Save Face, the government-approved register of accredited cosmetic practitioners, has reported that complaints about botched procedures have nearly trebled in the last 12 months.

The number of issues relating to non-invasive procedures has jumped from 378 in 2016 to 931 in 2017.

The highest number of complaints were about about dermal fillers, in particular for lips, with people reporting uneven results, unsightly lumps, painful swelling and infections.

Cosmetic surgery experts have associated the dramatic rise with the vast number of celebrities openly discussing and promoting procedures online, which encourages the public to follow suit.

More than 70% of complaints made last year were from patients who had found their practitioner on social media.

Michael Saul, from Cosmetic Surgery Solicitors, said: “This new statistic further strengthens my argument for tighter legislation and better regulation across the industry.

“There is a worrying number of poorly trained and unqualified practitioners on the market, offering procedures at very low prices, and patients are at a much higher risk of complications that can have a devastating impact on their quality of life after treatment.

“More needs to be done to protect the public from these practitioners, particularly with regard to less-invasive procedures such as dermal fillers.”

There is currently no regulation around dermal fillers in the UK, which means the procedure can be administered by anyone, regardless of their medical training.

In addition, practitioners are able to buy products for dermal fillers online, adding further risk to the safety of their customers as these solutions may not be approved for use in the UK.

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