Group buying sites spark boom in unneeded treatments

Consumer health website, www.itsmyhealth.com.au reports that the new craze for coupons from group buying websites is fuelling a boom in unnecessary medical procedures and encouraging beauty treatment companies to flout advertising regulations.

Coupon websites such as Scoopon and Jump On It have soared in popularity in recent months. They allow companies to offer discounts on products ranging from food to photography to holidays – provided a certain number of people sign up.

Anti-wrinkle injections, laser treatments and micordermabrasion are among the cosmetic procedures being offered online, and The Cosmetic Physicians Society of Australia recently hit out at these websites, claiming that they raise legal and ethical problems by promoting discounted cosmetic procedures.

Moreover, many coupons require users to pay for their procedure in advance of a face-to-face consultation, giving little opportunity to determine whether or not it is appropriate for the individual.

The full article is available at http://www.itsmyhealth.com.au/healthy-living/news/coupons-spark-boom-in-unneeded-treatments.

www.itsmyhealth.com.au