Millions of women are putting themselves at risk of permanent deformity and lethal infections - by having facial fillers.

Today The Sun’s Fabulous brand launches the Had Our Fill campaign to crackdown on unregulated cosmetic fillers – and raise awareness to help women make safer, more informed choices.

Fabulous is calling for:
· fillers to be made illegal for under 18s
· a crackdown on social media sites plugging fillers
· a Government-backed central register for practitioners with accredited qualifications

The cosmetic industry in the UK is worth £3.6billion - with injectables like fillers and Botoxmaking up nine out of ten procedures and accounting for a staggering £2.75billion of that. While Botox is classified as a medicine, dermal fillers are not covered by any laws. It means treatments can be provided by anyone, anywhere. Stark figures show in 80 per cent of cases fillers are injected by people with no medical training with no safety checks at all.

Doctors warn women are at risk of horrific complications including killer sepsis infections, rotting tissue, lip amputations – even blindness.

Duncan Stephenson, from the Royal Society for Public Health, has backed the campaign. He said: “Dermal fillers are a crisis waiting to happen, which is why we’re backing Fabulous’ campaign.

“Around 2 in 3 young people know someone in their social circle who has had fillers.

“The law of the land has struggled to keep pace with this relatively recent phenomenon.

“Anyone can set themselves up to give these procedures and there is absolutely no requirement for knowledge, training or previous experience.”

The campaign is also backed by leading doctors and professional bodies, including the British Association of Plastic Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons (BAPRAS), the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS), and Save Face, a national register for
accredited practitioners.

Rachel Shields, assistant editor, The Sun (Fabulous) said for too long women who suffer botched cosmetic work have been dismissed as vain, and shamed into not seeking help when fillers go wrong.

“Fabulous is standing up for the women falling victim to Britain’s shockingly unregulated injectables industry,” she said.
“The fact that someone with no medical training can inject potentially lethal substances into another person’s face is a scandal.

“This is a £2.75billion industry so many are getting rich off the back of this booming business, exploiting vulnerable young women who are paying a high price for it.”