Oxfordshire council clamps down on underage botox sales

The focus of this ongoing initiative has been to ensure that those involved in cosmetic procedures are taking appropriate action to prevent young people from receiving these treatments.

It aims to educate providers about what they need to do to comply with the legislation regarding underage sales and assess the level of knowledge to minimise future possible contraventions.

The council said it is aiming to protect young people (Image: David Parry/PA)

Head of trading standards at Oxfordshire County Council, Jody Kerman, said: "Botox and fillers are both very popular cosmetic procedures right now, even among younger age groups.

"Whilst legislation prohibits the administration of Botox and fillers to children, we know that access to these procedures to those under 18 remains a real concern and appreciate some young people may try to access them regardless.

"We want to work with businesses and practitioners to ensure they are taking the right steps to protect both themselves and young people, by making sure they are complying with legal requirements."

As part of its work, the team identified and sought to contact businesses that provide Botox and fillers.

They used a broad approach to send information and advice to 74 businesses that could potentially offer the service.

Overall, 27 businesses were visited by trading standards, who found that most of them were aware of the legal and ethical requirements to not inject anyone under 18.

However, a few businesses were unaware that it was illegal to book an appointment for a child.

Additionally, few of the businesses asked for proof of age or recorded refusals.

These businesses were advised to use a 'Challenge 25' scheme and to keep records of age verification and refusals.

A proposed national licensing scheme for non-surgical cosmetic procedures in England is currently in being considered. This would regulate the qualifications and standards of practitioners.

The project comes after a government consultation was announced last September to gather insights and opinions on how to make Botox procedures and other non-surgical cosmetic treatments safer.

It came with concerns about subpar procedures mounting and an estimated 900,000 Botox injections carried out in the UK each year.

It was said at the time that the insights gathered would play a pivotal role in shaping new regulations, including the introduction of the proposed licensing scheme for practitioners and cosmetic businesses operating in England.

This could include age limits and restrictions for high-risk procedures, including those involving injecting fillers into intimate parts of the body such as the breasts and buttocks.