Wise in 5: Cosmetic Procedures - regulations and restrictions

Botox, belly button rings and sunbeds – the beauty and cosmetic interventions business is thriving. Whether it’s getting a sleeve tattoo, topping up the tan before a holiday or injections into faces or lips, there are concerns about the influence of social media and online advertising

on young people’s self-image, and whether regulation is keeping pace with the increasing popularity of these procedures. When we look at the approaches taken in the different nations, governments have responded differently to the trends for tattooing, piercing and Botox when considering how and when to licence and limit provision and the use of these services.

PolicyWISE’s Wise in 5 briefings are snapshot comparative guides to public policy issues across the nations of the UK and Ireland. It helps you to be PolicyWISE (Wales, Ireland, Scotland and England) in 5 (it takes just five minutes to read).

We publish Wise in 5s regularly to increase awareness of different policy approaches across the UK and Ireland, supporting policymaking, public understanding, and policy learning. Our Wise in 5s are drafted in collaboration with researchers across the Open University and beyond.