Ban on Cosmetic Injectables for Children Now in Place in England


The Botulinum Toxin and Cosmetic Fillers (Children) Bill has passed its third parliamentary reading and has gained royal assent, becoming law in England. The legislation will become enforced in the autumn of 2021.

 Botulinum Toxin and Cosmetic Fillers (Children) Bill has passed its third parliamentary reading and has gained royal assent, becoming law in England. The legislation will become enforced in autumn of 2021.

The bill was brought forward by Conservative MP Laura Trott on the 21st of March this year and sponsored by Baroness Wylde, receiving cross-party support in the House of Commons and House of Lords. The bill was written with the intention “to make provision about the administration to persons under the age of 18 of botulinum toxin and of other substances for cosmetic purposes; and for connected purposes”; with providers who break this law subject to a fine. The bill does not prohibit procedures using Botox® and dermal filler which have been deemed medically necessary, but does require that such procedures are carried out by a doctor, health professional, or registered medical practitioner.

At MATA, we have never treated children or teens under 18 with Botox® or dermal filler, which we felt was a common-sense policy that should have been adhered to across the aesthetics industry. We are glad that legislation is now in place to prevent the treatment of under 18s, thanks to the work of Laura Trott and Save Face. Over recent years, teens have experienced ever-increasing pressure to undergo aesthetic injectable treatments, and we are happy that measures have been taken to prevent less scrupulous practitioners from taking advantage of that vulnerability. 

Given that aesthetic injectables is a relatively new sector which has experienced a meteoric rise in popularity, it is unsurprising that regulations are still to catch up. We believe this bill is a move in the right direction and look forward to further legislation which will create a more regulated industry in the future.