05/02/2018 Inside Out London

Hello, I'm Sean Fletcher. You are

watching Inside Out London.

Tonight...

We go undercover to expose the rogue

beauticians illegally offering teeth

whitening treatments.

It is

disgusting, it is putting lives at

risk during dental procedure is not

in the dental surgery.

Disfigured in

battle, how cosmetic surgeons more

used to Botox are helping our

soldiers...

My movement now is

fantastic, but a struggle to move it

but now I have full movement. It

hurt or stretch.

And would you be

brave enough to eat this? -- it does

not hurt or stretch.

Teeth-whitening is one of the most

popular cosmetic treatments

in the UK ? and needs dental

training to carry out safely.

But an undercover investigation

by Inside Out London has exposed

rogue beauticians selling illegal

whitening treatments and potentially

putting the public in danger.

Guy Lynn has this exclusive report.

Check out those Hollywood grins.

With more and more celebrities

showing off their sparkling whites,

it's no surprise demand for teeth

whitening is on the up.

Most dentists now offer

a teeth whitening service.

And after a series of

treatments, patients can have

dramatically whiter teeth.

It's safe, but only if a dental

professional does it.

With high demand ? some

beauticians are now illegally

offering the treatment...

Luring customers in

with cheaper prices...

We've had a tip off about a salon

off the Edgware Road...

You get £50 off each anyway.

Ashleigh Smith charges 100 pounds

for teeth whitening.

Ok - well I'll talk you through

everything as we're doing it.

She seems to imply she's

got qualifications.

Yeah, I'm trained.

Yeah, I'm qualified, yeah, yeah.

She performs the dental

procedure she's not allowed to do.

You ok, darling?

You just relax!

And we discover her only

qualification is a one day course

with a tooth whitening firm.

If you're seeing someone on the high

street that's attended a one day

course and putting that

into perspective, dentists attend

a five year training programme

in order to qualify,

you're putting

yourself in harms way.

Megan is a qualified

dental hygienist at this

Harley Street practice.

She's undergone three years training

to be allowed to whiten

George's teeth today.

I think it just makes them look

a lot healthier.

She applies several rounds

of a powerful bleaching agent

to turn his teeth white.

And an ultra powerful light

quickens the process.

Legally - only a dentist

or a regulated profesional such

as a hygienist may do this

with a dentist's prescription.

If this is used incorrectly,

it can cause damage to the gums,

specifically causing kind

of burns and things.

And should worse case

scenario there ever be

a medical emergency arise,

we can ensure that the patient

is in safe hands.

For public safety, it's mandatory

for anyone performing

the procedure to be registered

with the General Dental Council.

The GDC.

And surprise, surprise ? we discover

none of the beauticians

who want to whiten our teeth feature

on the list...

Our next appointment

is at Aanu's Beauty Salon in Ilford.

Our researcher's told to sit

down for the procedure.

A mould is prepared and filled

with whitening gel.

Then they tell us we have to put

the mould in ourselves.

You can do it yourself.

Why's that then?

Because that's what the law is,

when you go, when you do it,

you have to put it in yourself.

And the manager confirms that...

It's just because if you go

to a dentist ? they're practitioners

so they can carry out the treatment

? whereas we're not allowed to ?

we can only supervise.

The procedure's supposed

to last an hour...

But we abort after a few minutes,

pretending it's causing pain...

The GDC has seen an increase

in the number of so-called self

administer processes.

The GDC position is that these

processess are still illegal.

Where an indivdual provides advice,

treatment or attendance ie tooth

whitening on a member of the public

- they're engaged

in illegal activity.

There are numerous kits

and toothpastes we can

all buy on the high street

to whiten our own teeth safely.

They contain tiny amounts ? less

than 0.01% of the bleaching

agent hydrogen peroxide.

Anything stronger - up to 6% -

may only be prescribed by a dentist.

Higher than that's illegal.

There's been a worrying development.

Hi there, can you tell me

if you do teeth whitening?

Yes I do.

I charge 75 pounds.

We've come across this beautician:

Fran Lowe from West Ham,

who we suspect may be offering

hydrogen peroxide at 25%...

The first shock when we arrive

for treatment at Fran's

is where it's at...

Hello, hi, nice to meet you.

Not a dental surgery.

Or a clinic.

Nice house.

Thank you.

I'm sorry, you're in my

bedroom by the way.

She charges 75 pounds,

which includes scraping the teeth

to get them ready for whitening.

In itself ? a criminal offence,

as she's performing dentistry.

Don't touch that, because if it

gets on your hands it

will burn your hands!

Then she tells us

what strength peroxide.

It does have hydrogen peroxide?

Yeah, it does, yeah, 25%.

Remember dentists can

only administer hydrogen

peroxide at 6%...

She's offering a gel that contains

over four times that.

So what impact will that

have on your gums?

We asked dentist Ben

Atkins to test it out.

Apply hydrogen peroxide at varying

percentages to some slices of meat ?

representing the gums.

First, less than 0.01% -

the strength allowed

over the counter...

Virtually no effect...

And this is 6%, the professional

level - again you can see small

amounts of response...

Finally at higher than 25% -

the strength Fran wants to use.

Oh wow, look at that.

That's impressive.

So that would be illegal in the UK.

And you can really see that.

It's taken the pigment out.

Imagine the pain you'd have

if it was your mouth,

I wouldn't want that in my mouth,

it would be devastating.

The authorities have seized kits

sold with excessive levels

of the bleach via the internet.

And treatments with rogue

beauticians have put a number

of people in hospital.

Just look at the damage

to the nerves and gum.

Teeth loss, burns and blisters.

And if you want to know how that

feels ? ask Richard.

It can only be described as a really

really sharp excruciating pain.

And it went on for

a good 45 minutes.

He was given hydrogen peroxide many

times the UK legal limit

in a procedure with a beautician

that went wrong.

And a few days later they became

very raw and very sensitive.

Basically it was like open sores.

After about 6 months,

I started to realise

that the sensitivity wasn't

going to go away.

I'll assume I'll have very sensitive

teeth for the rest of my life.

Back at Fran's ? she knows

what she's doing is illegal.

Obviously you know in all honesty

? you're not supposed

to use what I use, it's

for the dentist isn't it?

That's why you pay 300 pounds

to go and have your teeth

done at the dentist.

It's important to check if she'll

really go ahead ? we know she has

lots of customers on her books.

If it does dry then

obviously I'll take it off..

First, Fran gives us a gum shield.

Bite down now, that's it.

Then she starts applying

the hydrogen peroxide

to the teeth...

What's that?

This is the peroxide.

That's the hydrogen peroxide?

Yes.

We've taken dental advice and abort

straight away to cause no damage.

COUGHING.

Do you want to take it off?

You do?

Take it off.

You better not take that

gum shield out yet.

Usually Fran says she'd

leave the peroxide

on for well over an hour.

As we depart she sells

us a whitening syringe

filled with banned levels

of bleaching agent...

22%.

Actually, it's 22%.

I paid you for that?

Yeah.

After filming our researcher has

a full dental check up,

and gets the all clear

for no damage.

Ben Atkins treats people

after they've had botched hydrogen

peroxide operations.

We showed him our undercover

footage ? and he says it's

the worst he's seen.

It's putting a patient's life

at risk doing dental procedures not

in the dental surgery.

Bite down now, that's it.

I see the other side when things

have gone wrong and patients

come into my surgery.

And I have got to deal with it.

I've seen patients go abroad

and have their teeth butchered.

But in my own country,

having it here and seeing this -

it's astounding -

it shouldn't happen.

Ashley Smith claimed she used the

save non-rock side gel. -- safe not

rock side gel.

Ashleigh Smith ignored our

requests for a response.

Aanu Beauty, who gave us

gel to self administer,

says it wasn't peroxide and safe.

They claim their supplier assured

them there was no need to be

a dental professional

to do teeth whitening.

They say they've stopped.

But what about Fran Lowe?

She denied buying, storing

or using peroxide gels on customers.

She claims she said

she did to get a sale.

She then said she wasn't aware

what she was doing was illegal

and now says she's stopped doing

teeth whitening altogether.

As for the gel she sold us

which breaks down to 700 times

the legal limit of Hydrogen Peroxide

a non dental

professional can use....

We'll be handing that

to the authorities.

The GDC says illegal

reports are rising.

And during our investigation

we heard of other beauticians

ignoring all the warnings

and playing roulette

with patient safety.

Guy Lynn reporting. Still to come...

There are around 2000 different

species of beetles, bugs, crickets

and aunts. They are nutritious,

environmentally sustainable and can

bring us out of food poverty --

ants. Maybe it's more yum than yuck!

Soldiers wounded in combat

often receive vital

surgeries from the NHS...

But tight budgets mean

that their scars don't always

receive full cosmetic care.

That's why one skin clinic

in high-end Harley Street ? more

used to offering botox and tummy

tucks to the rich and famous ? has

set up a charity to provide

specialist scar treatment

for damaged British soldiers.

Mark Jordan has the story.

They are survivors of Afghanistan...

Two ex British soldiers seeking

help on Harley Street.

The NHS has

saved their lives...

But both now seek charity to help

sooth their scars of war.

Fashion model Trudie has come

to Harley Street for what's

nicknamed a Vampire Facelift.

Platelet rich plasma taken

from her own blood, then

reinjected for rejuvenation

and looking younger.

Kim Kardashian swears by it!

It's another world!

Dr Khan has found the same process

can radically help the agonising

scars of wounded soldiers.

It all started when Mark called up

wanting to pay for help to ease

his tightening scars.

Good to see you!

We found he couldn't straighten arm

properly and being in a wheelchair

it helped a great deal

when we were able to improve

flexibility of scars.

I was shocked.

I didn't know you

could change a scar!

You have this hard area

where graft is stitched ? so it

will help with that.

When Mark came in it

touched my wife and my heart

and we wanted to do something.

Dr Khan treated Mark for free

and set up the Back on Track charity

to help ten veterans a year.

This technique we use

for rejuvenation for people who want

younger better skin but also very

useful for scars.

I was out on foot patrol early

in the morning ? found a big ditch,

started sweeping in ditch.

Stepped in it.

That was it.

Big bang...

It was all slow motion at the time.

Next thing I remember is getting

tourniquets on my legs.

I lost both my legs

instantly from the blast.

I could hear the blades.

They like to keep you awake

so they can see you are still alive.

With NHS they go so far

with you to bring you back to life ?

make sure everything is healed up.

But Harley Street can just

make the scars better

for when you get older.

That is all done.

The movement now is fantastic ?

before couldn't move,

now have full movement and it

doesn't hurt or stretch.

So, after being stretchered off

the frontline comes this

controversial grey line

between NHS and private.

After saving a soldier's life,

should the NHS then offer

every treatment possible?

As technology advances more and more

conditions are treatable

and the NHS can't possibly

keep up with providing

a service for absolutely everything.

Next up, former Lance

corporal Martyn Compton...

Hello, come on in...

The scars and burns he sustained

threaten his sight and mobility.

The sole survivor of an Afghan

attack on his light tank.

It was a planned ambush....

Unfortunately the guys in back

were killed on impact

of the IED they set off.

As they impacted the IED they then

shot rocket grenades at me ? blew

the engine up and it

engulfed me in flames.

I remember all this till getting

on the Chinook and last words

were 'you'll be alright mate,

stay with us.' I died 3 times.

Woke up three months later

in Essex in Chelmsford.

The hospital was killing me

and I just wanted to get out.

They said the only way we will let

you out is to look in the mirror...

His partner was desperate

as to what she could do ? she asked

nurses what can I do?

The answer was straight

forward - marry him.

Give him hope!

And that's what she gave him.

After one year in hospital

Martyn married Michelle.

Then came the children...

I said to Martyn when it was time

to look in the mirror

at his appearance, I said

if you change as a person and become

a recluse and stay in ? then

I am walking away now.

I was really upfront and blunt.

I said I will walk away.

He didn't change, so I stuck by him

and we have just celebrated our

ninth wedding anniversary.

So for me the line is the NHS

fixes me and fixes me up.

That's how I put it - they fix me.

But living with life they kind

of forget about and there is only

so much they can do - I guess.

So we can see a lot

of stiffness along here -

and thickness of the skin.

Meeting Dr Khan and hearing

treatment is available,

not on the NHS, makes my

life so much easier.

Him doing stuff to my scars makes

arms work better - which then

makes my life easier.

Although Martyn has had hundreds

of operations on the NHS,

Dr Khan is still worried

about his eyes...

He has sustained severe burns

to eyes and lower lids

are non-existent -

so tears pour out and don't

lubricate his eyes and there's

a real risk of him losing vision...

Did you enjoy your first football

game?

If I lose my eyesight,

then I'm not going to be able

to play with my kids

or do daily activities.

With our eye surgeon we discovered

the NHS did have a facility -

so we were able to signpost him back

in the right direction and plug him

back into the NHS...

While Martyn awaits that NHS

appointment, he's got

the charity fundraiser -

celebs and supporters pay

to race the veterans.

Team spirit, team work - everything

I lost and the adrenaline.

I like to win!

He has no legs and missing fingers

but when he gets in a car -

it makes no difference!

He has bumped me off course!

I wanna beat them!

I wanna beat them.

That doesn't change!

I get quite emotional

about it actually -

it's so dear what they are

doing for us.

I don't want them to

think we don't care.

Many veterans here conceal

the invisible scars

of post traumatic stress.

I was eventually diagnosed

with chronic PTSD.

I don't think there is enough help

for mental health...

We rely too much on charity

like Help for Heroes and Back

on Track and they shouldn't

be doing it!

We laid our lives down

for this country.

That was summer...

Now it's winter - I'm back

with Martyn at the NHS's

Broomfield Hospital -

he's recovering from that

vital eye operation.

Ok, good.

Let's have a look...

The graft has taken very nicely -

quite a bulge there

and everything will settle down.

New islets crafted from his hip. --

eyelids.

It's already a lot lot better -

especially the inside bit.

If it wasn't for charities

I wouldn't have known

about the treatment

I could have had.

It's the charities do the smaller

things that really help.

I don't think the NHS can provide

absolutely everything for everybody

and the ability of people to get

together with a common interest

and help people - it's a great

British tradition actually!

So, if you think you've had a bad

day you might want to think again.

How do you deal with

something so life changing?

I put it in a different way.

I'm the one that's here today

and the guys I lost aren't.

So I get emotional about it now.

You were the lucky one?

Yeah.

They are low in fat and high in

protein, and in some countries they

are considered a delicacy!

Yet many of us Brits

shudder at the thought

of biting into one.

But there's a new generation

of chefs, restaurateurs and local

businesses starting the trend

for 'edible insects'.

Still not convinced?

Well, with knife and fork

in hand can Mike Dilger

tempt you to the table?

There is a buzz in the air, and to

some, it sounds like supper.

Around the world two billion people

regularly eat insects as part

of their daily diet.

So are we missing out?

Well I've come to sample

the menu at one of Britain's

first insect eateries.

And to discover how creepy crawlies

could be our food of the future.

Insects are considered by some

as the original superfood

for their nutritious benefits -

particularly protein.

But are they delicious?

And tonight the team from 'Eat Grub'

are dishing up a five course meal -

made from insect ingredients.

Joining me is Abbey

Brennan, a food critic.

Are you excited or worried? All of

the above! But I'm going to go with

it.

The whole thing? LAUGHTER

There is one word I thought this

meal would be, and it's crunchy!

But

in a good way. A good contrast with

the Leeds and the fruit and the

crunchy insects.

We have a range of

dishes, like a tempura grasshopper,

and a dish made with mealworms. We

don't want to hide it, we want

people to embrace them for what they

are.

Sharmi tells me that the

insects here were bred in the UK.

They go from X to oven ready in less

than 45 days. Is it a visual thing

with eyeballs looking at you?

I was

worried there would be legs

involved! Some of it is crunchy,

some of it is still in my teeth! But

it wasn't unpleasant at all. It was

really rather delicious! I really

enjoyed it. There is scope for

people to try this stuff.

While

insects are still a novelty on

British menus, in Japan, the yellow

was blase are considered a delicacy.

-- wasp.

The Mopane Caterpillar is consumed

in places like Angola,

Botswana and South Africa.

These can be eaten dry,

crunchy like potato chips,

or drenched in sauce.

And in Thailand soft bodied

House Crickets' are farmed

and eaten in their millions.

By 2050, we will have two produce

50-70% more food to sustain 10

billion people. So, could edible

insects be part of the solution?

What do you think as edible insects

as a source of protein?

I tasted

some the other night. They were OK.

I don't have a problem with the yuck

factor but could they play a role in

the sustainable food system of the

future? I don't know. I don't think

they tasted bad, I thought they were

bland but yes, they are edible and

they are a source of protein. If we

could get over the yuck factor and

decide we want to eat them, and they

can be produced sustainably and

affordably, it could play a part in

our diet but I do not think it would

replace sustainable meat production.

As ingredients go, these insects are

still quite expensive, and as long

as sirloin steak remains cheaper,

bugs will never be mainstream. But

there is a company here in

Derbyshire hoping to change all of

that. Crunchy Critters claims to be

the leading supplier of

internationally sourced invertebrate

ingredients in the UK. They sell

everything to edible spiders.

It's an impressive array of insects!

Where are they coming from?

Connor

Mexico, Thailand, Zambia and

Colombia.

At the moment it's a niche

market, what barriers preventing it

from taking off in the UK?

The

price, we need to drive down the

price and the only way we can do

that is by having Manufacturing on

an industrial, commercial scale. If

you look at supplies in Holland,

there is an insect, the buffalo

worm, that they will be introducing

wholesale in a powder form.

As soon

as prices drop, you'd think people

will come flocking?

Absolutely. I do

know some about this... What can I

try? I have something very

interesting... Eat all of that,

please!

I do not think my mouth is

that big! It is salty... Crunchy...

Chewy... I'm not sure I can

swallow... Mealworms were OK. Maybe

the odd caterpillar but torrential

as will take convincing! It is gone

-- the tarantulas.

Edible insects are a growing market

in the UK but it is still early

days. I want to find out if week

when agriculture and create

something to tempt the public's

taste buds.

There is a familiar face who can

help. As an ex-winner of the Great

British Bake Off, I'm expecting

something creative!

I've never baked

with a cricket before, I'm taking on

the challenge, this is a giant

crunchy and unpacking it full of

critters. You have a nutty and

savoury hit as well as the flavour

of the honeycomb.

Do you know the

extra ingredient?

No. Bruce did

cricket. No, is it really? But to be

fair, it is really nice -- roasted

cricket.

Have you ever eaten

invertebrates?

No, it tasted quite

nice actually!

That's not as bad as

I thought it would be!

It is a good

hit of protein which is

environmentally sustainable.

I'm

glad you told me that!

That is

amazing, all I have left our crumbs.

If you think that you are turning

your nose up at eating insects,

think that there are 2000 species of

Beatles, bugs, crickets and ants

that are nutritious and

environmentally sustainable, and can

bring us out of food poverty. Maybe

less yuck and more

yum. I reckon I could just about

handle some gripes but I would draw

the line at a tarantula!

That's a about it, but before we go,

let's see what's coming up next

week... We expose how the fake fur

you are buying could be made from

factory farmed animals...

These

animals are kept in filthy and

cramped cages and are killed in the

most horrendous way. All for the

sake of a decoration.

How London aid

workers are trying to make a

difference to the Bernie 's refugee

crisis...

We have spoken to another

lady who watched her husband be shot

-- Burma. They are horrendous

stories.

And 50 years on, the iconic

jumbo jet is still the Queen of the

skies...

It was wider, bigger and

taller. Everything you can think of.

It is a legend, definitely.

That's all this week, don't forget

tonight's programme is available on

iPlayer. Head to the website.