The Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP) and Broadcast Committee of Advertising Practice (BCAP) have brought in new regulations this month that will see cosmetic adverts targeted at teenagers under the age of eighteen banned. These new regulations will be enforced by the ASA.
Adverts showing cosmetic interventions such as injectable fillers and botox will be banned, alongside the following:
• Breast augmentation
• Abdominoplasty
• Blepharoplasty
• Chemical peels
• Non-ablative laser treatments
The new ban also outlines under which circumstances it is acceptable for doctors to refer to themselves as ‘surgeons’ and ‘cosmetic surgeons’, as well as a range of various other terms that could potentially be misleading. Plenty of research has shown how exposure to these types of adverts can damage a young individuals self esteem and potentially harm their mental health.
It is hoped that the ban will ease the pressure on young people to look a certain way, as well as hopefully helping to combat body image pressures and negative body image perceptions.