Profiling UK Injectable Aesthetic Practitioners: A National Cohort Analysis

The study analyzed 3000 websites to profile aesthetic practitioners in the UK who perform non-surgical aesthetic interventions, identifying 1224 independent clinics with 4405 practitioners, 3667 of whom were undertaking injectable practice. The practitioners' professional backgrounds varied, with 32% being doctors, 24% dentists, 13% nurses, and 8% dental nurses. Among the 1163 doctors, 41% were on the specialist register and 19% were on the GP register, with Plastic Surgery (37%) and Dermatology (18%) being the most represented specialties. The study, the first of its kind in the UK, highlights the potential risks to patients due to the varied backgrounds of practitioners and the need for robust regulations in the £11.7 billion industry. It suggests that the current system likely underestimates the actual number of complications related to Botulinum Toxin. The findings will be crucial in the proposed legislation to introduce licensing to the industry.