Illegal Beauty Injections: Medical Council Warns of Fake Practitioners

Paris – 02.08.2026: Fuller lips, fewer wrinkles, a quick appointment: providers advertise on social networks with before-and-after images and supposedly straightforward treatments. France’s Medical Council is warning of a growing illegal market. Within a year, it received more than 200 reports concerning people posing as doctors or offering aesthetic medicine without the required authorization.

Many of these arrangements are made outside regulated medical practices. Appointments are organized via social networks and other platforms; for those interested, the providers’ training and identity are often difficult to verify. Yet hyaluronic acid injections for wrinkle treatment or lip enhancement, as well as botulinum toxin applications, are medical procedures. In France, they may not be performed by beauticians, cosmetologists or other people without medical licensing.

As early as January 2025, the Health Ministry clarified that skin injuries caused for aesthetic purposes by non-medical personnel are unlawful. The possible consequences extend far beyond a failed cosmetic result. Known risks include infections, vascular occlusions, tissue damage, and permanent functional or aesthetic impairments. If complications occur outside a medically equipped practice, adequate emergency care may also be unavailable.

The National Medical Council points out that even a medical background does not legitimize every procedure. What matters is legal authorization, registration with the Council, and qualifications sufficient for the treatment. Patients can check the official medical register to determine whether a person is actually licensed. Particular caution is warranted when providers conceal their professional identity, communicate exclusively through private accounts, or offer treatments in apartments and hotel rooms.

Such cases can also carry significant criminal consequences. The French Public Health Code provides for up to two years in prison and a fine of 30,000 euros for the unauthorized practice of medicine. The published information does not indicate whether investigations have already begun into the more than 200 reported suspected cases. Depending on the circumstances, reports may be forwarded to regional health authorities or public prosecutors.

The debate gained additional urgency because of serious incidents. In May 2026, the Senate examined illegal injections and their health consequences. It also mentioned the death of a woman following a clandestinely administered injection in Villeurbanne. This incident should be considered separately from the Medical Council’s current reports. However, it illustrates the concrete risks of a market in which the origin of products, professional competence and medical follow-up care are often impossible to verify.