KUALA LUMPUR: While it is the norm for traders to offer price cuts during Ramadan to lure customers, beauty salons also jump on the bandwagon by offering attractive discounts on all kinds of cosmetic procedures.
Using the testimonials of their “satisfied” customers and specially-created videos to promote their array of skin whitening and tightening facials, and face and body sculpting treatments, these salons are the bane of qualified aesthetic doctors.
This is because many women who fall prey to the cheap packages offered by these salons are forced to seek the help of doctors when they end up with complications.
According to aesthetic doctor Nazelia Thibroni, it is worrying when beauty centres provide treatments, some of which should only be carried out by medical doctors qualified in the field of aesthetic medicine, at unreasonably low prices.
“It’s impossible to offer cheap aesthetic treatments because the costs involved are high as only high-quality products are used and, furthermore, only qualified personnel can undertake such treatments.
“Hence, those salons that offer cheap packages are obviously motivated by profits as the treatments are done by unqualified beauticians. This is a very worrying situation,” she told Bernama.
Dr Nazelia, who has two clinics in Shah Alam, Selangor, and Alor Setar, Kedah, said every year after Hari Raya Aidilfitri, many patients come to her clinic to “correct the defects on their faces”, no thanks to the botched treatments they underwent at the hands of unqualified beauticians.
Injectable Fillers
The doctor, who has worked in the field of aesthetic medicine for eight years, said most of these patients had been administered injectable dermal fillers, an increasingly popular anti-ageing cosmetic treatment in this country.
Dermal filler injections are a means of filling out wrinkles and creases in the skin, as well as to plump up thin lips and increase the definition of the cheeks.
In fact, some women are also opting for breast and buttock augmentation using injectable fillers as they feel that this non-invasive treatment mode was safer than undergoing plastic surgery.
But, warned Dr Nazelia, the injectable filler treatment can pose a danger if administrated wrongly by an unqualified therapist as it can lead to cancer or complications such as blindness, loss of limb functions, facial paralysis or even death.
She said many of the patients who came to her clinic after being administered with an injectable filler had developed granuloma or small areas of inflammation on their faces.
“Some suffered from abscesses, bleeding, bacterial infection and bruises. And, for the majority of patients who sought treatment at my clinic, the problem had turned chronic by the time they came to me. They had earlier wasted time trying to seek the help of the salon where they received the beauty treatment but they were either not entertained or told to see a doctor.”
She even had a patient whose breasts were disfigured after being injected with counterfeit filler as she had sought medical intervention at a late stage.
Questionable Substance
Dr Nazelia said her concern was not just about the cosmetic procedures undertaken by beauticians but also the type of substances they used.
It is highly probable that the substances for the filler injections used by many salons operated by unqualified beauticians are not approved or licensed by the Ministry of Health, she added.
According to Dr Nazelia, hyaluronic acid was the most basic substance used in filler injections and its effects last between nine and 12 months, after which another injection would be required.
“However, unqualified salons are known to use petrolatum-based fillers as a substitute for hyaluronic acid, which is not cheap.
“Petrolatum, when injected into the skin, can cause the injected part to become hard, painful and lumpy,” she explained.
It has been reported that more than 20,000 unlicensed beauty therapists or aestheticians operating in this country offer services that should by right be undertaken by doctors qualified in aesthetic medicine.
“Many people think that beauticians can carry out all kinds of cosmetic procedures just because they have a lot of experience in this field. This is a totally wrong perception.
“Apart from the normal facials or massage, anyone going for any other form of cosmetic treatment must consult a doctor first. These days, the treatment to remove acne scars is being offered by so many salons out there but in actual fact, only doctors are supposed to do it.
“This is because many people have sensitive skin and suffer from allergies so it’s important to know the client’s history before performing any cosmetic procedure but this is not practised at unlicensed salons,” she said.
Not Cheap
Dr Nazelia also questioned the authenticity of the laser equipment purportedly used for cosmetic procedures at certain beauty centres, saying that medical grade lasers were costly and can only be operated by registered medical practitioners under the Medical Device Act 2012.
“I don’t think they are using laser equipment. Theirs is probably a normal machine that exudes light but its use can cause blackened marks to appear on the face,” she said.
Urging the authorities to monitor the treatments provided by beauty salons, she said many of them advertised their services on social media.
One such advertisement claimed that vitamin C can make the skin fairer and that it can be self-injected at home at a low cost.
“Most of the vitamin C advertised not only contain vitamin C but also other substances like tranexamic acid which, if injected, can damage the blood vessels. It also has other ingredients that cause kidney failure,” the doctor warned.
Dr Nazelia added that those wishing to go for aesthetic treatment should seek the services of a doctor who possesses the Letter of Credentialing and Privileging (LCP) that is issued by the Ministry of Health to allow him/her to practise aesthetic medicine.
The LCP was introduced by the ministry as part of efforts to check the sharp rise in the number of unlicensed aesthetic medical practitioners in this country. – Bernama
