Health impacts of breast implants and other cosmetic procedures

Women and Equalities Committee Open Inquiry
Opened: 22 Apr 2025 Parliament page
The Women and Equalities Committee will examine the health impacts of breast implants and other cosmetic procedures. This inquiry will explore the safety and regulation of both surgical and non-surgical cosmetic procedures, including how risks are communicated and managed.
11 Recommendations
19 Conclusions
1 Report
4 Oral sessions
2 Letters
4 Events
Activity timeline 11 events
18 Mar
2026
Correspondence
18 Feb
2026
Report published
22 Oct
2025
Oral evidence
22 Oct
2025
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 6, Palace of Westminster
3 Sep
2025
Correspondence
16 Jul
2025
Oral evidence
16 Jul
2025
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 6, Palace of Westminster
25 Jun
2025
Oral evidence
25 Jun
2025
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 6, Palace of Westminster
14 May
2025
Oral evidence
14 May
2025
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 6, Palace of Westminster
Oral evidence sessions 4 sessions
22 Oct 2025
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Women and Equalities Committee
Gavin Larner · Department of Health and Social Care Karin Smyth · Department of Health and Social Care Lesley Blair MBE · British Association of Beauty Therapy and Cosmetology Professor Aidan Fowler · Department of Health and Social Care Victoria Brownlie MBE · British Beauty Council (BBCo)
16 Jul 2025
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Women and Equalities Committee
Andy Morling · Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) Dr Alison Cave · Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) Elaine Sassoon · British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons Nora Nugent · British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons Professor Aidan Fowler · NHS England Professor David Sines · Joint Council for Cosmetic Practitioners Rieka Taghizadeh
25 Jun 2025
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Women and Equalities Committee
Dr Beth Daniels · University of the West of England (Bristol) Dr Christopher Roland Payne Dr Ruth Holliday · University of Leeds
14 May 2025
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Women and Equalities Committee
Ashton Collins · Save Face Professor Carl Heneghan · University of Oxford Professor Michael Coleman · Aston University Professor Prabath Nanayakkara · Amsterdam University Medical Center Professor Vivien Lees · Royal College of Surgeons of England Sasha Dean
Title HC No. Published Items Response
11th Report – Cosmetic procedures HC 869 18 Feb 2026 30 Overdue
Recommendations & Conclusions
30 results
1 Conclusion
11th Report – Cosmetic procedures
The PIP implant scandal exposed failures that continue to affect women more than a decade...
The PIP implant scandal exposed failures that continue to affect women more than a decade later. Official assurances that PIP implants pose no health risks appear to be based on limited long-term research and underplay the mental health impacts on … Read more
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2 Conclusion
11th Report – Cosmetic procedures
While there is a judgement to be made over whether the NHS should offer replacement...
While there is a judgement to be made over whether the NHS should offer replacement implants to women affected by the PIP implants scandal, women with PIP implants who wish to have them removed should be able to have that … Read more
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3 Conclusion
11th Report – Cosmetic procedures
Without mandatory participation in the Breast Implant Registry and the regular publication of outcome data,...
Without mandatory participation in the Breast Implant Registry and the regular publication of outcome data, surgeons cannot provide patients with comprehensive risk information. This undermines the principle of informed consent. Many individuals feel inadequately informed before surgery and the absence … Read more
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4 Recommendation
11th Report – Cosmetic procedures
The Government should introduce mandatory recording of breast implant and explant procedures and instances of...
The Government should introduce mandatory recording of breast implant and explant procedures and instances of adverse outcomes in the Breast and Cosmetic Implant Registry by the end of 2026. We welcome the Government’s acknowledgement that the registry requires improvement. The … Read more
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5 Recommendation
11th Report – Cosmetic procedures
We note that the registry is currently overseen by the soon-to-be abolished NHS England.
We note that the registry is currently overseen by the soon-to-be abolished NHS England. The Government should take steps to ensure that the improvements we call for are not delayed by internal reorganisation. (Recommendation, Paragraph 26)
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6 Conclusion
11th Report – Cosmetic procedures
A mandatory cooling-off period of at least two weeks should be introduced between the initial...
A mandatory cooling-off period of at least two weeks should be introduced between the initial consultation and surgery for breast implants, ensuring patients have sufficient time to consider risks and alternatives before making a commitment. (Recommendation, Paragraph 27) Read more
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7 Conclusion
11th Report – Cosmetic procedures
The PIP implant scandal involved substandard implants being given to women for many years without...
The PIP implant scandal involved substandard implants being given to women for many years without detection. The new post-surveillance regime for breast implants must include regular testing of approved implants to ensure continued compliance with safety standards. (Recommendation, Paragraph 35) Read more
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8 Recommendation
11th Report – Cosmetic procedures
The Government should increase the information available on the approval of medical devices to allow...
The Government should increase the information available on the approval of medical devices to allow interested parties to see not only what devices are approved but the evidence base underpinning the decisions to approve them. (Recommendation, Paragraph 36) Read more
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9 Conclusion
11th Report – Cosmetic procedures
There is growing concern that a number of women are experiencing serious health impacts after...
There is growing concern that a number of women are experiencing serious health impacts after receiving breast implants, with many reporting symptom improvements following explantation. While evidence of a definitive link between these symptoms and breast implants has not been … Read more
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10 Conclusion
11th Report – Cosmetic procedures
Evidence of concentrations of siloxanes in women’s bodies outside of their implants is particularly concerning.
Evidence of concentrations of siloxanes in women’s bodies outside of their implants is particularly concerning. The mental health impacts of knowing that chemicals, which are being banned in other uses due to their toxicity, are circulating in your body should … Read more
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11 Recommendation
11th Report – Cosmetic procedures
The Government should commission research to better understand the health impacts of breast implants, including...
The Government should commission research to better understand the health impacts of breast implants, including their potential impacts on women with pre-existing auto-immune conditions. The research needs to be a mix of clinical research, including on the health impacts of … Read more
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12 Conclusion
11th Report – Cosmetic procedures
The Department of Health and Social Care should make primary care workers aware of the...
The Department of Health and Social Care should make primary care workers aware of the potential for a link between autoimmune conditions and breast implants to ensure that women presenting with symptoms following implantation are not dismissed. (Recommendation, Paragraph 47) Read more
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13 Conclusion
11th Report – Cosmetic procedures
Currently, any doctor on the medical register can legally perform highly invasive cosmetic surgery in...
Currently, any doctor on the medical register can legally perform highly invasive cosmetic surgery in the private sector, regardless of specialist training or competence. This is a risk to patient safety. Despite the introduction of the Intercollegiate Cosmetic Surgery Certification … Read more
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14 Recommendation
11th Report – Cosmetic procedures
The Government should require all practitioners performing invasive surgical cosmetic procedures to have specialist training...
The Government should require all practitioners performing invasive surgical cosmetic procedures to have specialist training and hold appropriate board certification in the procedures they undertake. (Recommendation, Paragraph 52) Non-surgical cosmetic procedures Read more
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15 Conclusion
11th Report – Cosmetic procedures
We welcome the proposals for a licensing scheme put forward in the Government’s consultation, including...
We welcome the proposals for a licensing scheme put forward in the Government’s consultation, including the proposed categories and the need for a practitioner to acquire appropriate indemnity cover and premises which meet the necessary standards of hygiene, infection control … Read more
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16 Conclusion
11th Report – Cosmetic procedures
However, the Government is not moving quickly enough in introducing such a system.
However, the Government is not moving quickly enough in introducing such a system. At present, individuals without any formal training can carry out potentially harmful interventions, placing the public at risk. Successive Governments have failed to act swiftly enough to … Read more
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17 Recommendation
11th Report – Cosmetic procedures
The Government should accelerate regulatory action.
The Government should accelerate regulatory action. Procedures that are deemed high risk such as liquid BBLs and liquid breast augmentations, which have already been shown to pose a serious threat to patient safety, should be restricted to appropriately qualified medical … Read more
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18 Conclusion
11th Report – Cosmetic procedures
The absence of a legislative framework for training and qualifications in the non-surgical cosmetic sector...
The absence of a legislative framework for training and qualifications in the non-surgical cosmetic sector has resulted in significant variability in standards, with justified concerns about short courses, online training, and the ease of entry into practice. (Conclusion, Paragraph 77) Read more
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19 Recommendation
11th Report – Cosmetic procedures
The Government should bring forward consistent, enforceable standards for the non-surgical cosmetic sector that prioritise...
The Government should bring forward consistent, enforceable standards for the non-surgical cosmetic sector that prioritise patient safety and competency, while ensuring training routes remain accessible and affordable for a predominantly female-led workforce. Training routes should include Ofqual-approved qualifications and apprenticeship … Read more
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20 Conclusion
11th Report – Cosmetic procedures
While Scotland has taken steps to introduce a licensing scheme for non-surgical cosmetic procedures, Wales...
While Scotland has taken steps to introduce a licensing scheme for non-surgical cosmetic procedures, Wales and Northern Ireland have yet to announce similar plans. This lack of regulatory alignment across the UK creates significant risks, including inconsistent safety standards and … Read more
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21 Recommendation
11th Report – Cosmetic procedures
The Government should work with the devolved administrations to ensure regulatory alignment across all UK...
The Government should work with the devolved administrations to ensure regulatory alignment across all UK nations on legislation governing non- surgical cosmetic procedures. (Recommendation, Paragraph 82) Cosmetic tourism
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22 Conclusion
11th Report – Cosmetic procedures
The increasing number of cases requiring medical treatment after cosmetic surgery abroad raises serious concerns...
The increasing number of cases requiring medical treatment after cosmetic surgery abroad raises serious concerns for patient safety and places additional financial strain on the NHS. However, the true extent will remain unknown until comprehensive data is collected. (Conclusion, Paragraph … Read more
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23 Recommendation
11th Report – Cosmetic procedures
The Government should review the need for the NHS to systematically record data on complications...
The Government should review the need for the NHS to systematically record data on complications arising from cosmetic procedures performed abroad. Publishing such data in an annual release would enable a comprehensive assessment of the financial impact on the NHS … Read more
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24 Recommendation
11th Report – Cosmetic procedures
We welcome Government action on educating the public on the risks of travelling abroad for...
We welcome Government action on educating the public on the risks of travelling abroad for cosmetic procedures and providing guidance on how to do so as safely as possible and its use of social media channels to do so. With … Read more
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25 Recommendation
11th Report – Cosmetic procedures
The Government should assess whether outlets in the UK that are recruiting patients for medical...
The Government should assess whether outlets in the UK that are recruiting patients for medical treatment overseas should be brought into a regulatory regime and be subject to investigation and, where necessary, sanction. (Recommendation, Paragraph 97) Body image Read more
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26 Conclusion
11th Report – Cosmetic procedures
There appears to be a gap in safeguarding mental health in the cosmetic procedures sector.
There appears to be a gap in safeguarding mental health in the cosmetic procedures sector. The absence of mandatory psychological screening prior to procedures, combined with evidence of inadequate consultations, increases the risk of harm, particularly for vulnerable individuals such … Read more
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27 Conclusion
11th Report – Cosmetic procedures
Training curricula required to obtain a licence to perform non- surgical cosmetic procedures should include...
Training curricula required to obtain a licence to perform non- surgical cosmetic procedures should include mandatory modules on informed consent and psychological screening, with a specific focus on identifying Body Dysmorphic Disorder and other vulnerabilities. (Recommendation, Paragraph 105) Read more
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28 Conclusion
11th Report – Cosmetic procedures
Social media platforms and face-editing technologies are contributing to worsening body image and increasing demand...
Social media platforms and face-editing technologies are contributing to worsening body image and increasing demand for cosmetic procedures, particularly among young women and girls. The normalisation of high-risk procedures by online influencers and the shaping of beauty standards by algorithms … Read more
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29 Conclusion
11th Report – Cosmetic procedures
One way of addressing the risks posed by social media around cosmetic surgery and body...
One way of addressing the risks posed by social media around cosmetic surgery and body image is through education. Proactive interventions in an educational setting can equip young people with the skills to critically engage with social media content and … Read more
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30 Conclusion
11th Report – Cosmetic procedures
In response to the alarming increase in desire for cosmetic surgery among teenagers, the Department...
In response to the alarming increase in desire for cosmetic surgery among teenagers, the Department of Health and Social Care should work with the Department for Education to integrate evidence-based body image and social media literacy programmes into school curricula. … Read more
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Correspondence 2 letters
18 Mar 2026 Irresponsible ads for non-surgical liquid Brazilian Butt Lifts (BBLs) and cosmetic surgery abroad, dated 12.03.2026
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3 Sep 2025 Correspondence from the MHRA, dated 26.08.2025
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