A LYMM cosmetic nurse has received a highly commended award for National Cosmetic Nurse of the Year at the National Safety in Beauty Diamond Awards 2018.

Jan Clinton Birch, a consultant nurse and specialist in dermatology, received the award at an event at London’s Montcalm Hotel on Saturday, July 7.

Jan, who runs Blemish Clinic in Edenfield, is one of the most vocal campaigners in the region for tighter regulation of the aesthetic industry, the lack of which she says is causing huge problems for individuals as well as onward costs for the health service.

Jan says that she is seeing a worrying increase in referrals to their clinics in the hope that they can rectify procedures carried out elsewhere, with more than 40 corrective cases last year compared to 15 the year before.

Jan believes that there could be a further increase for this need to rectify procedures due to the huge popularity of Love Island, where a number of the contestants have had cosmetic work done. Clinics across the country are reporting an increased interest in procedures such as fillers and Botox, with people seeking to replicate the looks they see on the show.

Jan said: “I’m delighted to win a highly commended award for Cosmetic Nurse of the Year, and plan to use it to continue campaigning for safer practice in the cosmetic industry.

“It is incomprehensible to me that it is possible to train for just a day or two and then be able to administer Botox and practice without any supervision and underpinning knowledge of aesthetic medicine but that’s exactly the situation we have at the moment.

“The Love Island phenomenon is leading to an increased interest in cosmetic procedures, particularly from young women. This could be a worrying trend, with people seeking out affordable fillers, Botox and other procedures that some of the contestants on the show have had, which could later need fixing.

“Badly administered cosmetic procedures can severely impact a person’s self-confidence and even lead to mental health issues.

“I would like to see Greater Manchester with its now devolved health responsibilities leading the push for more regulation and safer practice. This would save public money in the long run because having no regulation means the NHS as well as private clinics such as my own have to step into correct problems later – and sadly it’s not always possible to rectify the problem completely.”