Transcript generated automatically by AI and may contain errors.
Chapter 1: What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
The Clare Byrne Show on Newstalk with Aviva Insurance.
Chapter 2: What recommendations were made regarding lip filler advertising to minors?
Three years ago, the Health Products Regulatory Authority in Ireland recommended a ban on advertising lip fillers to under 18s. However, this advice has fallen on deaf ears because it has yet to be heeded by the government. Patricia Malloy is here now, medical aesthetic practitioner. And Patricia, you've been campaigning for years to have this addressed.
You must be frustrated that nothing has happened.
totally frustrated and the problem is that the public aren't aware of the dangers associated with these treatments and if you're not educated and understand the anatomy of the face it's a very dangerous procedure to actually do I do a lot of training I train doctors and nurses to do these procedures And I know the education and knowledge that is needed to do this safely.
And unfortunately, non-medics are also doing these treatments, particularly lip fillers. And this area is probably one of the most dangerous areas to treat.
Chapter 3: Why is there a lack of regulation for lip fillers in Ireland?
What's in lip filler?
And hyaluronic acid, which is a very natural substance, but it's made into a gel and that's what is actually injected in. And there's a large artery running around the lip area. And if a filler gets in there, it can block the blood supply completely to that area. The skin begins to die off. You can lose your mouth, your nose. But worse still, there's also a very large artery connected to that.
The facial artery goes back into the back of the eye and can cause blindness. And it has. This has happened. The cases, unfortunately, the other thing that happens is cases aren't reported because people get embarrassed. And if you go to a non-medic to have these treatments done, they can't correct it for you.
So just going back to the aesthetic side of it, and I take what you're saying about the medical complications that can happen. But this hyaluronic acid that is a gel that is injected, is it permanent? No, it's not.
So it dissolves itself over time, does it? But we are seeing more and more, a lot of these fillers now are very, very highly what we call cross-linked. So they're made into a very strong gel and they're lasting longer and longer. And we have seen, there have been studies done, that these fillers are actually lasting up to 10 years in some people.
And you do see some very young girls walking around with, you know, clearly and obviously they've had their lips filled. So what are you saying should happen?
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Chapter 4: What dangers are associated with lip filler procedures?
Are you saying there should be a ban not just on advertising to under 18s, but on under 18s having the procedure at all?
Absolutely. And this area needs to be regulated. You know, as I said, we I've been and all medical professionals have been asking for regulation in this in aesthetic medicine. Danny, which is Association of Nurses, that we are really, really trying to get this through right at the moment. But what we, it's a simple thing to do. Scotland have just done it.
They are now licensing medical aesthetic clinics to do these procedures and practitioners as well. So that if you do act outside that and you're not licensed, you can be prosecuted because that is one of the biggest problems. Nobody can be prosecuted if you're not, if you're a non-medic because you're not registered with anybody. So you're not going to lose your registration.
So anybody, Clare, you could walk in tomorrow, you can buy it online. What they're injecting is the other problem. We don't know what is in that.
So that's not regulated either. No. Clearly, if you're not regulated as an injector, you can put anything in there.
You can put it.
anything in and I mean as medics our whole ethos is do no harm so we're going to ensure that everything we're doing is as safe as possible but unfortunately the people who are non-medics don't have that training they don't know what they're doing they're treating blindly and as I said before it's an extremely dangerous procedure And some of the ads for these cheap injectors they're really glossy aren't they they're really convincing
And so you're not getting a grubby flyer handed to you or a phone number sent to you on WhatsApp. You're seeing this very fancy ad on social media and you're thinking, well, they're really good value and it looks really good. So off I go.
Yeah. But what they're actually selling the procedure for. I can't actually buy the filler for that. So what are they using and where are they getting it? Because no pharma company will supply non-medics with dermal fillers. So that's a fear of we don't know what they're actually injecting in and what are the long term effects of that going to be. But the public aren't aware of this.
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Chapter 5: What is hyaluronic acid and how does it relate to lip fillers?
I just don't understand. As I said, it's a simple thing to do. It's not difficult. It's not finance either because there's money there. I just don't think because this has evolved so quickly, I think they just don't realise the enormity of it. and what's actually going on. But things need to happen and need to happen soon before something really dangerous happens to patients.
Now, I know you said that some people are embarrassed to have this rectified when it aesthetically goes wrong, but I'm sure you've had people in who need to have this fixed. What can you do for somebody who's had a bad job?
Well, what we have to do is act very, very fast to start with, because if the blood supply is being cut off, you have to get in there really, really fast.
But that's a medical issue. I mean, are you the person to go to if there's a medical issue?
Any medical clinic, you should go to them. You can go to an ED, but unfortunately, they don't always know what to do with this. There is an enzyme that we can use to dissolve the filler and hopefully get the blood supply back to the area. But that has to happen very, very fast. Because if it doesn't, this tissue will begin, the skin will begin to die off.
And then you're left with a dreadful situation where people, as I say, can lose their lip, their nose, or in an awful situation, they can actually go blind.
Okay, so the dissolution happens with the enzyme. Does it look the same as it did before when you do that?
Yeah, you can dissolve the filler completely and everything will literally deflate down again.
Now, a listener would like to know, is there somewhere to find all of the medical and dental registered aesthetic practitioners in Ireland?
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Chapter 6: How long do lip fillers typically last and what affects their duration?
To spot whether that is an issue.
And that again is from education, from medical education. And we can spot people who may have a little bit of body dysmorphia. And advise them against having treatment or, you know, refer them to another specialist where they may need to have a consultation.
Patricia, thank you very much for coming in. It is a really interesting area and it's hard to understand why the regulation hasn't happened because it has happened in relation to Botox, hasn't it? To a certain extent.
To a certain extent, yes. But again, non-medics are administering Botox as well.
Okay, but they shouldn't because in Ireland you have to be, explain it to me.
You have to be either a doctor, a dentist or a nurse and a nurse can administer neurotoxin under the direction of a doctor.
Okay, but some people are doing it without those qualifications. Someone says these fillers should be banned, full stop. There's no good reason for them. What do you say to that, Patricia?
Well, I would say... It's your business. It's your bread and butter. Well, it is my bread and butter. But also, I mean, if fillers are done properly, you should know anybody has had fillers done. And that's the key. They should just look really better for themselves.
Yeah, but this is the problem. Because in most cases, you do know when someone has had the lips done.
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