6 Aug 2019
Medical Negligence from Failed Lip Filler Procedures
With a demand for cosmetic treatments on the rise and lip filler procedures becoming ever more popular, a lack of regulations on top of the physical and psychological problems when things go wrong, means there is now a concerning amount of pressure on the NHS due to Medical Negligence.
SaveFace, a national register of accredited practitioners, revealed that lip filler errors made up almost 70% of all corrective work in 2018, and 47% of procedures that led to complaints were carried out by beauticians, not medical experts.
Currently unregulated, all you need to administer fillers is the recipients’ consent, with ‘dermal fillers’ being classified as ‘medical devices’ rather than ‘medicine’, meaning they go through limited trials, are cheap to buy and accessible to anyone without a qualification.
Calls for tighter regulations on medical procedures
There have been numerous petitions to tackle the problem and calls for restrictions to be put in place regarding who can perform injectable treatments.
The ongoing worry is that those who opt to get fillers can often be uneducated about the facts and fooled into having the procedure performed by “cowboy injectors” such as untrained beauticians who administer fillers without any medical training.
The SaveFace survey revealed that they received 934 patient complaints regarding unregistered practitioners in 2017-18, with a staggering 616 of these being related to dermal fillers. This is up from 249 in 2016.
Dr. Dan Bunstone, Chief Medical Officer at Speed Medical, said: “The ‘Wild West’ of cosmetics unfortunately does no favours for skilled and fully trained clinicians, and there is even a black market now for items such as Botox, whereas medical professionals are required to sign a prescription to administer the drug to those performing the treatment. When things go wrong this could leave the medical professional held responsible for Clinical Negligence, even if they didn’t perform the procedure themselves.”
Lip filler Medical Negligence case example
In one extreme example of what can go wrong, a woman was rushed to A&E at 2am following a “Botox party”, after her lips quadrupled in size as a result of her procedure. It turned out that the fillers had gone directly into an artery, cutting off the blood supply around the area – an emergency that doctors revealed could have led to her losing her lips.
Correction treatments for these kinds of “botch jobs” can include using a needle to aspirate a lump of filler,dissolving and removing the filler product, or making an incision to drain pus and infection from the abscess.
Why lip filler use is gaining popularity
In what used to be a private and somewhat taboo subject, non-surgical procedures are now widely discussed and normalised in society, with a huge rise in celebrities and influencers openly sharing their intimate procedures and detailing the names of their treatment providers online.
This means plenty of exposure to a demographic who are easily influenced and hungry to change themselves. A BBC Survey of over 1,000 women aged between 18 and 30, conducted by DeltaPoll online, revealed that 83% would change a part of their body if money and health risks were not a concern.
“Popular TV programmes such as Love Island routinely feature young, attractive women who have undergone lip filler procedures – something that many people think encourages impressionable viewers to opt for cosmetic enhancements.
Because lip fillers are a subtle yet attainable change, the expanding market for them actually means the rest of the cosmetic surgery market is reducing as people are opting for less extreme, non-surgical treatments,” said Dr. Bunstone.
Doing your research on treatment providers
It is crucial for anyone considering this procedure to do extensive research on their practitioner and ensure that they are medically qualified.
Dr. Bunstone recommends: “When you go for a consultation with a clinician, doctor or nurse, find out what qualifications they have and what accreditations they are affiliated to. Also find out their success rates, what follow-up care they offer, and what policies and procedures are put in place in case of allergies and complications.”
Instructing Speed Medical for your Clinical Negligence Medical Report
Our comprehensive panel of distinguished experts are highly experienced in dealing with Clinical Negligence cases. For these case types in particular, we have experienced dermatologists and cosmetologists who are able to provide an independent medical report to support your case.
Our service includes the provision of medical reports, rehabilitation services, corrective surgeries and a dedicated treatment plan to get your client both looking and feeling right again.
Each case is assigned to a dedicated Case Handler who is an expert in their field, meaning they are solely accountable for every aspect of that case and will be your single point of contact throughout.
Contact us today to find out more about our industry-leading Clinical Negligence service on 0844 4129 333.
