The beauty and cosmetic industry in Australia is a booming billion-dollar market. Every day thousands of Australians walk into beauty salons, trusting the professionals who work there - unfortunately, some appointments don’t go to plan.
There are risks involved with both big and small procedures but measures can be taken to ensure you minimise the risk for yourself.
How to avoid beauty salon accidents
Do your research - look up beauty salons on review sites such as WOMO, Yelp or even the company’s social media pages. Reviews can provide insights into other people’s experiences at that salon.
Only use trusted brands - before visiting a salon, find out what products they use and be cautious around brands you haven’t used previously.
If it is too good to be true, it usually is - try to stay away from clinics or salons that offer heavily discounted services, unless you’re familiar with that store.
When something doesn’t feel right, speak up - before, after and during your treatment make sure you communicate if something feels a bit off.
Take notes and ask questions, especially for big procedures - possible questions could be, “What are the doctors/nurses/beauticians' qualifications?” “How often do you perform this procedure?” “What are the possible risks?”
Common beauty salon injuries
The range of injuries can vary because there are so many different treatments and procedures available.
There have been reports that people have experienced burning, scarring, allergic reactions and skin pigmentation all from minor treatments. In some cases, the damage has been irreversible and resulted in lower self-esteem and time off work to heal.
For more invasive procedures, injuries can be severe such as infection, and chronic pain and in some cases where high doses of anaesthetics were used, patients went into cardiac arrest.
What to do if this happens to you
Contact the clinic or salon.
Be clear with your injuries and send through photos that are date stamped.
Take note of any correspondence, including dates and content of the conversation.
Submit a complaint to the Office of the Health Ombudsman.
If you are not satisfied with the outcome of the clinic or salon, the next step would be to lodge a formal complaint with the OHO. This can be done over the phone, or online.
Speak to a legal representative about your compensation options.
