Medical Aesthetics News
Botox Treatments Regulations
2 March, 2013
Industry bodies involved in injectables have united in their call to government to consider the views of the sector as it prepares to publish its Keogh Review recommendations.
The review, led by NHS medical director Professor Sir Bruce Keogh, is considering the current standards and regulation for safety and quality of cosmetic procedures, such as Botox or dermal fillers, and is preparing to make its final recommendations in March.
Jonathan Le Roux, managing director of Oris Medical, said “We have held concerns about the lack of regulation in the UK aesthetics industry for years. The public are generally unaware that regulations are close to non-existent and not only are practitioners under qualified but the trainers providing qualifications are unregulated too. “
He went on, “Oris Medical were keen to provide evidence to Sir Bruce Keogh’s review and provided valuable commentary”
In the opinion of Oris Medical only medically qualified doctors and dentists should be permitted to provide these invasive treatments and in the interest of safety, the regulations need to be changed without delay.
The results of the review will be published later this month.
Supermodel Naomi Campbell hints at using Botox treatments
21 February, 2013
Supermodel Naomi Campbell has hinted that she uses Botox treatments to maintain her youthful looks.
The 42-year-old uses a variety of beauty treatments and yoga to keep herself fit and looking great. During an interview with the New York Post newspaper she paid reference to the fact that she’s not afraid to use the wrinkle-smoothing injections to stay youthful.
“I’m fortunate. I don’t have to work every day. I like food. Potatoes? In moderation. I want chocolate, I have it. I do maintenance” she said. “Yoga, manicures, pedicures, waxing, I’m not opposed to the injectables. I don’t like that super, super thin appearance. Too skinny, you look older.”
She does look great and it’s nice to hear a celeb who’s not afraid to admit using Botox treatments.
The winds of change for Botox Treatments.
20 February, 2013
The regulations surrounding aesthetics treatments in the UK are as good as non-existent and things need to change now!
A recent study by NHS medical director, Sir Bruce Keogh, has been conducting a review into the cosmetic industry and will report back to government in March. Oris Medical have been involved with this study by providing evidence.
Since 2008 Oris Medical have exclusively used suitably qualified doctors in all our clinics. Obviously it is cheaper to provide treatments by a nurse or other similarly under qualified person, are you receiving a quality treatment and are you safe in their hands?
No hard sell techniques, only first class client care and first class treatments.
Take a look at this recent BBC 1 interview and be very aware when running your own clinic!
Botox regulation is on the horizon
29 January, 2013
Finally there seems to be some movement towards the regulation of Botox & dermal filler treatments in the UK. The Royal College of Surgeons (RCS) wants to put an end to “Botox parties” and rogue traders. Only trained doctors, nurses and dentists should provide non-surgical cosmetic treatments such as Botox, say surgeons.
Currently people such as beauticians with no medical training can administer anti-wrinkle Botox injections, even though it is a potent neurotoxin.
The government has been assessing whether tougher laws are needed and Oris Medical have been involved in the study.
Bridalplasty Soars As Brides Demand To Look Perfect On Big Day
4 October, 2012
The wish to look perfect on their wedding day is something that has featured on most brides-to-be plans for always, but now more and more are taking steps to make this wish a reality – fuelling the rise of so-called bridalplasty.
Brides are no longer prepared to leave anything to chance when it comes to their appearance on their big day, and are increasingly turning to cosmetic surgery and aesthetic medicine treatments to ensure they look like a princess on the day.
In India, brides are increasingly happy to spend less on a dress and more on themselves, with the thinking behind this being any dress can be made to look magnificent with the right accessories and jewellery but it’s not so easy to hide skin blemishes and imperfections naturally.
Dr Geetika Mittal Gupta, medical director at ISAAC, Delhi, said: “Beauty has become synonymous with fashion. Having fuller lips and a perfect apples of the cheek is as much if not more important than the wedding dress. With science on their side, girls are now ready to experiment without fear. They are educated, well read and know what they want.”
While this trend is not new – a survey carried out earlier this year revealed that many brides in the UK are spending more on medical aesthetics and cosmetic procedures than on their wedding dress, and that 1 in 10 spent money on Botox injections or breast enlargements before their big day – the pattern among celebrities to share their experiences of cosmetic treatments is said to be fueling the fashion.
“In the last few years there has been a 30 to 40 per cent rise in demand for plastic surgeries. It’s not surprising to see brides-to-be walking in to a clinic with their parents or in-laws. Even couples come together for these treatments before the wedding. The numbers are only increasing,” said Dr Anup Dhir, cosmetic surgeon, Apollo hospital, Delhi.
The image of cosmetic procedures is changing too, largely thanks to the readily available range of non-invasive treatments like Botox and dermal fillers. Increasingly, medical cosmetics is being viewed as an investment by the young, whether it’s to reduce the appearance of tired-looking eyes, frown lines or to plump out the lips.
While pre-wedding pampering is nothing new and beauty treatments have always gone together with brides, today’s brides-to-be are more and more choosing cosmetic surgery clinics instead of traditional beauty salons in preparation of their big day.
If you’re currently planning your wedding and considering having cosmetic treatments to boost your appearance, you may want to contact Oris Medical for free and impartial advice by a qualified aesthetics doctor to ensure you choose the right option for you.
[Via: MailOnlineIndia]
Plastic Surgeons Warn “Unregulated” Dermal Fillers Next Cosmetic Scandal
28 September, 2012
Concern has been raised by experts regarding the lack of regulation for skin filler injections, who warn of a health “timebomb” as a result.
Plastic surgeons have warned that “unregulated” skin fillers could become the next cosmetic disaster, following the recent PIP breast implants scandal which was said to be due to an “almost unregulated industry”.
Dermal fillers are used to soften the appearance of lines and wrinkles, with unwanted folds in the skin smoothed to achieve younger-looking skin.
At the moment, any individual who has completed a half-day course is able to inject patients with dermal fillers, and the treatment is not solely offered by qualified doctors at medical cosmetic surgeries – skin fillers are available from hairdressers, beauticians and even the internet for self-injection.
Furthermore, while this cosmetic treatment is regulated in the US and just 7 types of skin filler are approved for use, in Britain there is no such regulation in place and more than 150 types are available.
To compound the situation, more and more people are choosing to have skin filler treatments. Former president of the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (Baaps) Nigel Mercer describes the year-on-year increase in demand as “inexorable”.
In a 2009 study of cosmetic surgeons, 25% reported seeing patients who’d suffered from a sub-standard dermal filler treatment.
“It is a ticking timebomb,” Mr Mercer said. “We believe [fillers] should be a prescription drug only injected by a doctor. We are contacted by patients who have ended up with unsightly lumps under the skin which can only be removed with surgery, people left with scars after one of their arteries was injected and people can even go blind if it is injected too close to the eye.
“There are reputable providers, but you see all the emails offering dermal fillers from China and we have no idea what they contain. You can make this stuff using a chemistry set.”
Dermal fillers should only be administered by aesthetic doctors or a qualified and trained nurse, who will also ensure that the substance is of the highest quality. Oris Medical only employs qualified doctors for all aesthetic medicine treatments, including skin fillers, Botox injections and Veinwave treatments.
During the Baaps yearly scientific meeting in London earlier this month, the association also called for a ban on advertising to under-18s. In a plan that outlines 12 measures for strict new guidelines on cosmetic surgery advertising, submitted to the Advertising Standards Authority, Baaps called for a ban on promotions targeted at children and vulnerable teenagers, especially on billboards, in magazines and online. It also wants an end to the use of celebrities in advertising.
Baaps president Fazel Fatah commented: “Some providers take advantage of people who seek surgical treatments for psychological reasons, with unethical and very aggressive marketing and advertising.”
[Via: MailOnline]
Top Botox Doctor Suspended
26 July, 2012
The director of Harley Aesthetics Dr Mark Harrison has been suspended, following exposure in a BBC investigation that he encouraged nurses to buy Botox in one person’s name for use on another.
The undercover investigation into one of the largest buyers of Botox in the UK had also previously led to the ban on remote prescribing of Botox by doctors unless they’d met with their patients face to face.
Dr Harrison will not be able to practise as a doctor for up to 18 months, pending a review. And the General Medical Council (GMC) will now determine if he faces a fitness to practise panel.
The leading Harley Street Botox doctor had formed a big network of nurses who’d call him to gain authorisation to inject a patient with Botox, paying £30 per call. Legally, only nurses with a prescribing qualification can prescribe any drug without referring to a doctor – and yet, in the secret filming undertaken as part of the BBC investigation, Dr Harrison was shown to encourage nurses to order the anti-wrinkle drug in one person’s name for use on another, and told nurses unable to get through to him on the phone to give the Botox to the patient anyway and he’d contact the patient later on.
“If you can’t get a signal, what you might do is do the treatment and then you ring through with the details and the phone number and we guarantee we’ll always ring the client after the event,” Dr Harrison said during the secret filming, adding “That may be after the event, which is a little bit naughty.”
When the BBC called claiming to have a new patient already injected with the aesthetic medicine, Dr Harrison left a message on the “patient’s” voicemail and sent a prescription.
Such a practice would not only mean the nurse in question was effectively breaking the law but that the safety of the patient was potentially compromised.
In a statement, Dr Harrison said he’d carried out more than 50,000 remote consultations in the past seven years, with no adverse impact on patient health.
He went on to say that the practice of prescribing in one person’s name for use on another was “common, almost universal practice throughout the aesthetics industry” with “no consequence for patient safety”. But added a doctor calling a patient after an injection had been given “would never be encouraged and would never be acceptable for a new patient”.
Niall Dickson, chief executive of the GMC said: “There are good reasons why these are prescription-only medicines and we believe doctors should assess any patient in person before issuing a prescription of this kind.”
The GMC will publish new rules later this month, banning doctors from remotely prescribing Botox and other injectable aesthetic medicines.
[Source: BBC]
Botox Remote Prescribing Banned
19 July, 2012
The act of prescribing Botox over the phone or internet is to be banned.
As a result, doctors will no longer be able to make remote prescriptions unless they have met with their patients face to face.
The BBC has learned this after going undercover to investigate one of the biggest buyers of Botox in the UK.
Botox, an aesthetic medicine, is an effective means of gaining younger looking skin. The drug works by relaxing facial muscles, leading to a smoother appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. However, Botox injections should only be given by professional aesthetic doctors.
The General Medical Council (GMC) has announced new rules will be published this month to prevent doctors remotely prescribing Botox and other injectable cosmetic medicines.
Niall Dickson, chief executive of the GMC said: “There are good reasons why these are prescription-only medicines and we believe doctors should assess any patient in person before issuing a prescription of this kind.”
The BBC investigation relates to the practices of Dr Mark Harrison, the director of Harley Aesthetics, who created a big network of nurses who call him on his mobile to gain authorisation to inject patients straightaway with Botox, paying him £30 per conversation.
Concerns were raised to the BBC, as nurses with a prescribing qualification are able to prescribe any drug, including Botox, without referring to a doctor, but nurses who don’t hold this qualification can still legally inject the drug when supervised by a doctor – but face being struck off for doing this remotely, except in an emergency.
An undercover researcher secretly filmed one of Dr Harrison’s training days and joined his team of nurses.
During filming, Dr Harrison was seen explaining how prescriptions for Botox could be obtained in the names of family members and friends and this stock of drugs could then be used on walk-in patients.
If nurses couldn’t get through to him on his mobile, they were encouraged to go ahead anyway with the Botox treatment and he’d call the patient later on.
Dr Harrison said during the secret filming: “If you can’t get a signal, what you might do is do the treatment and then you ring through with the details and the phone number and we guarantee we’ll always ring the client after the event.”
He added, “That may be after the event, which is a little bit naughty.”
To confirm whether this would happen in reality, the BBC later called him and claimed a new patient had already been injected – Dr Harrison then left a message for the “patient” and sent a prescription.
Senior doctors have advised that this method poses a potential risk to patients and the nurse would effectively be breaking the law by giving Botox without a prescription.
Dr Harrison said in a statement that he’d delivered more than 50,000 remote consultations since 2005, with no detrimental impact on patient health.
According to him, prescribing in one person’s name for use on others was “common, almost universal practice throughout the aesthetics industry” with “no consequence for patient safety”.
He added that the practice of a doctor phoning a patient after an injection “would never be encouraged and would never be acceptable for a new patient”.
“The decision to treat has been taken by the nurse and the doctor informed retrospectively.
“I can confirm that I take my professional and moral obligations to both the patients who have treatments and the nurses who use the service extremely seriously.”
Dr Nigel Mercer, leading cosmetic surgeon and former president of the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons described the BBC’s findings as a “wake-up call”.
Botox injections should always be administered by a professional aesthetic doctor and if you’re considering this treatment make sure you have a consultation first and are offered the appropriate levels of both pre- and post-treatment care.
“Smartphone Face”
11 June, 2012
The growing trend for facial skin tightening treatments and chin implants could be caused by our love of technology.
Smartphones and laptops may be the reason why many more people are turning to aesthetic medicine treatments to combat sagging jowls. Hunching over a display for hours at a time could cause facial skin and muscle to weaken and lose its elasticity due to the downward pull.
Dubbed “smartphone face”, aesthetic experts are warning that handsets and gadgets could be behind the rise in demand for skin tightening treatments and chin implants.
Last year, there were reports of an increase in Botox treatments because of smartphones – then, it was the excess squinting at the small screens that was thought to cause excess wrinkles and explain the greater uptake of the medical cosmetics drug.
Now it seems smartphones are fuelling the rise in facial treatments.
According to data released by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), chin implants are becoming the fastest growing cosmetic surgery trend – in 2011, the popularity for this surgery increased more than Botox injections, liposuction and breast augmentation combined.
Many leading aesthetic experts believe technology may be the cause of this growing trend, because poor posture can lead to sagging jowls as well as double chins and the creation of creases at the corners of the mouth known as “marionette lines”.
Speaking to the Evening Standard, Dr Mervyn Patterson explained the reasoning for so-called “smartphone face”: “If you sit for hours with your head bent slightly forward, staring at your iPhone or laptop screen, you may shorten the neck muscles and increase the gravitational pull on the jowl area, leading to a drooping jawline.”
And it seems we’re certainly a nation of technology addicts, with Ofcom’s 2011 Communication Market Report revealing that 91% of adults use a mobile phone with 27% opting for a smartphone. Plus, the Health and Safety Executive’s Horizon Scanning paper reports that by 2015 between 70% and 80% of workers could be, partially at least, working remotely via a laptop.
Combine all this with an increase in video chat, which ASPS president Dr Malcolm Roth believes makes us feel more self-conscious about our looks, and it’s easy to see a link between technology and rising demand for facial treatments.
Dr Roth commented: “The chin and jawline are among the first areas to show signs of ageing.As more people see themselves on video chat technology, they may notice that their jawline is not as sharp as they want.”
In the UK, chin implants are not that common although cosmetic surgeons have reported a growing interest in the procedure.
Of course, there are many factors which could be behind a sagging facial appearance in addition to smartphones and laptops, including an inherited weak chin, diet and weight changes.
If you’re worried about your complexion, Oris Medical offers a free and impartial consultation with an aesthetic doctor to help you find your best option – which may well be a simple facial massage to relieve tension or a course of Botox injections to give your skin a boost.
[Source: MailOnline]
PIP Scandal: “Serious Lessons Must Be Learned”
20 May, 2012
A government review into the PIP breast implants scandal has highlighted that many “serious lessons must be learned”.
The PIP scandal involved low-grade silicone not intended for medical use being used in around 300,000 breast implants, and has triggered a government review into the cosmetic surgery industry as a whole.
In February, the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (Baaps) called for a complete ban on all cosmetic surgery advertising, in light of the incident; and during last month’s BBC debate on the issue consultant plastic surgeon Kevin Hancock described the cosmetic surgery industry as “almost unregulated”.
Now the government review, led by health minister Lord Howe, has established much must be learned from this scandal. In addition to the scandal itself, the review investigated the role of the Department of Health and UK regulator the MHRA.
Among the issues investigated was how well informed of the risks were the women affected.
Although the report pointed out that the fact these silicone breast implants, manufactured by French company Poly Implant Prothese (PIP), were made from industrial-grade rather than medical-grade silicon is indicative of fraud, which is something regulation on its own would struggle to prevent, more could have been done.
The report highlighted that a “higher level of proactive public communication could have been helpful” and that there should have been greater interaction with the women who’d had these implants.
In the report, Lord Howe commented that there is insufficient evidence the Department of Health or the MHRA majorly failed in their roles. However he does state that “serious lessons must be learned from this scandal”.
“The MHRA needs to look at how it gathers evidence so it is able to identify problems early. It needs to better analyse reports about higher risk medical devices. And it needs to improve the way it communicates with the public.”
Between 2003 and 2010, the MHRA sent more than 20 letters to PIP with concerns about the implants – and looking back, “this body of evidence could be seen as suggestive of a problematic manufacturer”. It was only in 2010 that PIP’s implants were banned.
The report emphasised the need for regulators in EU countries to work together more effectively to help early detection of issues and ensure the relevant measures to protect patients can then be taken.
The President of Baaps, Fazel Fatah, said: “Poor post-marketing surveillance of medical devices lies at the root of the PIP crisis. At the BAAPS we feel there needs to be significantly more stringent monitoring of all medical devices including breast implants and all cosmetic injectables, via compulsory, regular reporting of adverse effects and mystery shopping which are all part of our regulation proposals.”
Lord Howe’s review is one of two set up by the Department of Health in January, with the second being led by the NHS Medical Director Professor Sir Bruce Keogh. This review will focus on whether the cosmetic surgery industry needs tighter regulation.
Back in January, Professor Keogh confirmed there was insufficient evidence to advocate the routine removal of PIP implants. However, in the UK any woman affected who had the implants fitted on the NHS can have them removed and replaced for free.
In Wales, the NHS will also replace those of private patients, while in England and Scotland the NHS will remove the implants of private patients but not replace them.
Have you or anyone you know been affected by the PIP breast implants scandal?
[Source: BBC]
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