Cosmetic Procedures to be Conducted Only by Registered Medical Practitioners / Registered Dentists

Cosmetic Procedures to be Conducted Only by Registered Medical Practitioners/Registered Dentists

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Introduction

In response to a fatal incident in October 2012 involving a beauty service company
offering invasive medical procedures, the Government established the Working Group on
Differentiation between Medical Procedures and Beauty Services (Working Group) under
the Steering Committee on Review of Regulation of Private Healthcare Facilities (Steering
Committee) to consider differentiating medical treatments from ordinary beauty services
and to make recommendations on the regulatory approach. The Steering Committee has
endorsed the recommendations of the Working Group, which included a list of the
cosmetic procedures that should only be performed by registered medical
practitioners/registered dentists.

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Procedures involving injection
These procedures usually involve penetration of the skin by means of a needle with the
delivery of chemical substances or drugs. They may involve injections into the different
layers of the skin, muscle, or even the blood vessels. As human skin acts as a natural
barrier to microorganisms, any procedure that breaches the skin may therefore increase
the risk of infection. Other complications associated these procedures include bleeding,
haematoma formation, bruising, and scarring.
Examples of these procedures include injection of dermal fillers, botulinum toxin A, skin
whitening agents and platelet rich plasma, mesotherapy and injection lipolysis.
Needle‐free injections of cosmetic substances via the use of jet injectors are also
included.

Procedures involving injection should ONLY be conducted by registered medical
practitioners.

Mechanical/chemical exfoliation of the skin below the epidermis

Human skin is made up of different layers – i.e. epidermis, dermis, hypodermis or
subcutaneous tissue. Skin exfoliation also called skin peeling, involve the removal of
tissue of different skin layers by mechanical or chemical means. Mechanical exfoliation is
usually achieved by means of an abrasive component such as a jet of fluid or inert crystals.
For chemical exfoliation, skin cells are removed by topical application of acid with varying
strengths.

The complications associated with these procedures may include bleeding,
hyperpigmentation, infection and scarring. In general, the deeper the level of exfoliation,
the higher the risk of complications.

Exfoliation of the skin below the epidermis should ONLY be conducted by
registered medical practitioners.

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy
This procedure, sometimes marketed under different names such as ‘oxygen chamber’, is
actually a form of treatment for medical conditions such as decompression sickness and
acute carbon monoxide poisoning. It should not be performed as a form of beauty
procedure.
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is known to be associated with serious complications
including barotrauma and oxygen toxicity.

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy should ONLY be conducted by registered medical
practitioners/registered dentists on patients with clinical indications.

Dental bleaching or teeth whitening
Dental bleaching is a procedure involving the use of bleaching agents to break down the
pigmented compounds in the teeth to achieve teeth whitening. Tooth bleaching materials
which are based primarily on hydrogen peroxide may cause irritation of mucous
membranes and the gastric tract if the product is swallowed accidentally.

It may also lead to complications such as tooth dentine hypersensitivity, pulpal pain
caused by bleaching on undetected caries and defective dental fillings, especially if
performed inappropriately or performed on inappropriate clients, such as those suffering
from pre‐existing dental conditions.

Dental bleaching or teeth whitening should ONLY be conducted by registered
dentists.

Know more and think twice before you decide to undergo cosmetic
procedures
1. Always request details about the procedure including what equipment and materials
will be used
2. Make sure you understand the potential risks and complications associated with the
procedure.
3. Request the details of the person who is going to perform the procedure, including
his/her name, qualifications, and experience in performing the procedure.
4. If you are referred by a beauty service provider to a doctor to undergo a cosmetic
procedure, always request the full name of your doctor in writing. The full list of
registered medical practitioners in Hong Kong can be found at the website of the
Medical Council of Hong Kong (http://www.mchk.org.hk/doctor/index.htm).
5. Beware of questionable marketing tactics and promotion strategies.

November 2013
Department of Health