Cosmetic surgery adverts targeting under-18s banned

Adverts for cosmetic surgeries are now banned from targeting under-18s in the UK.

It means companies can no longer advertise procedures designed to change a person's physical appearance, like breast enhancements and nose jobs, on media that will appeal to under-18s.

This includes on TV and social media.

It's illegal to perform these procedures on under-18s, but previously there hasn't been restrictions on advertising.

The ban also includes dermal fillers, teeth whitening products and chemical peels.

The change was announced in November by the Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP) and aims to deal with body image pressures and mental health issues, as well as the risks and potential complications of the procedures.

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It comes weeks before a new series of ITV's Love Island. In 2018 an ad for breast enlargement at a cosmetic surgery clinic shown during one of the show's advert breaks was banned by the advertising watchdog.

Love Island received 17 complaints, including one from the Mental Health Foundation, following the advert, which depicted young women posing, dancing and laughing around a swimming pool, on a beach and on a boat. Its voiceover said: "These girls had breast enlargements with MYA and all feel amazing."

'Damaging to mental health'

Leslie Hallam runs a psychology of advertising masters course at Lancaster University. Advertising, he explains, works by building up needs, targeting routines and creating desire in consumers - whether that's fast food, clothes or cosmetic procedures.

So although under-18s can't legally make a decision to go through with procedures, "it kind of stokes the desires of young consumers, which then they can enact when it's legal for them to do so".

"I think there's a strong argument to suggest that for under 18s, these adverts are quite damaging to mental health, to body dysmorphia and eating disorders," he says.

Under the ban, adverts won't be allowed to appear around television and radio programmes for, aimed at or likely to appeal to under-18s.

In other types of media, these ads are banned from content geared to under-18s or where they make up over 25% of the audience.

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