Renu A. Irri
Imperial College London, UK
Scientific Tracks Abstracts: Reconstr Surg Anaplastol
Advertisement of cosmetic procedures on social media has been a cause for concern. 16–17-year-olds can follow influencers, surgeons and clinics online. The UK aesthetic industry advertisement has been largely unregulated on social media, while multiple regulatory bodies regulate different groups of professionals leading to a myriad of regulations. Recent legal changes in the UK include the assent of the Botulinum Toxin and Fillers Act 2021, making it illegal to use these products in minors. Recent legal changes in Norway include changes to the Marketing Act to requiring labelling of digitally altered images. There has been a call in the UK to follow the same line as Norway with the reading of the 10-minute digitally altered images bill. Adolescents are more susceptible to body pressure internalizing the ‘thin ideal’. The increase of visually based platforms may give rise to opportunities where their body image can be negatively affected by consistently viewing images of adults with multiple cosmetic procedures, leading to increased self-objectification. With the assent of the Botulinum Toxin Act 2021 and advertisement on social media, it can be postulated that the desire of cosmetic procedures can be strengthened in the adolescent age group, leading to a desire to partake in procedures when they reach the age of majority. In addition, organic posting and the number of followers, defined by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), can be any person on social media leading them to termed as an influencer. This can include surgeons and online clinics. ASA has recently stated that one should refrain from ‘before and after’ imagery on social media. While some social media platforms have provided guidance to their users, protection of vulnerable minors is still not secure. A call for all surgical associations to update their guidance surrounding imagery on social media should take place. A call for fillers to be reclassified as medicines would lead to a stricter regulation of such products. Finally, a call for country specific guidelines of how surgeons should represent their practice on social media in line with their associations’ standpoint.
Miss Renu A. Irri is a Specialty Registrar in Plastic Surgery at Wexham Park Hospital, Slough. She currently works in hand surgery and skin cancer divisions of the department. She obtained an MSc in Surgical Science from Imperial College London where her thesis focused on transferability of microsurgical skills. She completed her Core Surgical Training years in the Northwest Deanery, UK. Consequently, she has worked in Hand Specialist Unit in Chelsea and Westminster Hospital. She has also worked as a burns registrar in the Burns Centre at Bristol Children’s Hospital. She recently obtained a master’s in law from the University of Edinburgh where her research focused on the role of law in advertisement of cosmetic surgery on social media focusing on the consequences for adolescents. and neurophysiology. Her work is done under the supervision of Assistant professor Dr. Haithem J. Kadhum, "Medical physiology specialist," and professor Dr. Ali R. Hashim, "Consultant physician and neurologist," as well as Dr. Zaineb A. Yaqoob, Neurophysiology specialist.
