Children have been scarred by this craze

WE’RE all under constant pressure to look our best. We are bombarded by advertisements and on social media with images of bodies that are utterly unrealistic for us to have any hope of matching. No wonder a recent poll showed that 80 per cent of girls and young women have considered using surgical procedures to change their appearance, with the primary reason to improve their self-confidence.

I found this a deeply depressing statistic. What’s more, the problem is not limited to women – young men also face pressure from social media to look a certain way.

There has been a boom in inquiries from people wanting a so-called ‘Instagram Face’ – seeking cosmetic procedures such as Botox and fillers to give them the high cheekbones, cat-like eyes and full lips seen in the heavily airbrushed photos that celebrities post on social media.

Shockingly, there is no age restriction on who can have such invasive treatments. It is estimated that as many as 41,000 procedures were carried out on under-18s in 2020 alone.

These procedures use substances that are generally given by an injection into the skin and can lead to serious complications – including infections and, in rare cases, blindness. It is not right that children can be so exposed – particularly if they use some of the cowboys who operate in the industry.

No child needs cosmetic procedures unless for medical reasons. Their physical and mental development is not complete. Quite rightly, there is widespread concern that young people do not know enough about the decisions they are making, about the risks they bring. That’s why the Government is making it illegal to carry out such procedures for cosmetic purposes on under-18s in England. From October 1, anyone doing so will face prosecution and there will be a requirement for businesses to verify a person’s age before arranging appointments.

Of course, where there is a medical need, a doctor will still be able to approve treatment but this must be administered by a doctor, nurse, dentist or pharmacist.

This change is aimed to protect young people from the potential health risks of Botox and fillers, and brings the use of such procedures into line with age restrictions that apply to body modifications such as tattoos, teeth-whitening and the use of sunbeds.

In the past, I have used Botox. I’ve never been aggressive with it, but I didn’t see any harm. Holding back the years is fine once you get to a certain age. But far too many people have been left emotionally and physically scarred after botched cosmetic procedures.

I want to thank The Mail on Sunday for highlighting how dangerous and harmful cosmetic procedures have been carried out by cowboy practitioners. It is vital that anyone choosing to undergo treatment does so safely.