High tech, high risk?

The use of technology in beauty treatments is increasing, as is the scope of applications, however safety for operatives and clients should never be compromised.

Whilst many salons will be considering investing in laser or IPL equipment for beauty, hair removal, and anti-ageing treatments, it may also be worth considering tattoo removal – a growing sector.

Michael Murphy, Lead Trainer for Laser at LA Beautiful (laerase.online) and LA Erase and General Secretary of the Laser Safety Association told us that an estimated 20 million Brits have at least one tattoo, and around 1.5 million pieces of body art are needled in annually – creating an industry said to be worth £80m. Hence, the industry to remove them is just as buoyant.

“Statistics show a 440% increase in revenues from removal procedures in the past decade, with 39% of adults surveyed regretting their ink,” said Michael, “and yet without a good understanding of lasers and their potential hazards, safety will always be compromised – that is when accidents happen. A good risk assessment of your laser room, coupled with having a trained Laser Protection Supervisor (LPS), will help to minimise unwanted incidents. But laser safety must be a constant priority, not merely an annual safety check and it must involve everyone.”

Safety in a laser tattoo removal environment is absolutely critical – for both staff and patients. Both Local Authorities and Insurers are focusing increasingly on the training of technicians and the safe use of lasers from hair removal, skin rejuvenation and tattoo removal.

Every clinic and medi-spa should be asking themselves the following:

• Are we properly trained?
• Do we have a Laser Protection Supervisor (LPS)?
• Is our insurance adequate?
• Are we covered if we do not have an LPS?

“Specifically for laser tattoo removal, the lasers used in these procedures are all Class 4, which means that they are in the most dangerous category for laser hazards,” said Michael. “In particular, these lasers can induce permanent eye damage from just one single pulse. This is true for both Q-switched and picosecond lasers.”

There are a set of international regulations which covers the protection levels of laser safety glasses. In the UK these are described in the Standard BS EN207:2017 – this lays down the minimum safety levels which all laser glasses must meet to ensure safe usage of those lasers. The ‘Minimum Permissible Exposure’ (MPE) for skin and eyes can be found in published tables for a large range of wavelengths.

“If you’re not sure about how safe your laser glasses are, ask a Laser Protections Advisor (LPA). Don’t take chances with your, or your clients, eyes!” Michael stressed.

Clinics offering any form of laser treatments including tattoo removal, skin rejuvenation and IPL should have at least one fully trained Laser Safety Officer (LSO). Training should be delivered by experts in laser tattoo removal and laser safety. Contact the Association of Laser Safety Professionals for more information.

Laser clinics should carry out risk assessments to ensure a safe, working environment. The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations require a risk assessment of all work activities in such clinics. The risk assessment should identify all key hazards at all stages of laser procedures. The risk – the likelihood and severity – of harm occurring to anyone carrying out laser work, including patients and other staff, must be assessed and suitable precautions identified and implemented to minimise the risk of those hazards causing harm. This is particularly important when considering Class 4 lasers, as used in tattoo removal, because of the high risk of eye damage.

Any risk assessment should consider the laser, its proper use, user training, the beam delivery system, the clinical treatment process, the immediate environment and potential risk of fire, electrocution and any other possible hazard. It is a legal requirement for clinic owners to take adequate precautions to minimise any possible hazards found. It is also important to document assessments and actions properly.

Apart from the potentially harmful and often permanent injury to consumers, another serious risk is permanent eye damage. Regardless of how much a device costs, the risk of eye damage is a real hazard for both the patient and the laser user, and using the wrong or inadequate safety glasses is a danger.  Many systems, especially those purchased cheaply online do not come with the proper safety glasses (they’re too expensive to include!). Do not risk your or your patients’ eyes – make sure that you have the right safety glasses.

Staff with little or no training are also a threat not only to the consumer but to your business. Training staff yourself or learning from a book is a false economy. They must be properly trained by laser experts or a registered LPA – definitely not other users ‘who have used lasers for years’!

Likewise, using equipment which hasn’t been fully serviced, checked and calibrated will inevitably end up in tears. You must ensure that your laser is safe to use and properly serviced and maintained by your provider. We receive many calls from those who have purchased unseen or untested equipment online from companies that do not have a UK representative or support team – saving money should never come before patient safety.

If you need any specific advice on the safe use of lasers in your clinic, please contact an LPA at the earliest opportunity. Visit laserprotectionadviser.com for details on the current legislation and requirements to ensure you operate a safe laser clinic, and protect your staff and patients.

You can find much more useful information in the following Standards and documents:

• British Standard BS EN 60825-1:2007 Safety of laser products – Part 1: Equipment classification and requirements.
• MHRA – Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (An executive agency of the Department of Health). Guidance on the safe use of lasers, intense light source systems and LEDs in medical, surgical, dental and aesthetic practices – DB2008(03) April 2008
• PD IEC TR 60825 – 14:2004 Safety of laser products – Part 14: A user’s guide
• British Standard BS EN 207:2017 Full protection eyewear standard – lasers
• British Standard BS ISO 12609-1:2013 Full protection eyewear standard – IPL devices