Hot off the press

BAMAN announces new board of directors

The British Association of Medical Aesthetic Nurses (BAMAN) has announced the results of the recent election and the following candidates have been successfully elected to the BAMAN board of directors:

Amy Bird: Amy Bird, who is chair, is a nurse prescriber and founder, director, and lead nurse practitioner and registered manager at KAST Aesthetics Ltd, a CQC registered clinic, where she runs a team of experienced nurses, aestheticians and admin staff.

Alexandra Mills: Alexandra Mills, who will be vice chair, has been working in the field of aesthetic medicine for almost 15 years and is the founder of AM Aesthetics, which has a reputation for “natural results” and patient care. She has a keen interest in facial anatomy and education, attending masterclasses in London, Paris, Monaco and Asia, and working as a trainer and KOL for number of pharmaceutical companies in the UK and Ireland.

Anna Baker: Anna Baker is an award-winning aesthetic nurse, trainer and educator with over 13 year’s experience in aesthetic medicine. She has held senior nurse injectable positions at several high street clinic chains and set up several nurse-led medical aesthetic clinics, as well as nurse led topical photodynamic therapy clinics.

Brenda McKibbin: Brenda McKibbin is a nurse of 30 years, with 10 years of experience in aesthetics. She prioritises patient safety and her clinic, Reid Medical, is SaveFace accredited.

Constance Campion-Awwad: Constance Campion-Awwad is a nurse consultant practitioner and partner in Plastic Surgery Associates at the Cromwell Hospital. As a market analyst Constance has become known as a leading commentator on aesthetic, anti-ageing and wellness medicine.

The newly elected board members’ expertise and leadership will be instrumental in furthering BAMAN’s commitment to excellence, patient safety, and professional standards in aesthetic nursing.

MP to introduce bill protecting nurse title

MP for Brent East Dawn Butler has proposed a bill in Parliament that would protect the title of “nurse”.

Under the House of Commons’ 10-minute rule, she presented the bill that, if supported and made into law, would prevent someone from operating under the title of “nurse” unless they are on the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) register.

Currently, it is illegal for someone to call themselves a “registered nurse” without the relevant qualifications, but the title of “nurse” alone is not protected by law.

The bill acknowledges existing protections for other titles, such as dental and veterinary nurses, which require registration under a different regulator. They will remain protected separately.

Commenting on the bill, Butler said: “I have long argued that it is vital that we truly respect the experience and expertise of a registered nurse. The public should be able to trust that when someone calls themselves a nurse, they have the right professional qualifications, training and accountability.” The bill was given a second reading date of March 28, 2025, but it’s unlikely to be debated and progress to the next stage unless the government allocates parliamentary time. Therefore, the Royal College of Nursing is calling on the government to give the bill time for debate, so it has a chance of progressing further.

Cosmetic surgery provider urges stricter UK regulations to curb rise in botched procedures

Cosmetic surgery provider Longevita is pushing for stricter industry regulations to protect patients and reduce the financial strain on the NHS. The UK saw 26,000 cosmetic surgery procedures performed in 2023, yet regulatory inconsistencies continue to leave patients vulnerable. According to Longevita, over the past three years, corrective surgeries for procedures performed abroad have increased by a staggering 94%, costing the NHS approximately £15,000 per patient. Kagan Seymenoglu, chief executive of Longevita, is advocating for the creation of a government-backed online registry to regulate medical tourism providers. This proposed system, similar to the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and General Medical Council (GMC) registries, would ensure that only accredited practitioners and businesses can operate.

Nurse prescribers call for urgent reform of regulation on POMs

Independent nurse prescribers across England, Wales, and Northern Ireland are calling for urgent reform of the Human Medicines Regulations 2012, arguing that the current legislation is placing patients and practitioners at risk.

Unlike nurses in Scotland, independent nurse prescribers in other parts of the UK are not legally permitted to hold prescription-only medicines (POMs) as stock.

This can severely impact the reasonable standard of care in emergency situations and limit the ability of nurses to provide safe, efficient, and effective care at the point of delivery, when patients need it most. BAMAN and UK nurses are now calling on the government and regulatory bodies to amend the Human Medicines Regulations 2012 to allow independent nurse prescribers to hold stock within strict professional guidelines and ensure patient safety by allowing nurses to hold stock and thus reduce delays in emergency treatment, such as vascular occlusion reversal and the critical care which is crucial to prevent sepsis. They also are looking to end the discrimination against nurses in independent practice by removing the impositions placed upon them that is preventing nurses from supporting patients, operating safely and efficiently, and fulfilling their mandatory duty to nurse their patients in accordance with the reasonable standard of care, as their counterparts in Scotland can do.

BAMAN responds to Scottish Government’s proposed regulation of non-surgical cosmetic procedures

The British Association of Medical Aesthetic Nurses (BAMAN) has published its response to the Scottish Government’s consultation on the regulation of nonsurgical cosmetic procedures, raising several concerns regarding the classification of procedures. It is pushing for clearer definitions and stricter standards. Key points from its response include:

• Reclassification of certain procedures: BAMAN believes treatments involving POMs should be moved to Group 3 (high-risk procedures) for increased regulatory oversight.

• Practitioner licensing and standards: The organisation supports licensing requirements for Group 1 (low-risk, minimally invasive) practitioners and emphasises the need for standardised competency frameworks.

• Hygiene and safety regulations: BAMAN agrees on the necessity of hygiene and safety standards for licensed premises and supports mandatory insurance indemnity for patients affected by malpractice.

• Enforcement and inspection: Stronger enforcement powers for local authorities are a key priority, with BAMAN calling for the ability to revoke licenses from noncompliant practitioners.

• Vehicle-based procedures: BAMAN firmly opposes allowing non-surgical procedures to be performed in mobile treatment vehicles.

• Age restrictions: The organisation backs a minimum age of 18 for all non-surgical cosmetic procedures, emphasising the importance of informed consent.

Newcastle upon Tyne tops UK’s list of cities most concerned about hair loss

A recent study by Aventus Clinic has identified the top 10 UK cities where residents are most concerned about hair loss, with Newcastle upon Tyne taking the top spot, followed by Bolton and Wolverhampton.

The research analysed search volume data for key hair loss-related terms, revealing which areas have the highest relative interest in hair restoration solutions.

Newcastle upon Tyne ranks first, with nearly 11% of its population searching for hair loss solutions. The city recorded 30,900 searches related to hair loss, with a notable interest in hair transplants, which accounted for 10,800 queries.

Menopause in Aesthetics: key trends shaping the future of women’s health in 2025

The menopause conversation has evolved significantly in recent years, moving beyond symptom management to a more holistic approach that prioritises women’s longterm health and wellbeing. A newly released Menopause in Aesthetics Trends Report 2025 explores how the aesthetics, wellness and healthcare industries are adapting to this shift. The report considers the growing role of aesthetic clinics in menopause care, blood testing for menopause-specific aesthetic concerns, the future of regenerative aesthetics with exosomes and polynucleotides, “manopause” and the rise of male hormonal health treatments, the impact of BBC Panorama’s “The Menopause Industry”, and wearable health tech and biohacking for menopause. Read the full report at menopauseia.co.uk.

Only a third of women feel it’s necessary to wear sunscreen in the sun

65% of women feel it’s not necessary to wear sunscreen in hot or sunny conditions, according to research by skincare brand Hada Labo Tokyo.

The study also revealed eight in 10 (79%) were concerned about the sun’s impact on skin ageing, with 91% of women knowing that the sun can cause skin damage, yet only a third (32%) of women actively avoid the sun.

Among these concerns, 85% of the women polled believed that the sun causes skin dehydration, but only 41% thought about hydrating their skin more during summer.

According to the data, four in 10 women do not reapply sunscreen after exercising outdoors or playing sports in the sun, even though sweat can break down sunscreen and cause it to lose its protection.

Medik8 announces Healthxchange as new UK distribution partner

Healthxchange will service new and existing Medik8 clinics, salons and spas in the UK and Republic of Ireland for both professional and retail products.

Born from professional Harley Street roots, Medik8 works with thousands of clinics worldwide and has over 1000 professional accounts nationwide in the UK. Medik8 is committed to ethical training and is focused on enhancing its strong relationships within the professional aesthetics industry.

Simpler Recycling reforms: what aesthetic clinics need to know

Aesthetic clinics and other businesses in England must comply with new Simpler Recycling reforms by March 31, 2025, or risk facing compliance notices, fines or prosecution.

The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) has yet to confirm exact penalty amounts but has made it clear that enforcement will take place.

The Environment Agency will issue compliance notices to businesses that fail to adhere to the rules, with further action taken if violations persist.

To ensure compliance, aesthetic clinics should:

• Review waste disposal practices and set up the required waste separation bins

• Confirm arrangements with waste collection providers to ensure they meet the new requirements

• Educate staff on the new rules to avoid accidental non-compliance

• Communicate with landlords or facilities managers to clarify responsibilities for waste management.

111 Harley St. announces partnership with Unicef UK

Leading Harley Street clinic 111 Harley St. has announced an exciting new partnership with Unicef UK, the global charity dedicated to protecting the rights and wellbeing of children.

Through this collaboration, 111 Harley St. will provide financial support via fundraising initiatives to help Unicef’s vital global efforts.

Agata Podwika, managing director of 111 Harley St., said, “We are delighted to announce our partnership with Unicef UK, which will support Unicef ’s mission to transform the lives of the world’s most vulnerable children and create lasting change for children worldwide.”

AestheticSource appointed distribution partner appointed for SuneKOS

Aesthetic distributor AestheticSource will be distributing the SuneKOS range. The range will launch with four amino acid-based injectables: SuneKOS Performa; SuneKOS 1200; SuneKOS Body; and SuneKOS Cell.