Safety
A treatment in the salon: how it stays safe
In brief
A wrinkle treatment in the salon you trust or at a hotel can be just as safe as one in a clinic, provided four conditions are met: a doctor on the BIG register, a suitable and hygienic space, sterile materials with registered products, and an emergency protocol with medication on site. Location is not what determines safety; the way of working is.
Why the location is not the heart of the matter
Injectables are a reserved medical act. What the law requires is that the practitioner is authorised and competent, not that the ceiling is white and the floor is tiled. A carefully equipped room in a salon can meet the requirements just as well as a treatment room in a clinic.
That does not mean any space will do. It means the assessment is about the space itself, not about the sign above the door.
The four conditions
- A doctor on the BIG register. Injectables may only be administered by, or under the responsibility of, a registered doctor. You can check the number yourself in the public BIG register.
- A suitable space. Separate, quiet, easy to clean, with a washbasin and even lighting. No pets, no draught from an open door, no cleaning round in progress.
- Sterile materials and registered products. Single-use needles opened in front of you, and a product with a batch number that goes into your record.
- An emergency protocol. Emergency medication on site, a known route to the nearest hospital, and a doctor who knows the protocol by heart.
What you may ask before you sit down
You may ask to see the packaging. You may ask for the BIG number. You may ask what happens if something goes wrong. A good practitioner answers these questions gladly, because they are the questions that show you are thinking.
Does someone get irritated by them, or brush them aside? Then you have your answer, whatever the room looks like.
What we bring ourselves
Sterile materials, registered products with batch numbers, emergency medication, and your record on a secured tablet. Sharps waste goes back with the doctor in an approved container, because a salon has no contract for medical waste and is not permitted to dispose of it.
The partner provides a space. Everything medical remains with us, including the responsibility.
Frequently asked questions
Is it allowed to treat outside a clinic?
Yes, provided the practitioner is authorised and competent and the circumstances are sound. The law sets requirements for who treats and how, not for the type of room.
Who is responsible if something goes wrong?
The treating doctor, covered by professional indemnity insurance. The salon provides the space; the assessment, the materials, the protocol and the waste disposal all rest with the doctor.
Can I check the BIG number myself?
Yes. The BIG register is public. Search for your practitioner's name on the register's website before your appointment.
Written by Dr Emma van Dijk, doctor at Calla Medical. This article is general information and does not replace personal medical advice; please discuss your own situation during a consultation.
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