As we continue to ease our way into 2022, I am struck by how we are already in the third year of this decade. While it is true that the COVID-19 pandemic is still ongoing, the success of the vaccination programme cannot be denied, the Botulinum Toxin and Cosmetic Fillers (Children) Act 2021 came into force last year and working from home has become the norm for many. Although there may be many negatives among the positive outcomes of the pandemic, the medical aesthetics sector is pushing on and still fighting for better—for practitioners, patients and the general population.
Aesthetics is ever-changing, and keeping abreast of the latest updates can be difficult. So far this year, a relevant current issue includes injection of the breasts and genitals with dermal filler. For breast augmentation in particular, dermal filler use is advised against, as it can make it more difficult to diagnose breast cancer (Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, 2014), so this treatment can be dangerous, especially when performed by lay people. Topics such as this can be heard about in publications, on social media forums and through the grapevine. However, within the sector, there is no particular official or central hub that medical practitioners can refer to for important news within aesthetics. Many news sections feature primarily sponsored content that is not always of interest to practitioners, particularly for educational purposes or those wanting to be aware of events and occurrences within medical aesthetics. While the Journal of Aesthetic Nursing (JAN) has published its research roundup column since 2016 to feature recent articles and studies, last year, the team brainstormed about how JAN's subscribers' experiences can be improved, and our new website is now live. Alongside this, to address the lack of a central hub for updates, we now have our newly launched news section on the website. The importance of keeping up to date with news, events and education within medical aesthetics cannot be underestimated. Keeping abreast of the latest updates and developments is a key part of the aesthetic nurse's role and their dedication to not only their patients, but their practice, patient safety and delivering the highest quality service possible. So, until the medical aesthetics sector is regulated, a national licensing scheme introduced, as recommended in the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Beauty, Aesthetics and Wellbeing's (2021) report last year, and non-medical professionals, such as hairdressers and beauticians, are no longer permitted to carry out medical aesthetic treatments, being familiar with developments within the sector is crucial for the aesthetic nurse. Furthermore, being aware and having evidence of certain events can be used in attempts to make amendments for mandatory licensing in the upcoming Health and Care Bill later this year.
To read more about updates within the medical aesthetics sector, you can visit www.aestheticnursing.co.uk/content/news.