Women and Equalities Committee: Cosmetic procedures - Eleventh Report of Session 2024–26 (18 February 2026)

Summary

This report is the outcome of an inquiry by the Women and Equalities Committee which considered the safety of surgical cosmetic procedures, such as breast implants, and non-surgical cosmetic procedures such as fillers and liquid Brazilian butt lifts (BBLs).

Content

Non-surgical cosmetic procedures

The report notes that:

• Demand for cosmetic procedures has grown significantly in recent decades. However, regulation has not kept pace, allowing inadequately trained individuals to carry out high-risk procedures, too often with devastating consequences.
• For the majority of women, breast implants are a safe procedure with significant positive impacts. However, there is emerging concern that a minority may experience debilitating symptoms following implantation and, in still rare cases, develop a cancer of the immune system.
• The Poly Implant Prothèse (PIP) breast implant scandal, in which 47,000 women in the UK received substandard implants, demonstrates the importance of rigorous testing and surveillance. 
• Currently, there is no regulation as to who can perform non-surgical cosmetic procedures. These are defined as procedures that do not require incisions and are commonly used to refer to injectables, such a Botox or dermal fillers, laser therapy or chemical peels

The Committee states that the Government needs to commission clinical and longitudinal research, mandate use of the Breast and Cosmetic Implant Registry and regularly publish data from it. It also calls for high-harm procedures such as the liquid Brazilian butt lift (BBL), which has resulted in fatalities, should be banned immediately without further consultation. They suggest a licensing system for lower-risk procedures, in which only those suitably qualified can perform them, should be introduced within this Parliament.

Cosmetic tourism

The report notes that:

• Travelling abroad to undergo cosmetic procedures or treatments, known as ‘cosmetic tourism’, has surged in popularity in recent years as a low cost way for people to access cosmetic procedures.
• Despite some countries having stronger regulations than the UK, there have been growing numbers of people needing corrective treatment by the NHS following complications from procedures undertaken overseas. This is placing additional burden on the NHS.

The Committee states that more needs to be done to educate the public on the potential risks of cosmetic tourism and how they can do so safely.

Body Image

The report notes that recent studies have shown that body image, particularly amongst young women and girls, has worsened over recent years. This is causing more young women and girls to be drawn to cosmetic procedures, with a 2024 survey finding that just over a quarter of girls aged 11–16 would consider altering their appearance through cosmetic procedures within the next 20 years and almost half of 17–21-year-olds. Research has found that increased use of social media, face editing apps and filters is contributing to both worsening body image and driving the demand for cosmetic surgery.

They report that there is also evidence of the widespread advertising of cosmetic procedures on social media, both by practitioners and influencers. Many of these advertisements utilise digitally altered photographs and minimise the risks involved with cosmetic procedures.

The Committee recommends that evidence-based body image and social media literacy programmes need to be adopted into school curricula to tackle the growing pressures on children to change their bodies once they reach adulthood.