Surgeons have warned of the dangers of receiving non-surgical cosmetic procedures at so-called 'medi-spas' amid concerns that staff are often insufficiently trained.
The government recently announced that it had no plans to introduce statutory restrictions on the industry and was keen to promote self-regulation, a move which has caused great concern within the cosmetic surgery profession.
The Independent Healthcare Advisory Services (IHAS) is currently drawing up a set of industry standards to which providers of quality cosmetic procedures will be able to apply for accreditation.
Spokeswoman Sally Taber told BBC News: "The situation as it stands at the moment is unsatisfactory.
"My grave concern is that anybody can have a reaction to a drug that's injected.
"We wouldn't want them to be in an area where there is no support or back-up if something were to happen, and these treatments should be given by people who are trained," she insisted.
Douglas McGeorge, head of the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (Baaps), added that "non-surgical does not mean non-medical", and that patients should check that the people carrying out procedures are "properly trained".
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Cosmetic surgery news : 16/05/2007
