Call for body-image warnings on retouched photos

The Health and Social Care Committee wants the government to quickly introduce new laws.

It also said social media promotion of cosmetic services such as dermal fillers should be tightly regulated.

Those booking a procedure should be given a 48-hour cooling-off period and there should be a full check of their medical and mental health history.

Former health secretary Jeremy Hunt, who chairs the committee, said: “We heard of some distressing experiences – a conveyor-belt approach, with procedures carried out with no questions asked.”

Reality TV star Charlie King told the MPs there had been no assessment of his wellbeing when he had a nose job done.

Kim Booker, who, like Charlie, has body-dysmorphic disorder – spending lots of time worrying about flaws in appearance that might be unnoticeable to others – told MPs she had become dependent on image-altering apps.

“I got to the point where I constantly had these filters,” she said.

“I was putting filters on my face on my stories and things like that – and it completely altered the way I looked.

“When the video flipped off to my natural face, I got a bit of a shock.

“I hated what I saw, because you get used to the filtered version of yourself.”

Growing up in the 1990s, Kim, who is from Dorset, says she was bombarded with “Disney princess” images of how a woman might look.

“I felt that I needed to fit the template of the big eyes, the small nose, the flowing hair and the tiny waist,” she said.

“That has grown with me through my teenage years, into adulthood.”

Unrealistic images

The committee wants advertisers to feature a wider variety of body aesthetics – and for influencers to stop posting filtered or unrealistic images.

Sasha PallariIMAGE SOURCE,SASHA PALLARI
Image caption,

Beauty activist Sasha Pallari led a campaign in 2020 called #filterdrop, which encouraged social media users to post selfies without using a filter

“We believe the government should introduce legislation that ensures commercial images are labelled with a logo where any part of the body, including its proportions and skin tone, are digitally altered,” its report says.

Meanwhile, it says dermal fillers should be made prescription-only substances, in line with Botox, and there should be minimum training standards for providers.

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The report also calls for the government to urgently review the growing use of anabolic steroids in the UK – the UK Anti-Doping Agency estimates more than a million users – mostly men wanting bigger muscles.

Man in the gym
Image caption,

Prolonged use of anabolic steroids has been linked to cardiovascular disease and brain changes

Prof James McVeigh, who helped with the report, said: “One of the key things that we are facing is that many people taking anabolic steroids for a prolonged period of time will not return to normal testosterone production.

“We know that the longer the period people use, the more damage there is in later life, with cardiovascular disease and brain changes.

“A point will come when they may want to stop using anabolic steroids – but they will face a severe crash.

“That dip when you stop using puts you at the point of zero testosterone, with depression and a lot of mental health problems.”

James Brittain-McVey is a guitarist for the VampsIMAGE SOURCE,GETTY IMAGES
Image caption,

James Brittain-McVey told MPs about his struggle to conform when starting out with his band, The Vamps

Vamps lead guitarist James Brittain-McVey, who had surgery to remove natural breast tissue from his chest, told the committee: “Social media encouraged me to fall further down that rabbit hole.

“The first thoughts I would have when I woke up in the morning was, ‘Should I be eating that, am I going to be able to get to the gym?”‘

Eating disorders have risen in recent years, the report says, recommending the government introduce annual checks of every child and young person’s weight and wellbeing.

It also calls for more action to tackle child obesity, such as restricting multibuy deals for foods and drinks high in fat, salt or sugar.

The British Beauty Council said: “If we want to show the industry as the professional, economy-boosting, equality championing and dynamic sector it is, we must be open, transparent and answerable. We, therefore, hope the Government takes the Committee’s recommendations forward.”

A government spokesperson said: “We will be introducing a national licensing scheme to help prevent exploitation, improve safety and ensure individuals are making informed and safe choices about non-surgical cosmetic procedures.”

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Stock image of a Botox syringeIMAGE SOURCE,GETTY IMAGES By Anna Collinson Health correspondent Beauty practitioners offering Botox-style injections or dermal fillers could be required to have a licence, as part of government plans to protect patients in England. It is hoped this will ensure consistent standards in an industry previously called the "Wild West" by MPs. Industry bodies say the consultation on new rules is welcome and want changes implemented quickly. Currently, anyone can offer the treatments, with few restrictions. 'Physically scarred' Health and Social Care Secretary Sajid Javid says he is committed to making it an offence for someone to operate without a licence. "While most of those in the aesthetics industry follow good practice when it comes to patient safety, far too many people have been left emotionally and physically scarred after botched cosmetic procedures," he says. Complications can include infections, lumps, bruising and even blindness. An amendment to the Health and Care Bill has been tabled on Tuesday. If successful, the government would have the power to introduce a licensing regime for botulinum-toxin injections - often known as Botox - or fillers. However, the full details will not be confirmed until after a public consultation, which some fear could take months or even years. Social media Ashton Collins, from Save Face, says: "These unlicensed operators are like ghosts. "They're on social media, they're mobile, they come to people's houses. "Then, when somebody complains, they disappear and have no fixed address. "We urgently need a licensing scheme which is fit for purpose." Hannah Russell, chief executive of Glowday, a website that connects patients with verified, medical aesthetic practitioners, is calling for the licensing criteria to go beyond technical skills. "Prior experience of the injector", "the ability to properly consent" and "skills to resolve complications" should all be considered, she says. Driven demand The government plans also include introducing hygiene and safety standards for premises. BBC News has been told about many cases of treatments in people's homes, sometimes near children or pets, which can increase the risk of infection. The spread of images on social media has driven demand for these procedures, which can plump or smooth the skin, with sites also providing a platform to sell them. In October, it became illegal to give Botox-style injections or fillers for cosmetic reasons to under-18s in England. And from May, cosmetic-surgery adverts that target them will be banned. Regulated qualification The All Party Parliamentary Group on Beauty, Aesthetics and Wellbeing has welcomed the Department of Health's plans but wants all of the recommendations it made last summer to be implemented. This includes requiring practitioners to hold a regulated qualification at a national minimum standard. The Welsh government says the proposed licensing scheme for non-surgical cosmetic procedures would "in effect bring England into line with the powers we already have" under the Public Health (Wales) Act 2017 - though Brexit and the pandemic has delayed implementation. Proposals are due to be set out in the "near future" in Scotland, while Northern Ireland has no plans for such measures.

Plans to ban unlicensed Botox providers in England

IMAGE SOURCE,GETTY IMAGES By Anna Collinson Health correspondent Beauty practitioners offering Botox-style injections or dermal …

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