Hong Kong doctors say beauticians should not handle high risk procedures and devices
Government to hold meeting next Monday with stakeholders over proposed regulations beauty therapy medical devices
A collective of Hong Kong doctor groups has argued that a number of risky medical devices and beauty procedures should be operated by them, not by beauticians.
The proposal said beauticians who have completed government-recognised training would be allowed to operate the devices either under a registered doctor’s supervision or alone, depending on the riskiness of the procedure. But the supervising doctor would not be required to be present the entire time.
Despite the tighter rules, a group of five medical societies related to plastic surgery and dermatology on Wednesday called for even stricter regulation and for some devices to be used only by doctors.
Plasma devices for skin resurfacing, which beauticians use to reduce wrinkles, was considered by the government to be safe for trained beauticians to perform alone in the regulatory proposal.
However, Dr Ho Chiu-ming, a specialist in plastic surgery and council member of the Society of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons, disputed the decision.