The UK’s advertising watchdog has banned promotional content from six aesthetic clinics offering liquid Brazilian butt lift (BBL) procedures, citing concerns that the ads trivialised medical risks and exploited women’s insecurities about their bodies.
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) said all six ads—found on Facebook and Instagram—used time-limited offers and emotionally charged messaging to “irresponsibly pressurise” potential clients into booking procedures. The banned ads promised outcomes like a “perfect peachy look” and “beautifully natural results,” while downplaying or omitting the medical risks involved.
Liquid BBLs involve injecting dermal fillers into the buttocks to enhance size and shape. While marketed as non-surgical, the ASA noted that such procedures still carry risks, including infections, and should not be advertised as simple or risk-free.
One advertisement stated: “Get the curves and contours you’ve always wanted with our safe and effective body filler treatments. Feel confident every step of the way!” Another claimed a 0% infection rate and “minimal pain” at its “sterile clinic.”
The ASA emphasised that cosmetic surgery is a serious medical decision and should not be presented as something to be rushed into. “Clinics must be socially responsible and should not trivialise procedures or play on consumers’ insecurities,” the agency stated. It added that marketers must not imply that wellbeing or happiness depends on achieving a certain body shape or appearance.
Among the clinics involved were Beautyjenics, Bomb Doll Aesthetics, and Ccskinlondondubai—all of which failed to respond to the ASA’s inquiries.
Rejuvenate Clinics, one of the advertisers, said it has reviewed ASA guidance and will remove time-limited deals from its ads. The company also pledged to include details indicating that procedures are performed by qualified professionals using ultrasound for safety.
EME Aesthetics defended its advertisement, saying all clients undergo full consultations and are under no pressure to commit to treatments. The company claimed its messaging did not trivialise the risks or mislead consumers.
Dr Ducu, another clinic named in the ruling, said its now-banned Black Friday offer was meant to provide affordability, not to pressure clients. It also committed to ensuring its future marketing aligns with ASA regulations.
The ASA revealed that it has been deploying AI tools to proactively scan social media platforms for ads potentially in breach of advertising standards, as concerns over the marketing of cosmetic procedures continue to grow.
The crackdown comes amid rising concern about the influence of social media on body image, especially among young women, and the ethics of advertising high-risk aesthetic procedures online.
Chioma Kalu
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