Peterborough health leader's 'worry' at outbreak of botulism linked to unregulated cosmetic treatments

Councillor Shabina Qayyum, the council’s cabinet member for adults and health, said that over the last two weeks four people had attended Peterborough City Hospital after experiencing adverse reactions from receiving cosmetic procedures involving botulinum toxin.

Cllr Qayyum said: “This is a very worrying situation and in the worst case scenario it is possible that such infection from these procedures can be fatal. The infections are not contagious.

"Fortunately, that has not been the case and I understand all four people are expected to make a full recovery. But none of this should be happening at all.

Health and council chiefs say evidence collected so far points to the reaction being caused by the use of unlicensed Botox-like products and that the cases of infection are not linked to any beauty or cosmetic salons in the city.

Instead the outbreak has been linked to private practitioners working in their own home or in the homes of clients and offering services at low prices.

Cllr Qayyum said: “This industry is very competitive and is also unregulated.

"I am concerned at the number of unregulated practitioners providing such treatments and putting people’s lives at risk.

She said such services were being offered on social media sites by unlicensed operators, using ingredients from unknown sources.”

The botulinum toxin treatment is typically used for cosmetic purposes to relax wrinkles from around the face.

Treatments can include removing wrinkles from the forehead and from around the eyes as well as getting rid of lines over the lips and easing problems with grinding teeth at night.

She said that although it was not illegal to offer such treatments, the council was working with partners to prohibit practitioners linked to cases of botulism from carrying out further treatments.

Investigations are currently being carried out jointly by Peterborough City Council, UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and the local NHS.

Cllr Qayyum said work was underway with government and health agencies to secure greater regulation of the practitioners offering such treatments.”

What you should consider before undergoing aesthetic procedures:

• Make sure your practitioner is qualified to carry out the procedure, is wearing appropriate PPE and washing their hands
• They should offer a pre-consultation appointment, including an assessment of your medical history and be happy to discuss their qualifications
• They should also provide you with a consent form outlining the risks for you to sign

Botulism symptoms can include:

• Drooping eyelids
• Blurred or double vision
• Facial muscle weakness
• Difficulty swallowing (dysphagia)
• Slurred speech
• Breathing difficulties

What to do if you experience side-effects:

The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency encourages reporting of side-effects to authorised botulinum toxin products via the Yellow Card scheme.

These products can have rare but serious side effects and should only be administered by physicians with appropriate experience.