Botox & who administers it

[FU81]

I recently contacted a salon in my local area for a facial and whilst there was advised that they offer botox ( charming!) I think it’s an up sell thing or at leat I hope so. Anyway I asked who administers it and was told it was a member if the team who has ‘had training’ forgive me if I’m wrong but I thought that it had to be prescribed and that a medical professional had to administer it so I asked about her credentials and was shouted out of the establishment, should I report this or have I got it wrong?

I don't know but I'm sure Google will tell you if you've got it wrong.

Were you really actually 'shouted out of the establishment'?

I’ve tried to Google it but there doesn’t seem to be a definitive answer. Pretty much yes, I asked at the reception area and was told that I shouldn’t question professionals and should leave in front of several waiting customers

Google

In order to administer Botox injections, you must be a physician, physician assistant, dentist, registered nurse or another licensed healthcare practitioner. The minimum degree requirement for most of these professionals is a four-year bachelor's degree in pre-medicine, biology or a related science.

@FU81

I’ve tried to Google it but there doesn’t seem to be a definitive answer. Pretty much yes, I asked at the reception area and was told that I shouldn’t question professionals and should leave in front of several waiting customers

I immediately got the answer from Google

Shouting people out of the salon is weird though, as I imagine that's not the first time customers have asked them to explain a bit more.

Nothing to report but I'd definitely leave a bad review about their weird treatment of customers.

I did think that but I have also heard that you only need to be able to get the prescription from a physician but not to administer it, bit of a minefield I think. Thank you

A lot of beauticians will take up a course to be qualified in Botox and fillers - I think there's a loophole in the law that means this is allowed. However I'd always recommend going to a medical professional in a clinic.

They are also potentially breaking the law if the advertise it to the public as it's a prescription only medicine.

Botox has to be prescribed by a doctor, dentist, pharmacist or nurse who has done additional prescribing training.

Botox can be administered by anyone. You are supposed to have a consultation with any of the above and a review of your medical history, and then you can have the actual botox administered by anyone, but the prescriber is the one taking responsibility

You should be very careful who you get to do your botox. Beauty salons will find loopholes to administer things like botox, teeth whitening etc. You should absolutely question the qualifications of anyone who is administering botox and if that person is suitably qualified they will be expecting this, and will be happy to talk you through it.

As above this is illegal if you do not see the health professional prescribing it. Please consider reporting them to the MHRA.

safetyinbeauty.com/report-illegal-botox-injections-yes-they-are-happening-everywhere/

Botox and fillers are pretty unregulated in the UK atm. I'm a nurse and a few of my colleagues have done a 8 hour course which allows them to administer both. A couple of them work one day a week in a salon, so could be a similiar set up at this salon. Filler can be bought over the counter and I don't think there are any restrictions on who can give it, while botox needs to be prescribed, which can be done by someone who isn't administering it. One of my colleagues has done the prescribing qualification, while another one pays a GP £50 to prescribe each clients botox.

Oh and you don't have to be a medical professional to administer it: you need a training course and insurance. Google "botox training for none medics" and lots of courses come up.

@hobnobsandbroomstick your friend who hasnt done the prescribing course is treading on dodgy territory

If the GP is actually seeing the patient and carrying out a consultation, that is fine but if they are just prescribing from a far that is illegal.

Personally i think the botox and filler industry needs to be a lot more regulated. Things can go seriously wrong and i think only someone who is able to deal with the consequences should give it. That maybe a cosmetic/facial doctor/nurse/dentist but so many people see it as a quick buck. Weekend course and then loads of money, but arent prepared or capable of managing when things go wrong. They dont always have the in depth knowledge of facial aanatomy required

@Hobnobsandbroomstick they changed the regulations a few years ago so prescribers have to assess the person but your right anyone can inject still. You can no longer do a patient group directive prescription for Botulinum toxin products as was previously allowed.

Yes, the GP who prescribes the botox has people come to her house one weekday evening to see them, though I think it's literally for 5 minutes. Then my colleague will book them in to actually have the botox for the week after this. I think she buys the botox off the GP, but I'm not sure.

@Hobnobsandbroomstick
Good to hear the GP's your colleagues are dealing with are at least seeing the patients to ensure no contraindications (ok not common but there are some eg myasthenia) and using nurses to inject so should have good aseptic knowledge etc. If their face is a little wonky at least it wears off after a few weeks!

I would never let anyone without a full understanding of facial anatomy put a needle anywhere near mine. I get my injectables administered by a doctor, who has aesthetics training and still practices in acute emergency medicine.

Someone who works in a beauty salon and has done a weekend’s training can frankly, do one.

How come Lauren Goodyear (whatever her name is) and now Jemma Lucy are now administering these injections.

I know a salon where a non qualified person administered it after a remote prescription over FaceTime. There is a really good documentary on iPlayer if you’re really interested op, might be why the salon were jumpy when you checked their processes.

It's legal for anyone to administer Botox (it shouldn't be... But unfortunately it is).
However, it does have to have been prescribed by a prescribing HCP. If not, then they are breaking the law

Well in my area it's a prescribing nurse who orders the Botox and then flogs it to a load of beauticians she's trained @ £1000 a time - and they administer it in beauty salons the original nurse has never even been to

So 20 year olds who've done a beauty course at a local college

It's completely unregulated

@LaurieFairyCake

Well in my area it's a prescribing nurse who orders the Botox and then flogs it to a load of beauticians she's trained @ £1000 a time - and they administer it in beauty salons the original nurse has never even been to

So 20 year olds who've done a beauty course at a local college

It's completely unregulated

I hope she sees the people she's prescribing it for before she orders in bulk, otherwise that prescribing nurse is on dodgy ground (even if it's given by a beautician that she's trained).

The 'training' was 3 hours over Zoom so not real training imo

No, the nurse sees no one (apart from her own clients)

Yes, she's on dodgy ground - but the dozens of 'beauty therapists' she's trained are completely unregulated and merrily injecting people all over south east London

Botox can be administered by anyone.
The law requires the prescriber to have a face to face consultation with the client.
Botox can be ordered from an on line pharmacy but cannot be supplied without a prescription. This is to prevent stock piling and administration to people it has not be prescribed for.

I use to work in a medical aesthetics clinic a few years ago. There was always discussion about greater regulation but little has been done to control the number of completely unqualified people administering these treatments.

Also be aware that someone can be suitable trained to administer the treatments but not necessarily experienced in dealing with problems if things go wrong.

Fillers can currently be administered by anyone at all.

I would never consider having a prescribed medication administered by a beautician. Whilst a well trained beautician should have excellent anatomy knowledge few are trained in basic life support which could be required in a worse case scenario.

You were absolutely right to question their qualifications. I would report the salon, they did not behave as if they are compliant with the current law, as inadequate as it is.

The highly trained medical Doctor who administers mine has literally a room full of certificates. You should be seeing at least one of these as soon as you walk in, or they should have pointed them out to you.
Looks like you touched a nerve with them OP.
Interesting..🤔

I’m absolutely horrified by this. (But not a bit surprised) Wouldn’t touch with a bajillion barge poles. Wonder what they make you sign prior to getting neurotoxins injected into your face?