BABTAC Comments on ‘Alarming’ Liposuction Courses Offered to Non-medics

Liposuction courses are being offered to beauty therapists – BABTAC issues stark warning

The BBC has uncovered training centres offering one-day training courses advertised as “fat reduction masterclasses” to beauty professionals, despite it being illegal in the UK for non-medics to perform surgical procedures.

BABTAC (The British Association of Beauty Therapy & Cosmetology) has issued a warning to the beauty industry and its consumers with the organisation’s CEO and Chair, Lesley Blair MBE, who says something needs to urgently change to prevent further harm:

“Liposuction is a surgical procedure which is absolutely not something that beauty professionals are equipped to perform. It should only be carried out by surgeons” warns Lesley.

“I want the message to consumers to be clear, please do not go to an untrained professional for surgery as the risks to your health could be too great. It’s shocking and awful to see this keep happening. Another example of where we need the correct oversight, backed by legislation, in place as soon as possible. It demonstrates how imperative it is to have legal oversight in the industry with appropriate training protocols in place to ensure consumer safety.”

“We are currently still awaiting feedback on the consultation we took part in with government for the impending licensing scheme. We need to continue to support the implementation of the legislation to be in place, to stop unqualified operators doing treatments in modalities that they are not trained to an acceptable safe level to do and in addition not qualified to manage any adverse complications if they arise.”

BABTAC have previously launched a consumer safety campaign, T.I.M.E, to help support consumers in how they ensure they are safe when getting treatments. The campaign is backed by industry leaders such as Caroline Hirons.