Children will be banned from getting botox...

[SmiledWithTheRisingSun]

https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/children-botox-government-england-richard-wheeler-b930105.html%3famp

But puberty blockers are still fine apparently 🤷‍♀️

Children can't get tattoos or body piercings. Women under 30 can't get a hysterectomy if they are suffering from debilitating endometriosis.

At least it has now been established that children can't give informed consent to PBs.

I can't believe it's not already illegal for kids to have Botox. Who is letting them do it and why???

What children need Botox? Is there a medical condition that would warrant this as a treatment?

Botox was used for medical reasons for years before it was approved for cosmetic tweaks.

Isn't it used for excessive sweating? I don't know how young that can be a problem though

Yes there is a medical condition. Is actually a medicine called Dysport . It's been rebranded and repurposed by the cosmetic industry. www.medicines.org.uk/emc/product/964/smpc

I doubt it use for its original purpose is being banned for children though.

Botox is used to used to treat muscle spasms and migraine and for other things too. The anti wrinkle use because discovered as a side effect by patients who were receiving Botox treatment for medical conditions.

Good. Children should never be filling their bodies with noxious chemicals for reasons of superficial appearance.

@Janie143

I doubt it use for its original purpose is being banned for children though.

Of course not. The Botulinum Toxin and Cosmetic Fillers (Children) Bill seeks to prohibit the procedures for under-18s in Englandnd_ if they are for purely aesthetic purposes and not approved by a doctor.^

I'm stunned by the numbers of under 18s apparently having these treatments. Wtf for on a teenager?

“Analysis by my department last year estimated there may have been as many as 41,000 botulinum toxin procedures carried out for under-18s in 2020, and over 29,300 dermal filler procedures for under-18s may have been undertaken in 2017.”

@Helleofabore

What children need Botox? Is there a medical condition that would warrant this as a treatment?

Botox is a standard treatment for spasticity in children with cerebral palsy, has been widely used for years. This bill is about the cosmetic use it seems, for which there is no reason Botox should be used other than batshittery.

There are clearly some members of House of Lords and Commons who are joining the dots and recognising the responsibility to Safeguard children.

(extract)
"Social media giants have come under fire as a ban on Botox and cosmetic fillers for children moved closer to becoming law.

Health minister Lord Bethell revealed he “worries daily” over the impact of social media on his two daughters, and called on big tech to do “all they can” to better protect children from harmful content.

He added the Government backs proposals to bring certain cosmetic procedures in line with other body modification techniques.

The Botulinum Toxin and Cosmetic Fillers (Children) Bill seeks to prohibit the procedures for under-18s in England if they are for purely aesthetic purposes and not approved by a doctor.

Lord Bethell told peers: “The provisions in this Bill will ensure that young people are accorded the highest protections to safeguard their physical and psychological health.

“There are already statutory age restrictions in place for tattooing, teeth whitening and for sunbed use – it makes no sense that there are not similar protections for invasive injectable cosmetic procedures.

“Botulinum toxin, dermal fillers, laser hair removal account for nine out of 10 non-surgical treatments performed in the UK, an absolutely astonishing proportion.

“Analysis by my department last year estimated there may have been as many as 41,000 botulinum toxin procedures carried out for under-18s in 2020, and over 29,300 dermal filler procedures for under-18s may have been undertaken in 2017.”

The minister acknowledged these are “very personal issues”, noting: “I have two daughters of my own and I worry daily about the world that they live and their consumption of social media." (continues)

Thank you. I did know of it being used for spasms and sweating and i had forgotten.

So let me word it this way, are there any cosmetic procedures where a child would need someone other than a medical doctor treating them with Botox?

I suspect it could help in some rare instances but I can’t help wondering why any parent would allow their child to get Botox just as a beauty treatment. That is most concerning that a child (ie under 18) feels the ‘need’ to do this.

@Helleofabore

What children need Botox? Is there a medical condition that would warrant this as a treatment?

There is, I work in a special school with many physically disabled children. Quite a few of those who have extremely tight muscles have had Botox injected into their legs. It's not a new treatment for this- it's been happening for a long time and often gives these children amazing results. With the right physio support as well it can really improve their mobility

@Helleofabore

What children need Botox? Is there a medical condition that would warrant this as a treatment?

Yes, several, and I assume they are not included in this ruling.

Just like it's perfectly legal to put a medical tattoo in a child.

Thanks Shielding.

I had an early morning memory glitch and should have thought before I posted.

I had meant as a cosmetic treatment. And I still think there might be rare reconstructive needs where that might help, but as a beauty treatment, I find it insane to think someone under 18 feels pressure to use it for beauty. It doesn’t bode well for their adulthood if they are feeling that pressure at that age.

Women under 30 can't get a hysterectomy if they are suffering from debilitating endometriosis.

That's something that really angers me. My life was blighted for years by endometriosis until I could finally have a hysterectomy at 42. Of course, other treatments should be exhausted first, but it shouldn't be so hard to get a hysterectomy when you are in constant pain.

Good decision to ban botox for children - why on earth would they need it?

Botox is used in some cases of neurological diseases (e.g. Multiple Sclerosis) to make the bladder less sensitive. Injections into the bladder wall every 6-12 months.

Botox is used to used to treat muscle spasms and migraine and for other things too.

I found out recently that Botox can also be used to help with vaginismus, where the vaginal muscles tighten involuntarily when any penetration is attempted, making sex (or even using tampons) very painful, or impossible for some women.

Vaginismus affects many women who were victims of CSA or rape, who fear penetration as a result, but there's not always a reason for it.

Botox has some great medical uses that can really improve lives.

I had no idea it was given to under 18s for 'cosmetic reasons' though I'm appalled by that, and by the doctors/nurses administering it to them instead of telling them they don't need it. Making a lot of money from the insecurities of children. Disgusting.

People with cerebral palsy or multiple sclerosis often have Botox. It’s an approved treatment plan.

The Botulinum Toxin and Cosmetic Fillers (Children) Bill seeks to prohibit the procedures for under-18s in England if they are for purely aesthetic purposes and not approved by a doctor.

Its not banning children from getting botox. The ban is specifically cosmetic procedures using botox & fillers which are not approved by a doctor.

I'm sure there were lots of good legal reasons for lowering the age of adult majority from 21 to 18. But when it comes to safeguarding I feel 18 is still too young. My daughter's friend had lip fillers age 19. She's such a pretty girl. So far nothing untoward has happened but I fear her getting a really bad overfill, and worse that she is already attached to having these sorts of treatments and has been sucked in, boding many years of paying excessive amounts to the cosmetic industry and I can't help feeling by the time she is forty there is a risk her looks will have morphed into something quite unnatural.

Different issue and sorry to derail but of note, the proposed minimum age to be a surrogate mother is also 18. My (then 18) daughter responded to the consultation that although she was technically an adult she still felt she needed protection and that other 18 year olds would be vulnerable to coercion and/or temptation by financial rewards.

Different issue and sorry to derail but of note, the proposed minimum age to be a surrogate mother is also 18. My (then 18) daughter responded to the consultation that although she was technically an adult she still felt she needed protection and that other 18 year olds would be vulnerable to coercion and/or temptation by financial rewards.

There is growing recognition that support/protections for children should (in some situtions) be extended to 25 years.

I'm shocked that such cosmetic procedures have been available to children until now (without an underlying medical condition).

FannyCann the human brain doesn't reach full maturity until about 24-25 years old, so I do think 18 is quite a low threshold for decisions that require understanding long-term ramifications and complex ethical implications.

Nonny I was also shocked and had assumed that similar age prohibitions as with tatooing would have applied.

This industry is fuelling body dysphoria, particularly in teenage girls despite the risks and implications being recognised for a number of years.

'Science Daily'
A new reality for beauty standards: How selfies and filters affect body image
August 2, 2018
Source: Boston Medical Center
Summary:
With the spread of photo-editing technology through applications like Snapchat and Facetune, the level of physical 'perfection' previously seen only on celebrity or beauty magazines is now all over social media. As these images become the norm, people's perceptions of beauty worldwide are changing, which can take a toll on a person's self-esteem and can trigger body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), argue researchers."

(extract)
"Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is an excessive preoccupation with a perceived flaw in appearance, often characterized by people going to great and at times unhealthy lengths to hide their imperfections. This can include engaging in repetitive behaviors like skin picking, and visiting dermatologists or plastic surgeons hoping to change their appearance. The disorder affects around 2 percent of the population, and is classified on the obsessive-compulsive spectrum.

The viewpoint authors reference studies that show teen girls who manipulated their photos were more concerned with their body appearance, and those with dysmorphic body image seek out social media as a means of validation. Additional research has shown 55 percent of plastic surgeons report seeing patients who want to improve their appearance in selfies.

"A new phenomenon called 'Snapchat dysmorphia' has popped up," said Neelam Vashi, MD, director of the Ethnic Skin Center at BMC and Boston University School of Medicine, "where patients are seeking out surgery to help them appear like the filtered versions of themselves."

According to the authors, surgery is not the best course of action in these cases, because it will not improve, and may worsen underlying BDD. They recommend psychological interventions such as cognitive behavioral therapy and management of the disorder in an empathetic and non-judgmental way" (continues)
www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/08/180802141601.htm