Chris Sharratt underwent his first lip procedure when he was just 17 after lying to beauticians about his age and rapidly became hooked. He ended up spending £3,000 on treatments, leaving his unrecognisable
A filler addict who spent £3,000 in two years on Botox is barely recognisable after having his natural appearance restored. Chris Sharratt underwent his first lip procedure when he was just 17 after lying to beauticians about his age and rapidly became hooked.
The 25-year-old battled with confidence problems and wanted to “escape from his former self.” He had filler pumped into his lips, jaw and cheeks every two weeks for two years. Chris was compelled to quit and went cold turkey during lockdown. That’s when he says he first recognised that he’d taken things too far. “I had my first filler at 17 and by 18 I was addicted,” Chris, from Cannock, Staffs, told NeedToKnow.
“Every couple of weeks, I would get it. “I’d get 1ml to go on a night out or to a restaurant.
“I had neck filler, lip filler, jaw filler and Botox all over my face.”
He admitted: “Everyone said I went too far, but I ignored them because I hated my old self more than anything.
“People said I looked ugly and like an alien or Pete Burns, but I told myself that when I was a teenager anyway.
“I hated the way I looked all through my teenage years because I never looked like the other lads. I was excited about running away from the person I looked like for so long, and there’ll be so many people like me who have done the same.”
When the restrictions were lifted in 2021, he got the filler dissolved and hasn’t had any since. Chris shared: “During lockdown, the botox started to wear out and I looked at an old photo of myself and realised I didn’t look that bad.
“I wanted to go back to myself and treat myself a bit better. Everyone says I look better now.
“I wish people had told me I looked good when I was a teenager, and I would have been more confident.”
He further explained: “Filler doesn’t dissolve. It migrates around your face.
“You have to have it dissolved physically, or it’s quite dangerous, and I never knew that.”
Now confidently showing off his natural looks, Chris is sharing his experience to highlight the addictive nature of fillers.
He confessed: “I lied about my age, and because I had a beard, I got away with it. Nobody checked.
“I went to whoever was the cheapest and available. If one person said I had too much already, I’d go to the next one.
“It’s so unregulated in the UK, people are going over the top and running from their old selves instead of treating themselves a bit better.”
He continued: “People are getting filler for their 18th birthday. Teenagers shouldn’t be worried about their looks; they’re deciding their careers.
“Health inspectors should be checking filler salons regularly, people should be getting the right information, and there should be ID checks. The minimum age should be 21.
“I can have a laugh at myself, but there will be people worried they’ll never be able to reverse the work they’ve had done.
“Insecurities stay with you for life, but I’m more confident than I was, and I’d never go to that extreme again. I love myself enough now.”
What are the regulations for fillers in the UK?
The Botulinum Toxin and Cosmetic Fillers (Children) Act 2021 makes it illegal in England to:
- Administer botulinum toxin (Botox) or inject a cosmetic filler for people under 18
- Make an appointment, or arrange for one, for those under 18 for these treatments. Even consenting parents / guardians do not make it legal
- If there is a clinical need, doctors may approve it, and certain regulated health professionals (doctors, dentists, nurses, pharmacists) can perform it under directions of a doctor
Product regulation
The fillers themselves are subject to regulation too, with many dermal fillers classified as medical devices, meaning they must comply with MHRA (Medicines & Healthcare products Regulatory Agency) rules. This ensures quality, safety, labelling etc.
Practitioner rules
Although there is no single law that every practitioner must be a doctor, dentist etc., there is strong emphasis in guidance and in proposed regulation that people should have proper face-to-face consultations, be told about risks, be treated by someone properly trained, and have insurance.
What are the proposed changes?
The UK government has powers to introduce a licensing scheme for non‑surgical cosmetic procedures in England via the Health and Care Act 2022. The aim would be to ensure safety/standards, enforceable regulation of practitioners and premises etc.
Under the proposals, cosmetic procedures might be categorised by risk, such as “green/amber/ red” tiers, with different restrictions depending on risk, however the details are still being worked out.
The government has committed to stricter oversight however, requiring clinics that administer fillers/Botox to meet stricter standards (insurance, trained staff, premises) and also pushing to shut down rogue or unqualified operators.