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Antonia Mariconda considers how counterfeit products are stripping trust from the aesthetics sector

The aesthetics sector continues to experience rapid growth, driven by cutting-edge treatments that enhance natural beauty and promote overall wellbeing. With a global market valued at £73.8bn and a UK industry worth £3.2bn, consumers have access to a range of trusted products, from advanced devices and regenerative injectables to dermal fillers and weight-loss solutions.

However, the increasing demand for aesthetic treatments has also paved the way for a rising tide of counterfeit products infiltrating the market. These fake treatments not only jeopardise patient safety but also threaten the credibility of legitimate brands and practitioners. As counterfeiters become more sophisticated, the industry faces significant challenges in maintaining its integrity and consumer trust.

THE GROWING COUNTERFEIT CRISIS

Recent studies indicate that 41.1% of practitioners have encountered counterfeit products, and 39.7% have treated patients suffering adverse effects from them. The problem spans multiple aesthetic treatments, including fake dermal fillers, unlicensed weight-loss injections, and counterfeit botulinum toxin products.

Counterfeiters bypass regulated supply chains, distributing their products through unauthorised online platforms and grey-market wholesalers. The World Health Organisation (WHO) established the International Medical Products AntiCounterfeiting Taskforce (IMPACT) in 2006 to combat this issue, estimating that counterfeit products account for approximately 10% of sales in certain regions.

In 2020, medicines were the seventh most frequently seized product at the EU’s external borders, with authorities noting that postal and parcel services were often exploited to distribute counterfeit pharmaceuticals. As part of ‘Operation Pangea,’ Interpol’s annual global initiative against illegal online medicine sales, the UK’s Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) helped shut down over 113,000 illegal websites and fake online pharmacies, including 43 in the UK alone.

The problem is escalating. In 2023, the MHRA collaborated with Greater Manchester Police to raid commercial and residential premises in Bolton and Wigan, seizing unlicensed botulinum toxins and dermal fillers from an unauthorised beauty supplier. Similarly, in 2024, thousands of pounds worth of unlicensed and unregulated products were seized from a warehouse in Glasgow.

THE RISE OF COUNTERFEIT TOXIN

Botulinum toxin is one of the most counterfeited aesthetic injectables. Multiple cases of fake botulinum toxin products have been uncovered in recent years:

• Operation Fake Botox (2021): Authorities in the US dismantled a major counterfeit botulinum toxin network distributing unapproved toxins to clinics nationwide. Some of these counterfeit products contained harmful ingredients that resulted in adverse patient reactions, including muscle paralysis.

• South Korea’s 2023 crackdown: The Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) uncovered a significant counterfeit toxin operation in 2023, where thousands of vials of fake botulinum toxin were being sold through unregulated channels.

• Canada’s health alert (2024): Health Canada issued a public safety warning about counterfeit toxin infiltrating beauty clinics, urging practitioners to verify their supply chains and use only authorised distributors.

• MHRA’s UK seizures (2024): Multiple UK clinics were found unknowingly administering fake botulinum toxins, which lacked active ingredients or contained dangerously unregulated compounds.

These examples highlight how counterfeit toxin is a global issue, requiring coordinated efforts from manufacturers, regulatory bodies, and practitioners to mitigate its risks.

THE PROLIFERATION OF COUNTERFEIT DERMAL FILLERS

Beyond toxin, counterfeit dermal fillers are also flooding the market, posing serious risks to patient safety. Some notable cases include:

• Fake Juvederm in the US (2022): The FDA warned against counterfeit Juvederm fillers being distributed through unauthorised sellers, leading to multiple reports of adverse reactions.

• European seizures (2023): Authorities in France and Germany confiscated thousands of units of counterfeit dermal fillers falsely labelled as leading brands.

• UK clinics alerted (2024): The MHRA identified clinics unknowingly injecting fake dermal fillers that contained unapproved substances, leading to severe complications such as necrosis and prolonged swelling.

CASE STUDY: LEMON BOTTLE FAT-DISSOLVING INJECTIONS

Lemon Bottle, a fat-dissolving injectable developed by South Korean manufacturer SID Medicos, quickly gained traction in the aesthetic industry. Its formula, which includes bromelain (from pineapple) and lecithin (a natural emulsifier), claims to offer fat reduction with minimal side effects.

However, as the product’s popularity soared, counterfeit versions began infiltrating the market. Allegedly, Swissmedic, Switzerland’s regulatory body, mistakenly tested counterfeit samples and issued a warning, labeling Lemon Bottle as unsafe. This led to widespread negative media coverage, damaging the brand’s reputation. SID Medicos has reportedly since taken legal action in Switzerland to correct the misinformation.

To protect its integrity, Lemon Bottle products now include QR code stickers that allow verification through authorised suppliers and pharmacy chains.

Dr Vahe Karimyan, a surgeon at King’s College Hospital NHS and lecturer at Imperial College London, stressed the importance of verifying product authenticity:

“Counterfeit products have been a real issue for years, especially with toxin and dermal fillers. The risks they pose to patient safety are severe, as their ingredients are unverified and often harmful.”

“In the last 24 months, reports of counterfeit products to the Safety in Beauty campaign have increased by 400%.” The Safety in Beauty Campaign

CASE STUDY: HYDRAFACIAL’S VERIFIED PROVIDER PROGRAMME

Hydrafacial, a leader in non-invasive skincare treatments, has also faced counterfeiting challenges. According to Laurine Berard, marketing director for Hydrafacial UK and Ireland, over 30% of clinics claiming to offer Hydrafacial treatments are using unauthorised devices.

To address this, Hydrafacial introduced a Verified Provider Programme, ensuring clinics meet strict standards. Certified providers display a blue tick badge, and consumers can use the ‘Find a Provider’ page to confirm authenticity. Hydrafacial continues to invest in marketing and legal actions to combat counterfeits and protect patients.

A SHARED RESPONSIBILITY

The battle against counterfeit aesthetic products requires a united effort. As Dr Karimyan emphasises:

“By prioritising due diligence and sourcing from authorised suppliers, we can protect patient safety and uphold industry standards.”

Manufacturers, clinics, and regulatory agencies must work together to combat counterfeits, ensuring the aesthetics industry remains safe, credible, and trustworthy.

ANTONIA MARICONDA

Antonia Mariconda founded the Safety in Beauty Campaign in 2013, and the Safety in Beauty Diamond Awards in 2014. Her passion and focus has been on raising the awareness of safety in the cosmetic surgery, beauty, and aesthetics industry for the consumer, her contributions to paving a safer way for the consumer have been documented in hundreds of press and media articles and have culminated in a meeting with the Prime Minister Theresa May in 2017. Mariconda frequently consults and works with local and government authorities to advise and guide on safer pathways and recommendations.

Mariconda’s daily work at the Safety in Beauty Campaign includes responding to dozens of public queries, questions and concerns into the practice of aesthetics, beauty and cosmetic surgery and she has passionately dedicated her work as a consumer ambassador to ensuring the public have an independent entity to support and voice their collective concerns via Safety in Beauty.

As an award-winning influencer, Mariconda has tirelessly worked within the Aesthetics and Beauty industry for over 20 years, writing, consulting, producing, educating, creating, and campaigning for a safer beauty and aesthetics industry.