It is illegal to administer Botox or inject a filler for cosmetic purposes to anyone under 18 in England, even if they are given permission by an adult.

But no such law exists in Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland.

The director of Save Face, a group that has a register of approved medical aesthetic treatments, told Sky News that some young people's appetite for these procedures meant they were crossing the border from England to get them.

'We only see the negative cases'

Ashton Collins worked with MP Laura Trott to change the law in England, which came into effect in 2021.

She said she was aware of under-18s in England going to Wales to get around the Botox and lip filler ban - and some in Newcastle travelling to Scotland for the procedures.

"We only see the negative cases when things go really wrong and people reach out to us, but I guess that's the tip of the iceberg," she added.

Ms Collins said she "couldn't see any barriers" as to why other UK nations could not introduce similar legislation to England.

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Some 'still offering treatment to children'

"We definitely, as a very minimum, expect the other areas of the UK to adopt this law," she said.

"They keep on saying, 'We're going to look into it', but there's been no outcomes to that and we find that quite frustrating because these people are still offering treatment to children."

Botulinum toxin, or Botox, can only be prescribed by a qualified medical practitioner, according to the NHS website.

A spokesperson for the Welsh government said it was aware of a "regulatory gap" in Wales in relation to these procedures and it would be "doing further work in this important area".

While a Scottish government spokesperson said they were "not aware of anyone travelling from England to Scotland for Botox treatment".

"Botox is available only on prescription by a registered health professional who has completed a full assessment of the patient in Scotland," they added. "The UK-wide Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is responsible for compliance with the regulatory requirements that govern the manufacture, distribution, retail sale/supply and advertisement of medicinal products, including Botox.

"Independent healthcare clinics in Scotland that provide practitioner services are regulated by Healthcare Improvement Scotland. When considering the provision of non-surgical cosmetic procedures, healthcare professionals must take into account the physical and psychological wellbeing of the patient or client, including their age where that is a factor."