Evidence gathering on cosmetic procedures

The Council’s Working Party on cosmetic procedures is now in the final stages of its evidence gathering process. Over the past year, the Working Party has met with a range of organisations and individuals with expertise in cosmetic procedures and related issues, including on

• Regulatory and governance perspectives
• Consumer perspectives
• Visual culture and social media

Those who have had input into this project so far include professional bodies and regulators; lawyers; consumer organisations; and practitioners in the field of cosmetic procedures, including surgeons, counsellors, and manufacturers of cosmetic surgery products. The Working Party has also spoken with academics working on culture, medical history, and gender issues; journalists; and representatives from Facebook and Instagram.

In addition, the Council has held a number of deliberative workshops with young people exploring their perceptions of the ethical issues arising in the growing use of cosmetic procedures.

In December 2016, the Council hosted a focus group with stakeholders from the charity Changing Faces to discuss a range of issues, including how society responds to people who look ‘different’.

A report of this project is expected to be published in June 2017.

Find out more about the Council's work on cosmetic procedures.