BREAST enlargement commercials which ran during breaks in the popular reality television show Love Island have been banned after the advertising watchdog branded them "irresponsible and harmful".

The ad campaign, which featured young women in swimsuits and outfits which drew attention to their cleavage, was criticised by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) for implying that the women had "only been able to enjoy an aspirational lifestyle and to be happy with their bodies because they had undergone breast enhancement surgery".

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The commercials - by MYA Cosmetic Surgery Ltd - portrayed the women on a yacht, at the beach, dancing, posing, and laughing around a swimming pool while a voiceover stated: "These girls had breast enlargements with MYA and all feel amazing".

They were broadcast in May, June and July during intervals in the hit ITV2 series, Love Island, which has also faced criticism for promoting unrealistic body images with its attractive swimwear-clad contestants.

One of the finalists, 24-year-old Meghan Barton-Hanson, made headlines when it emerged she had undergone £25,000-worth of cosmetic procedures, including breast enlargements, lip fillers, rhinoplasty, dental veneers, chin reshaping, cheek implants and having her ears pinned back.

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Mental health campaigners warned that the "strategically placed" plastic surgery adverts "painted a false picture of perfection" and "exacerbated young people’s insecurities".

The backlash, which was initiated by the Mental Health Foundation in Scotland, led to an admission from ITV chief executive Carol McCall that the juxtaposition of the show and the adverts “was not quite right”.

Today, ASA concluded that the adverts "went beyond presenting the lifestyle of women who had breast enlargement in a positive light and implied that the women were only able to enjoy the aspirational lifestyle shown, and to be happy with their bodies, because they had undergone that surgery".

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The watchdog added: "We also considered that the focus on the aspirational lifestyle and the tone of the ad, in combination with the statement 'join them and thousands more' – which suggested that it was common to undergo breast enlargement and acted as an explicit call to action – had the effect of trivialising the decision to undergo that surgery.

"For those reasons, we concluded that the ad was irresponsible and harmful."

ASA said the commercials "must not appear again" in their current form.

The ruling was welcomed by Isabella Goldie, director at the Mental Health Foundation. She said: “Today’s decision marks a watershed moment for cosmetic surgery advertising which we wholeheartedly welcome.

"It is important that this advert has been recognised as 'irresponsible and harmful' - the conclusions of this ruling are a step towards tackling the pressure around body image.

“We believe that concern around body image is one of the root causes of mental ill health in young people. Our research shows that almost half of young people aged 18-24 have felt so stressed by body image and appearance that they have felt overwhelmed or unable to cope.

“Implying that people can only enjoy body confidence and an aspirational lifestyle by undergoing cosmetic surgery is dangerous and unacceptable. All of us, including commercial organisations, have a role to play in strengthening our young people’s resilience.”

In its evidence to ASA, Clearcast, the non-governmental organisation which pre-approves television commercials in Britain, said it believed there was "nothing explicitly aspirational about the actions of the women in the ad other than that they were having a good time on holiday".

Mary O’Brien, a consultant plastic surgeon and president-elect of the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS), said: “The decision to undertake cosmetic surgery is a very personal one, requiring careful thought, an understanding of the risks and benefits and a thorough clinical assessment by a bone fide plastic surgeon of the physical and psychological wellbeing of that individual prior to offering surgery.

"As an Association, we do not condone trivialisation of cosmetic procedures."

In a statement, MYA said it would not appeal the decision. 

It said: "Although we disagree with the decision of the ASA we respect the role that they play in regulating TV advertising and therefore we will not appeal their decision.

"We understand at MYA that cosmetic surgery is, to some, a controversial subject and certainly a misunderstood one. We believe that our services make a positive difference to peoples’ lives.

"We carry out a range of health and suitability checks and we do not operate on anyone under the age of 18. Of course, no surgery is without risk and we explain this in detail as well as giving cooling off periods for the patient to further reflect."