestheticians and even the general public can administer filler without proper oversight, potentially putting public health at risk.

It noted that dermal filler has serious potential complications associated with its administration, including stroke, blindness and skin necrosis. Moreover, the reversal agent for filler complications, hyalase, is only available with a prescription, causing further concerns about patient safety. In the event of infections caused by fillers, unlicensed aestheticians lack the ability to prescribe the reversal agent, antibiotics or steroids, which can lead to life changing outcomes for those affected.

The faculty members are appealing to the Irish Medical Council and relevant authorities to prioritise patient safety and establish comprehensive regulations for the medical aesthetics industry in Ireland. It stressed that non-surgical aesthetic procedures are medical interventions and should be treated as such, with the utmost consideration for patient wellbeing.