ITV News Investigation Raises Fresh Concerns Over Unregulated Cosmetic Procedures

An ITV News investigation has revealed that an unregulated cosmetic surgery network previously exposed for offering invasive aesthetic procedures may still be operating from residential properties, despite appearing to have ceased trading.

The investigation, conducted by ITV News reporter Cree-Summer Haughton, follows the experience of 27-year-old Alysha from Wales, who claims she was left requiring reconstructive surgery after undergoing two cosmetic procedures linked to the business.

Luxury Medical Aesthetics was previously investigated in 2024, when it was uncovered that the company was offering one-day liposuction training courses to individuals with no medical qualifications. Following the broadcaster’s exposé, online listings indicated the business had permanently closed and Companies House records showed it had been dissolved.

However, during further enquiries into Alysha’s case, ITV News found evidence suggesting procedures linked to the same network may still be taking place, this time from residential addresses rather than clinical premises.

Alysha told ITV News that she initially discovered London Medical Aesthetics through social media, where reviews and recommendations appeared overwhelmingly positive. Despite operating under a different name, the business reportedly retained branding associated with Luxury Medical Aesthetics.

She booked a labiaplasty procedure after seeing favourable online content but became concerned when she arrived at what she expected to be a clinic.

Alysha said: “When I arrived at the postcode there was no salon. It was an apartment block.”

According to ITV News, the procedure was carried out by a practitioner known as “Miss Cindy”, also identified as Luyen Vu and sometimes referred to online as “The Liverpool Lady”. Alysha alleged that the treatment involved the use of scissors and that proper surgical preparation procedures were not followed.

Despite describing the experience as distressing, Alysha later returned to the same practitioner for a mini facelift after being reassured by positive recommendations and discounted pricing. The second procedure, which took place in Liverpool, subsequently became infected.

She later travelled to Turkey for corrective treatment, where surgeons reportedly reopened the wound, removed stitches and treated the infection.

ITV News reported that it could find no record of Luyen Vu being registered with the General Medical Council. Multiple requests for comment sent to both Luyen Vu and Luxury Medical Aesthetics were not answered.

The broadcaster also sought expert opinion from consultant plastic surgeon Dr Dan Marsh, who expressed serious concerns about procedures being performed outside regulated clinical settings.

“Anybody carrying out surgery in a flat, in a non-clinical environment, shows they don’t know what they’re doing,” he told ITV News.

Dr Marsh further stressed the importance of appropriate medical training and regulation when performing surgical procedures.

The case highlights ongoing concerns within the aesthetics sector regarding unregulated practitioners, social media marketing and the growing accessibility of invasive cosmetic treatments outside traditional healthcare environments.

Alysha has since spoken publicly in the hope that others will thoroughly research practitioners and avoid making decisions based solely on online recommendations or low-cost offers.

“There’s a reason these procedures are so cheap,” she said. “Nothing is worth having scars across your face for the rest of your life.”

The ITV News investigation has reignited debate around patient safety, regulation and accountability within the UK’s cosmetic treatment industry, with calls continuing for stricter oversight of practitioners performing invasive aesthetic procedures.