Writing in NLJ this week, Michael Saul of Cosmetic Surgery Solicitors highlights growing concern that procedures such as lip fillers and fat-dissolving injections can legally be carried out by unlicensed practitioners in settings ranging from hotel rooms to garden sheds.
More than 3,000 complications or unwanted outcomes were reported in 2024, yet long-promised reforms remain incomplete. Saul says injured patients often face a ‘regulatory vacuum’, with inadequate insurance, poor record-keeping and difficulties tracing practitioners. Claims become even more complicated where multiple providers have been involved.
He argues for mandatory licensing, accredited training, stronger advertising controls and compulsory insurance backed by a compensation fund of last resort. Without reform, he warns, patients face heightened risks while lawyers struggle to identify liability and secure compensation when procedures go wrong.
