MPs urge immediate ban as government stalls on cosmetic procedure regulation
MPs have called for an immediate ban on unregulated cosmetic procedures such as liquid Brazilian butt lifts, warning that government delays are putting women at risk.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
A group of MPs has renewed its call for an immediate ban on high-risk cosmetic procedures like liquid Brazilian butt lifts (BBLs), accusing the government of moving too slowly on regulation. The Women and Equalities Committee first raised the issue in a report seven months ago, but members say they have received no formal response from ministers.
At the centre of the campaign is the case of Alice Webb, who died in September 2024 after undergoing a liquid BBL. Her sister, April Palmer, has said the family is disappointed by the lack of action, adding: "We desperately need the government to act so that other families don't go through the devastation that we have."
Under current UK law, anyone can buy filler and administer it, with no license or qualifications required. This means that practitioners can operate from their living rooms with no accountability, despite the invasive nature of the procedures. A charity called Safe Face says it has helped around 1,200 women who suffered complications, with more than half developing sepsis and around 40% needing extensive corrective surgery or care.
The government has maintained that regulation is a priority, with health minister Karin Smyth announcing last August a crackdown on "cosmetic cowboys" and plans for new laws. However, a consultation that was expected to precede legislation has still not been published more than a year later. In a letter from June, the health minister described the work as "complex" and "challenging", but gave no timeframe.
MPs, however, argue that every day of delay puts more women in danger. They are no longer asking for further consultations, but for an immediate ban on the riskiest procedures such as liquid BBLs, where large volumes of filler are injected into the buttocks. The committee has warned that the lack of regulation is a serious patient safety issue, and that unqualified practitioners are able to operate without any oversight.
ITV News has also been pursuing a response from the Department of Health. A reporter who requested a status update in July was told a consultation would happen "soon", but no specific date was given. When pressed again today, the department repeated that the consultation would be "soon", offering no further detail.
The calls for action come as the demand for these procedures continues to grow, despite the known risks. Experts describe liquid BBLs as one of the deadliest cosmetic procedures available, and the lack of regulation means there is no way to ensure practitioners are properly trained or that products are safe.
The government has yet to respond publicly to the committee's latest demands, but the pressure is mounting as families of victims and campaigners urge swift action to prevent further harm.
On screen
Stills are sampled automatically at 60-second intervals. Where shown, the still is the nearest available frame from the relevant broadcast segment and is included to show what was on screen during that part of the broadcast. A still may not correspond to the exact second of a quoted phrase.
Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | Channel 5 | ITV |
|---|---|---|
| MPs are calling for an immediate ban on unregulated cosmetic procedures. | ||
| Alice Webb died in September 2024 after having a liquid BBL, and her family has expressed disappointment at the lack of government action. | · | |
| Safe Face reported helping about 1,200 women with complications, with more than half developing sepsis and around 40% needing corrective surgery or care. | · | |
| The government announced a crackdown on cosmetic procedures in August 2025 but has not launched a consultation more than a year later. | · | |
| The Women and Equalities Committee has not received a government response seven months after publishing its report on cosmetic procedures. | · | |
| UK law does not require a licence or qualifications to buy and administer dermal fillers. | · |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
5 News focused on the lack of existing regulation, using a studio interview to highlight how easy it is for anyone to become a filler practitioner from home. The segment underlined the serious health risks, citing charity figures on sepsis and corrective surgery, and stressed the MPs' demand for an immediate ban rather than more consultations.
- “if either of us wanted to tomorrow We could become filler practitioners from our living rooms”
- “more than half developed sepsis and around 40% needed extensive corrective Surgery or care”
- “We don't want any more consultations What we want they're saying is an immediate ban”
ITV1 emphasised the political delay, providing a detailed timeline of broken promises and the human cost through the case of Alice Webb. The report highlighted that the government's promised consultation has still not materialised more than a year after the initial announcement, and quoted the health minister's evasive language.
- “Patient safety is being put at risk by government's delays in banning unqualified practitioners from performing high-risk cosmetic procedures like liquid Brazilian butt lifts.”
- “that this was a complex area of policy and the work was challenging”
- “the timeline is still soon”
Broadcast Timeline
News broadcasts tracked for this story, in time order.