According to recent beauty industry statistics, we in the UK spend an average of £8.6 billion at hairdressers and personal care salons a year, with the average person spending an equivalent of £166 on personal care treatments annually. Research indicates that the most popular beauty and aesthetic treatments in the UK are Laser Hair removal, Nail treatments, Microblading / Microneedling with Botox and Brow Lamination appearing together in joint 5th place.
It is perhaps therefore not surprising to note that research published by a major insurer reveals the treatments with the most insurance claims in UK salons to be eyebrow / eyelash tinting (being responsible for 28% of all claims), followed by claims for nail injuries, hair extensions, and then microblading and hair removal.
Given the potential danger arising from such treatments, in what remains a largely unregulated industry, how can you make sure that you are not placing yourself at unnecessary risk?
My advice, if you are considering an aesthetic treatment, is to make sure that you do your research into any treatment and the products used. You can reduce the risk of injury by researching the provider and treatment, before making a booking. It’s a good idea to check the salon’s website for customer reviews and ensure practitioners are appropriately trained and insured. You should select a practitioner who is qualified in the treatment(s) offered and look for impartial reviews, examples of their work and that any premises they work from feels clean and sterile. You should discuss your potential treatment with the practitioner in detail before commencing, both in terms of the cosmetic results you are hoping to achieve from it as well as any important aftercare information for infection control.
Lastly, you should also ensure that any preliminary steps prior to the treatment itself, such as a patch test, are carried out before going ahead with the full treatment. Both tinting and microblading can trigger allergic reactions resulting in redness, swelling and even difficulties breathing, which is why performing a patch test is of the utmost importance.
Whilst a prudent business owner should have insurance, even those that do can run into difficulties because their insurance policy doesn’t cover certain events. For example, a policy may cover injury such as if a client were to slip walking across the salon or clinic floor but the terms may exclude an injury claim if it related to the treatment itself such as an infection at an injection site. If you are receiving a treatment, it is important to see evidence that your practitioner is fully insured for the specific treatment they are providing before commencing.
If you have had an aesthetic procedure which has gone wrong then please contact us on 0800 731 8434 to discuss your potential claim further.
