New students warned about fillers and botox during orientation week

The Health and Youth Care Inspectorate (IGJ) has launched an awareness campaign during orientation week in Amsterdam to caution students about the risks associated with Botox and filler treatments. The agency established a mock clinic at the Jaap Edenbaan festival to encourage students to prioritize safety and ensure their providers are properly qualified. This initiative comes after the IGJ reported 175 complaints regarding botched cosmetic procedures last year, a fivefold increase from the previous year, often linked to unlicensed practitioners.

To further assist young people, the IGJ collaborated with Tilburg University and the platform Wiemooiwilzijn to launch an online 'filler check' tool. This resource prompts users to consider key factors such as cost, necessity, and practitioner reliability. While some students appreciate the guidance for making informed choices, others have criticized the campaign, suggesting that it risks normalizing the procedures instead of discouraging them. The IGJ maintains that its goal is not to dictate personal decisions, but to ensure that anyone pursuing these cosmetic interventions understands the inherent medical risks.