In response to a rising number of providers advertising cosmetic injectable treatments on group buying sites, the Independent Healthcare Advisory Services (IHAS) has today warned consumers not to be tempted by these misleading and potentially unsafe deals.
Indeed, many of these deals are illegally advertising Botox®, a prescription-only medicine that the Advertising Standards Authority state should not be advertised to the public.
Whilst group buying sites are currently some of the most viewed internet sites in the UK, the IHAS are instead urging the public to ‘shop responsibly’ when considering a cosmetic injectable treatment and consult www.consultingroom.com to ensure their provider is regulated and appropriately qualified.
With 1.4million cosmetic injectable treatments expected to be conducted in the UK this year, we are concerned by the increasing number of misleading and potentially unsafe deals for such treatments on group buying sites which are not only misleading but also putting the public at risk.
Don't be fooled by bargain Botox treatments
These deals invariably fail to clarify the clinical background of the practitioner and the appropriate clinical environment in which the treatment will be conducted, as poor cleanliness can lead to infection.
Low standards in either or both can lead to permanent physical damage.
Group buying sites are also trivialising cosmetic injectable treatments by forcing consumers into making hasty decisions which can lead to unfortunate consequences.
The dangers of bargain botox
As we are approaching the Christmas Period we are seeing a rise in these deals and the average consumer may be unaware of the danger of such deals, experts are campaigning to increase public awareness. Such deals are quite often misleading and can fail to provide adequate aftercare for clients, whilst the high-pressure environment fails to induce research and rational thinking on behalf of the buyer.
Experts are discouraging the use of such sites and do not recommend them as a viable treatment route - especially when a clinic is willing to illegally advertise a treatment against industry regulation as well as provide treatments at a dramatically reduced rate.
The dangers of bargain Botox offers
Group buying site practices which violate the ASA and IHAS Standards include:
· Group buying sites are likely transgressing the Medicines Act 1973 as Botox® is a prescription-only medicine, botulinum toxin, and should be prescribed only by a Doctor, Dentist or independent Nurse prescriber
· Consumers are lured into committing to treatment before the necessary clinical suitability assessment
· Making eligibility time dependent contravenes the ASA advised Standards which state that advertisements should not offer discounts linked to deadline date, or other date-linked incentives
· The IHAS Standards require that written informed consent must be obtained prior to administration of any injectable cosmetic treatment.
· Beauty therapists using misleading titles are advertising cosmetic injectable treatments – ONLY a Doctor, Dentist and Registered Nurse is appropriately qualified with the clinical background necessary to conduct such treatments
· The necessary aftercare is not included in group buying site daily deals, and lack of which would compromise patient safety and contravenes the IHAS Standards for administering cosmetic injectable treatments
The IHAS Register of Injectable Cosmetic Providers is for regulated healthcare professionals (doctors, registered nurses and dentists) and organisations and facilities undertaking injectable cosmetic treatments. It rigorously screens the providers seeking registration before awarding successful ones the IHAS Quality Assurance Mark. Registered Providers must demonstrate that they meet the requirements of the Health and Safety at Work Act Section 3 and the Medicines Act of 1973.
Author: Sally Taber
Sally Taber is the Director of the Independent Healthcare Advisory Services which maintains the only impartial network serving the operational needs of the independent healthcare industry in the four UK countries.
At the request of the government, she is taking forward a cosmetic industry self-regulation model for the use of botulinum toxins and dermal fillers.
To view more blogs by Sally Taber please click here.