7 December 2023
Town centres are overrun by beauty joints selling Botox in old corner shops – is your local high street a hotspot?
In towns and cities across Britain, a new trend is emerging on the high street. Formerly occupied by chicken joints and corner shops, these spaces are now being transformed into “tweakment” clinics offering Botox and other facial aesthetics. With over 700 aesthetics clinics in the UK, the industry is booming, and the demand for non-surgical procedures is on the rise. However, concerns are being raised about the casual approach to these treatments and the potential risks involved. This article explores the rapid rise of tweakment clinics and the implications for consumer safety.
The Growing Popularity of Tweakment Clinics
The non-surgical aesthetics industry in the UK is now worth over £3 billion and is expected to reach £5.4 billion by 2026. As a result, more and more practitioners are entering the market to meet the growing demand. Botox remains the most popular treatment, followed closely by cheek fillers. Clinics offering these services are cropping up all over the country, with some areas becoming hotspots for tweakment clinics. Balham in South London, for example, has six clinics within a 1.5-mile stretch of road. Other cities like Manchester and Liverpool also have a high concentration of clinics.
The Concerns Surrounding Tweakment Clinics
While the popularity of tweakment clinics continues to grow, experts are raising concerns about the potential risks involved. Many of these clinics offer not only Botox and fillers but also non-invasive treatments such as facials. This casual approach to injectable treatments may lead to consumers making impulsive decisions without fully considering the consequences. The Joint Council of Cosmetic Practitioners (JCCP) has seen a 400% increase in complaints, which they attribute to the surge in clinic and practitioner numbers. Some practitioners may not have the necessary qualifications or training, leading to potential dangers for patients.
The Issue of Regulation and Safety
Botox is a prescription-only medicine and must be prescribed by a qualified medical practitioner after a face-to-face consultation. However, many clinics flout the law and offer Botox injections without proper medical oversight. Some practitioners have only completed short online courses and operate out of hairdresser and beauty salons, tattoo shops, nightclubs, and even hardware stores. This lack of regulation makes it difficult to determine liability when something goes wrong. The JCCP and other organizations are calling for stricter measures to ensure public safety, including a ban on unlicensed cosmetic treatment providers and increased supervision by medical professionals.
The Stories of Those Affected
The rise of tweakment clinics has led to an increase in complaints and botched treatments. One woman, Amy Edwards, had a negative experience after receiving anti-wrinkle injections in a practitioner’s living room. She experienced swelling and drooping of her eyelid, which took 16 weeks to fully recover from. Amy’s story highlights the potential dangers of receiving treatments from unqualified practitioners. Other patients have also reported issues with their treatments, leading to calls for better regulation and oversight in the industry.
Conclusion:
The rapid rise of tweakment clinics on the high street is a reflection of the growing demand for non-surgical aesthetics procedures. However, this trend also raises concerns about consumer safety and the lack of regulation in the industry. The increase in complaints and botched treatments highlights the need for stricter measures to protect patients. As the government considers new legislation to ban unlicensed providers and increase supervision, it is crucial to prioritize public safety and ensure that those seeking these treatments are fully informed and protected.
