Liquid BBLs and High-Risk Cosmetic Procedures: Government Consultation Launched

The government has launched a public consultation on new restrictions for liquid BBLs and other high-risk cosmetic procedures. Save Face has campaigned for this change since 2023. Since the death of Alice Webb in September 2024, we have led the petition for Alice's Law.

Under the proposals, fillers injected into any part of the body other than the face, including liquid BBLs, would be legally defined as cosmetic surgical procedures. Only doctors could perform them. The plans also include a ban on high-risk procedures for under-18s and tougher penalties for rule-breakers.

Save Face would like surgical procedures, including liquid BBLs, to be restricted to plastic surgeons only, and we will say so in our response to the consultation.

We urge everyone to respond to the consultation.

What is the government proposing?

• Liquid BBLs and other body fillers: These would be classed as cosmetic surgical procedures and limited to doctors.
• Other high-risk procedures: Deep chemical peels, vampire facials, dermal micro-coring and some laser procedures would be restricted to doctors, dentists and some nurses, midwives and pharmacists. These nurses, midwives and pharmacists must have completed an accredited training course that allows them to prescribe medication.
• Under-18s: Cosmetic surgery and other high-risk procedures would be banned for under-18s.
• Tougher penalties: Providers who break the rules could face criminal offences, unlimited fines or fixed penalties of up to £4,000.
• Closing a loophole: The rules aim to stop ill-qualified practitioners from carrying out high-risk procedures in places such as hotel rooms, without regulatory oversight.
• Lower-risk treatments: The government has also committed to a separate licensing scheme for treatments such as Botox and lip filler.

Why Alice's Law matters

Alice Webb, a 33-year-old mother of five, died in September 2024 following a liquid BBL procedure. In December 2023, Save Face had warned the government that without intervention it was only a matter of time before someone died.

Since Alice's death, we have led the Alice's Law petition. It calls for liquid BBLs to be restricted to appropriately qualified surgeons, so that other families are spared the same heartbreak.

"We welcome the Government's announcement of a public consultation on liquid BBLs and other high-risk cosmetic procedures.

Since Alice's death, we have been working alongside Save Face, who have been leading the campaign for stronger regulation and urgent government action.

As a family, we are asking for Alice's Law to be implemented and for liquid BBL procedures to be restricted, as a matter of urgency, to appropriately qualified surgeons only.

We believe this will prevent avoidable harm, provide better protection for people considering cosmetic procedures and spare other families the same heartbreak."

April Palmer, sister of Alice Webb

Save Face's position: plastic surgeons only

The government proposes that liquid BBLs and other body fillers should be performed by doctors. Save Face believes this does not go far enough. We would like surgical procedures and liquid BBLs to be restricted to plastic surgeons only, and we will state this in our response to the consultation.

What are the risks of liquid BBLs? Our report findings

Our Non-Surgical BBL & Breast Augmentation Complaints and Complications Report (2023 to October 2026) sets out the risks. Since 2023, Save Face has received 1,138 patient-reported complaints. Of these, 1,033 related to BBLs and hip dips, and 105 related to non-surgical breast augmentation.

Complications reported by patients

Many patients suffered more than one complication. In one case, an NHS surgeon told a patient she had an hour to live and needed an emergency operation to remove necrotic tissue and infected filler.

Who is carrying out liquid BBLs?

• 100% of treatments were carried out by non-healthcare practitioners.
• 98% of patients found their practitioner on social media.
• 61% of treatments took place in domestic settings, hotel rooms, offices or holiday lets, and 39% in beauty or hair salons.
• 97% of patients had no consultation and were told the procedure was "risk free".
• 98% of patients did not know which product was used.
• 81% were given unsuitable antibiotics without a valid prescription.
• 98% had their complications misdiagnosed by the practitioner as swelling or bruising.
• 89% were blocked or ignored by the practitioner after complaining.

The patients affected are overwhelmingly young women. 99% were female, and 61% were aged 22 to 25.

What healthcare professionals say about non-surgical BBLs

We surveyed our database of healthcare professionals. 2,215 responded, including plastic surgeons, doctors, nurses, dentists and pharmacists.

• 99% said they do not offer non-surgical BBLs, hip dips or breast augmentation using hyaluronic acid fillers.
• 98% of those who do not offer them said the procedures are unsafe and carry a high risk of multiple complications.
• 29% said they had seen or managed complications. Infection (71%) and irregularity or asymmetry (68%) were the most common.

Most experienced professionals refuse to perform these procedures, yet people with no healthcare qualifications carry them out. The average cost is over £2,000 per treatment, and they are advertised on social media as risk-free alternatives to surgery.

Save Face's response to the consultation

Ashton Collins, Director of Save Face, said:

"We welcome this vital step towards protecting the public from the harm we have seen in recent years.

For too long, non-healthcare practitioners have exploited a regulatory loophole to carry out high-risk procedures, including liquid BBLs and facelifts, on members of the public. This has led to serious and life-threatening complications, including the death of Alice Webb, and victims have been left without justice.

Save Face has campaigned for tougher rules since 2023, so that those who flout them are held accountable. This consultation gives the public, practitioners and experts the chance to help shape the final framework. We urge everyone to respond, and we look forward to the legislation being brought before Parliament so that it can be enacted as soon as possible to prevent further harm."

How to respond to the liquid BBL consultation

The government wants views from clinicians, regulators, businesses, the public and other experts before the plans go to Parliament, currently planned for spring 2027.

• Respond to the consultation here.
• Check your practitioner: Before any treatment, verify your practitioner on the Save Face register here.
• Tell us your views: If you publish a public response, let us know so we can help amplify it.

Frequently asked questions

What is a liquid BBL? A liquid BBL is a non-surgical procedure in which filler is injected into the buttocks or hips to change their shape. Under the proposals, it would be classed as a cosmetic surgical procedure that only doctors could perform.

Are liquid BBLs banned in the UK? Not yet. The government has launched a consultation on restricting liquid BBLs to doctors. The legislation still has to go before Parliament, currently planned for spring 2027.

What is Alice's Law? Alice's Law is the campaign, led by Save Face and supported by Alice Webb's family, to restrict liquid BBLs to appropriately qualified surgeons. It was launched after Alice died in September 2024.

What is Save Face's position on who should perform liquid BBLs? Save Face would like surgical procedures and liquid BBLs to be restricted to plastic surgeons only, and we will state this in our response to the consultation.

How can I respond to the consultation? Use the consultation link above. The government is seeking views from the public, practitioners and experts.

How can I check if a practitioner is qualified? Use the Save Face register to check that your practitioner is accredited before you book any treatment.