About our cosmetic surgery campaignWhat can be done?
Government need to put in place more robust regulation for ‘cosmetic consumers’
Pushing the Government
Which? thinks the Government should step in to improve protection. People who pay to have cosmetic surgery and invasive treatments, like injections or laser hair removal, often part with a lot of money.
They don't deserve to be ripped off and they certainly don't deserve to be disfigured or unnecessarily hurt as a result of botched procedures.
Laser treatments
As part of our campaign we raised our concern over a government plan to deregulate Class 3B and 4 lasers and Intense Pulsed Light sources (IPL) from 1 October 2008. These laser machines are used for various skin treatments and hair removal. We believe that this plan could have resulted in thousands of people being scarred or harmed.
Which? responded to the government's laser deregulation proposals, and in July 2008 over thirty patient groups, medical bodies, cosmetic clinics and industry representatives joined forces with Which? to oppose this proposal. The government decided to abandon this plan. We're still calling for the government to review this rapidly expanding industry and make sure that current and future regulations are effective, robust and protect people.
Do you have a story to tell?
We’re also checking industry practices to make sure you don’t get a raw deal.
If you’ve had a difficult or distressing experience with cosmetic procedures, please tell us about it – you’ll be helping us protect other consumers from the same kind of problems. We also like to hear about good experiences, so we can build up a picture of good practice and encourage cosmetic treatment companies that do their jobs properly.
What else can I do?
If you’re thinking about having cosmetic surgery or treatment, our web pages offer a free one-stop shop for the unbiased information you need. Use our interactive body to understand the procedures, and our read our guides to make sure you ask the right questions as you do your research.
In September 2006 Which? surveyed 306 people online who were planning, or had undergone, cosmetic procedures and interviewed 30 of them in depth by telephone.