Half of Women Require Medical Help After Aesthetic Procedures, ITV Investigation Finds

An alarming investigation by ITV’s This Morning has revealed that half of women who have undergone non-surgical cosmetic procedures required medical assistance following their treatments.

The investigation, first aired on Monday 14 July during This Morning on ITV1 and ITVX, uncovered the growing dangers in the booming aesthetics industry - particularly from so-called ‘cosmetic cowboys’.

According to the show’s survey, 15% of respondents ended up in hospital or A&E as a direct result of non-surgical treatments.

The findings highlighted that half of the cosmetic procedures took place in non-clinical environments, such as living rooms or kitchens, and half were performed by individuals who were not medically qualified.

In a worrying admission, 1 in 3 women said they would still go to someone unqualified to save money on a procedure.

Dr Zoe Williams, the programme’s resident GP, appeared on the show to respond to the statistics. She said: “I was shocked by the results of our This Morning survey. I understand that cosmetic procedures are highly attractive and a low price tag is incredibly tempting, but I urge our viewers to be vigilant, advocate for themselves and ask questions to ensure the treatments they are receiving are safe."

She continued: “As an absolute minimum you should have evidence that the person is appropriately qualified and if injectables are being used, knowledge of who has prescribed them.”

Also featured in the investigation were real-life stories from women who suffered serious complications. Lynsey Wanless shared her traumatic experience of receiving anti-wrinkle injections in someone’s home.

“I’ve had it before so I didn’t think it would be an issue. I had no idea anti-wrinkle treatments could be dangerous, but nine days later I was in hospital. I felt like my body was shutting down and I couldn’t breathe. This has ruined my life,” she said.

On the following day, This Morning regular Ashley James spoke candidly about her own experience.

“There’s so much shame and secrecy surrounding non-surgical cosmetic procedures, and yet so many people – especially women – are having them, whether they admit it or not. This Morning's investigation made me realise I’d never thought to check whether anyone giving me anti-wrinkle injections was medically qualified, or whether the products being used were licensed in the UK. I’d just assumed they were. That’s frightening. I wish I’d known more about the risks from the start, and I know I’m not alone.”

Throughout the week of programming, viewers were offered practical advice from Save Face, a government-approved register of accredited aesthetic practitioners.

Ashton Collins, Director of Save Face, said: “The figures from This Morning’s investigation mirror the complaints we’ve collected over the past decade. It’s alarming how many people prioritise cost over their health and appearance."

"Cheap treatments often mean corners are being cut, including the use of unlicensed products illegally imported from abroad. Over the past five years, we’ve seen a major rise in complications caused by these products."

"We are calling on the government to form a dedicated task force to ensure current laws are enforced and to ban high-risk procedures from the high street.”

This Morning’s investigation has since sparked widespread discussion, reigniting calls for stricter regulation in the aesthetics industry and urging the public to consider safety over savings.