Patients who have non-surgical cosmetic treatments are being exposed to "unreasonable risks" and "permanent damage" because of a lack of appropriate training for those carrying them out, the man leading a review of plastic surgery standards has said. NHS medical director Sir Bruce Keogh said his report on the state of the industry, ordered after the faulty PIP breast implants scandal, would make recommendations to make sure patients "were in safe hands" when it is released later this month.It is believed this will mean a new law requiring everyone from beauty therapists to medically-trained doctors to have additional formal qualifications before carrying out treatments. Sir Bruce said he was worried that non-surgical procedures - which include dermal fillers, or laser treatment for wrinkles or hair reduction - make up 90% of the sector but are largely unregulated. "All too often we hear of cases that shine a light on poor practices in the cosmetic surgery industry," he said. "I am concerned that some practitioners who are giving non-surgical treatments may not have had any appropriate training whatsoever. "This leaves people exposed to unreasonable risks, and possibly permanent damage. "And our research has shown that the public expect procedures that are so widely available to be safe whereas they are largely unregulated."There is a clear need for better quality, recognised training for the people performing these operations. "My review will make a number of recommendations for making sure people who choose to undergo these procedures are in safe hands."
