The illegal beauty industry is booming as more and more people are opting for unqualified beauticians instead of experienced doctors. One of the most popular methods is the injection of hyaluronic acid using a Hyaluron Pen, a device that introduces the substance into the skin under high pressure, without the use of needles. This technique is advertised as safer and cheaper, but experts warn of serious and irreversible consequences.
Dr. Enikő Kuroli, a pathologist and dermatologist, explains that beauticians should not perform any procedures on deeper layers of the skin, neither with needles nor with high-pressure devices. Despite this, many continue to offer such treatments, lured by the high demand and the promise of cheap prices. A woman shared her experience on social media: she had three treatments with a Hyaluron Pen, saw little change, and ended up spending more money than if she had gone directly to a doctor.
Plastic surgeon Dr. Tamás Varga warns that improperly performed hyaluronic acid injections can cause infections, tissue necrosis, or even complete blindness. He emphasizes that such procedures should only be performed by qualified doctors. Despite this, the trend continues to spread as many beauticians offer their own training and issue fake certificates that have no official recognition.
In addition to illegal injections, fat reduction injections, known as «lemon solution», are also gaining popularity. This substance can be easily ordered online, even though it is not officially approved in many countries. Some salons use it for facial modeling, even though no one knows exactly what long-term effects it could have. In Switzerland, the substance has already been investigated and the Swiss drug authority, Swismedic, has classified it as a drug, thereby banning its cosmetic use.
However, many beauticians continue to use this treatment as the demand for quick and cheap solutions continues to grow. Dr. Varga emphasizes that many beauticians exceed their competencies and perform procedures that are exclusively reserved for doctors. Although the laws in many countries clearly regulate who can perform invasive and non-invasive aesthetic treatments, there are still numerous violations in practice.
There are also doctors without the required aesthetic training who offer such treatments, posing an additional risk to patients. The consequences are often serious, and many affected people have to undergo expensive corrective measures that ultimately cost much more than a safe but more expensive treatment from the start. In some cases, there are even legal consequences. In the summer of 2024, a beautician in Hungary was fined for performing injection treatments such as Hyaluron Pen and Microneedle Mesotherapy without permission.
Despite increasingly strict laws, this trend continues to spread because many people are not aware of the dangers. Not only is the lack of legal control a problem, but also the low health awareness of people. Dr. Zoltán Lantos, a lecturer at Semmelweis University, emphasizes that health education urgently needs to be improved. More emphasis is being placed on health education in schools, but this is far from sufficient. Many people do not understand that a cheaper, but questionable treatment can cause permanent damage.
Legal regulations, official controls, and a higher health awareness must go hand in hand to stop the spread of the illegal beauty industry.
