The Advertising Standards Authority has reprimanded six cosmetic treatment providers for pressuring customers, exploiting women’s insecurities or trivialising medical risks after an investigation into adverts for liquid Brazilian butt lifts (BBLs).
The cosmetic procedure, which involves injecting fillers into the buttocks to enhance their shape and size, is unregulated in the UK and can carry significant health risks, not least from potentially life-threatening infections.
Hundreds of women have contracted infections after paying for liquid BBLs in the UK, with many requiring hospital treatment for sepsis or corrective surgery to repair tissue damage.
The ASA took action against the UK companies after its artificial intelligence-driven monitoring system flagged numerous Facebook and Instagram adverts for liquid BBLs and similar procedures.
Adverts from Beautyjenics, Bomb Doll Aesthetics, CCSkinLondonDubai, EME Aesthetics & Beauty Academy, Rejuvenate Academy, trading as Rejuvenate Clinics, and NKD Medical, trading as Dr Ducu, were found to have breached the code and the companies were told the ads must not appear again.
“Choosing to undergo a cosmetic procedure is a serious decision, so ads that trivialise this, exploit insecurities, or pressure consumers can cause real harm. We’re particularly concerned about these types of ads for liquid BBLs, given the procedure is currently unregulated and is known to be high risk,” an ASA spokesperson said.
The adverts risked pressuring consumers into booking procedures, the ASA found, by referring to Black Friday offers or other time-limited deals. Some created unrealistic expectations or exploited women’s insecurities, with phrases such as “get that perfect peachy look!” and “feel confident every step of the way!” Others trivialised the risks of the procedure, the ASA ruled.
Only three companies responded to the ASA’s enquiries. EME Aesthetics disagreed that its ad put pressure on customers or trivialised the risks of liquid BBLs. NKD Medical said it aimed to communicate the benefits of its treatments without trivialising the risks. Rejuvenate Academy removed all references to time-limited offers and said its ads would make clear the procedures were performed by a medical professional to minimise the risks.
NKD Medical told the Guardian its clinic was registered with the Care Quality Commission and that all its procedures were carried out by qualified doctors. It said its DBL procedure, standing for “doctor-based lift” was “fundamentally different from a traditional liquid BBL” and was “developed with patient safety and medical integrity at its core”. The company’s website describes the DBL as a “double butt lift” that involves injecting fillers into the buttocks.
Save Face, a UK register of accredited cosmetic practitioners, has campaigned since 2023 to get liquid BBLs banned. Alice Webb, 33, died in September 2024 after having a liquid BBL performed by an unqualified practitioner.
“I am pleased to see the ASA acting against the irresponsible advertising of liquid BBLs,” said Ashton Collins, a director at Save Face. “These procedures are marketed online as risk-free, painless, and inexpensive alternatives to surgery, but these claims are dangerously misleading. We have supported over 750 women who underwent liquid BBLs. Over 55% suffered from sepsis, and more than 40% required corrective surgery.”
The ASA said it expected advertisers to “exercise a high level of caution” when promoting procedures that carry significant risks and currently lack formal regulation. “Today’s rulings send a clear message,” the spokesperson said.
The Joint Council for Cosmetic Practitioners (JCCP) welcomed the ASA ruling. “We urge anyone considering any cosmetic procedure to exercise caution when responding to social media advertising, particularly when the procedure being promoted is a high-risk surgical one such as the BBL,” said Andrew Rankin, a JCCP trustee.
“A legitimate social media promotion should link to a dedicated web page which provides sufficient information about the procedure, and who will be performing it, to make an informed decision about the initial enquiry for consultation. The BBL in any form, including ‘liquid’ BBL, should only be performed by an appropriately qualified surgeon or doctor within a CQC registered facility.”
