Botched Beauty: How to keep yourself safe when having cosmetic treatments

In the age of social media, selfies and reality TV, cosmetic industry experts say more and more people are turning to to anti-wrinkle injections and lip fillers.

The cosmetic industry itself is currently worth £3billion in the UK, and business is booming.

But are non-surgical cosmetic treatments more costly than they seem?

According to Advanced Nurse Practitioner, Annie Cartwright, in a sector that's largely unregulated, "when it comes to injectable treatments, it is a bit like the Wild West".

She says there is a number of ways to stay safe when getting cosmetic treatments. One just has to remember 'The 5 Ps':

• Practitioner

Is the practitioner treating you qualified? Are they listed on one of the professional registers? Do they have more than just one or two professional certificates?

• Product

What product are they using? Do you know the brand? Will the practitioner answer any questions you have about that product?

• Procedure

What is the actual procedure you're going to have done? Has it been explained to you adequately? Have you had the chance to ask questions? What about the potential complications, risks, side-effects or costs?

• Premises

Take a good look around. Does the premises of the surgery look clean and hygienic? Can you see the kind of equipment and other things you would expect to see on the premises of a cosmetic surgery?

• Pressure

You shouldn't feel like you're being put under pressure to go through with a procedure, because of a time limit on a "special offer", or because the surgery is "quiet". Rather go away and think about whether you really want to go ahead with the procedure at that particular surgery.