Some UK aesthetic clinics willing to perform cosmetic procedures on under 18s

Some aesthetic clinics in the UK are willing to perform non-surgical cosmetic procedures on teenagers as young as 15, an investigation by The Sun newspaper has found.

The newspaper asked two teenage girls, aged 15, to visit clinics around the country undercover and request procedures such as botulinum toxin injections, dermal fillers, chemical peels and semi-permanent make-up, without citing any medical reason for requiring the procedures.

The girls were honest and up-front about their age during the consultations and were not accompanied by an adult.

12 of the professionals who spoke to the girls, including a prescribing pharmacist, a podiatrist, a paediatric surgeon and a doctor, agreed to perform the procedures. In some instances the medical professionals said they would help convince the girl’s parents to give their consent for treatment. Six of the clinics made the girls appointments for botulinum toxin or dermal fillers during the consultations.

Though the practitioners in question would not be breaking the law – there is no legal age limit for cosmetic procedures, although parental consent is required for minors – many professionals in the medical aesthetic industry condemn the practice on under-18s for non-medical reasons as unethical.