A cosmetic surgeon Dr Dirk Kremer from London has called upon British MPs to make it illegal for underage children to have cosmetic fillers and Botox injections in a bid to get the popular “rich-girl face” look and resemble famous billionaire influencers such as Kylie Jenner or Ivanka Trump, according to The Times.
Dr Kremer, who works at a Harley Street aesthetics clinic in London, petitioned the British Parliament last week calling to forbid young people from getting face injections, as he says that an increasing number of underage people were coming to his clinic to get a “certain look, which gets more ‘likes’ and more followers”.
“Although it is illegal for under-18s to be given tattoos, teeth-whitening or use sunbeds, this shockingly does not apply to injecting fillers. Which is why thousands of teenagers have experienced severe complications at the hands of underqualified practitioners", says the petition. The petition has to reach 100,000 signatures for MPs to debate it in Parliament.
Kremer believes that social media is to blame for such an obsession with “rich-girl face” which includes chiseled jaw, plump lips and raised eyebrows, with many people coming to his clinic – often as young as 15 years old – citing the US president's daughter Ivanka Trump or American model Kylie Jenner as an example for their desired looks.
“The puffed and plumped ‘rich face’ aesthetic is practically the new Louis Vuitton handbag in certain circles – an instant, recognisable marker of wealth and status", Kremer previously told Glamour.
While some cosmetic surgeons often ask for the consent of a parent or legal guardian if under-18 teens are coming to them, this is not officially required by law, as the industry remains highly unregulated and open to amateurs, the doctor warns.
With some practitioners now offering people treatments after taking a short course and ordering fillers from China, this can potentially lead to complications, such as skin necrosis, strokes and even vision loss.