Gaps in the management of beauty salons in Nghe An
In recent years, beauty service businesses have proliferated to meet people's beauty needs. In Nghe An province alone, there are 544 beauty salons and spas. However, many of these establishments operate illegally, creating numerous difficulties for state management.
Chaotic activity
In mid-July, according to reporters, the Mayo Clinic beauty salon (Nguyen Phong Sac Street, Vinh City) closed down and ceased operations after being fined and suspended for 4.5 months by the Inspectorate of the Department of Health.
This is not the only beauty salon in Nghe An province that uses many prohibited services. However, due to lax management, numerous establishments have yet to be penalized, or after being fined, they revert to their old practices.
According to statistics, there are 120 beauty salons and spas in Vinh City, but so far only 20 have self-declared and notified the Department of Health that they meet the requirements to provide beauty services. The rest either do not meet the requirements or have not yet submitted the notification to the state management agency as required.
According to current regulations, beauty salons are allowed to operate in three forms.The first,Cosmetic surgery hospitals and hospitals with specialized cosmetic surgery departments licensed to operate by the Ministry of Health;MondayThe cosmetic surgery clinic is a facility licensed to operate by the Department of Health.Tuesday,Cosmetic service establishments. Cosmetic service establishments are the most common type of business; they are not permitted to perform invasive procedures; they are not under the management of the Ministry of Health; they do not require an operating license but must provide written notification confirming that they meet the conditions for providing cosmetic services, using the prescribed form.
As of the end of 2023, a review by the Health Departments of the District People's Committees revealed 554 beauty salons and spas throughout the province. Of these, only 91 establishments had self-declared and notified the health departments of their respective districts and cities that they met the requirements to provide beauty services (accounting for 16.4%). Meanwhile, 463 establishments had either not self-declared or did not meet the requirements for self-declaration. Many establishments were operating illegally, practicing beyond their scope of expertise as stated in their self-declarations.
Regarding the Mayo Clinic, Mr. Tran Nguyen Truyen, Chief Inspector of the Department of Health, stated that this is an aesthetic facility not licensed by the Department of Health, therefore the unit cannot conduct regular inspections, but only after receiving complaints about unlicensed medical practice. "According to regulations, these facilities are managed by the local authorities, specifically the health departments of districts, cities, and towns," Mr. Truyen said.
Ms. Ho Thi Hoa, Head of the Health Department of Vinh City, said that previously, the unit had received several complaints about this beauty salon. The city subsequently conducted inspections and drew up reports, but could not impose penalties. That was also the only time the Vinh City Health Department conducted an inspection of this beauty salon. “After the inspection, we sent a document to the People's Committee of Hung Dung Ward, instructing the ward to regularly monitor and inspect the business operations of the establishment. If the establishment is found to be operating beyond its registered scope, it will be strictly dealt with according to the law,” Ms. Hoa said.
The ward lacks the resources and expertise to independently inspect and supervise these beauty establishments. "We only participate in coordination if the city sends an inspection team. If the ward conducts inspections on its own, it's impossible."
Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Khanh - Chairman of the People's Committee of Hung Dung Ward, Vinh City.
Due to inconsistent regulations, sanctions, and state management of cosmetic services, and a lack of coordinated efforts between agencies and departments, many loopholes have been created, allowing numerous cosmetic service businesses to operate illegally, exceed their licensed scope, and advertise beyond their expertise, leading to many incidents and negative consequences for customers.
Inspections need to be intensified.
Hospitals with cosmetic surgery departments and cosmetic surgery clinics are medical facilities that require operating licenses. Therefore, before commencing operations and providing cosmetic surgery services, these hospitals and clinics must go through the procedures to obtain an operating license from the competent authority. Meanwhile, cosmetic surgery service establishments, according to regulations, do not require an operating license; they only need a notification stating that they meet the conditions for providing cosmetic services, submitted to the local health department at least 10 days before commencing operations.
It is precisely because of these relatively "lenient" operating conditions that the management of cosmetic service establishments by district-level People's Committees faces many difficulties. As mentioned, at this time, only 91 out of 554 establishments have complied with the notification requirements. The remaining 463 establishments cannot be controlled to determine whether they are performing cosmetic tattooing, embroidery, or other cosmetic procedures.
Meanwhile, according to public feedback, many establishments frequently advertise and perform cosmetic services using drugs or substances and equipment to intervene in the human body, such as surgery, procedures, injections, radiation, waves, burning, or other invasive interventions, or tattooing, permanent makeup, and embroidery using injectable anesthetics, fillers, etc. Some even sell cosmetics of unknown origin and past their expiration date. Some establishments even collaborate with unlicensed, freelance doctors to perform invasive procedures exceeding permitted levels.
According to Ms. Ho Thi Hoa, these beauty salons need to be brought under the management of the Ministry of Health and must be licensed to operate like medical facilities. “Under current law, these beauty salons don't need operating licenses. They only need to register their business and self-report their operations, which is very easy, so they spring up like mushrooms. Once they open up everywhere, management becomes very difficult. When we go for inspections, through cameras, we know they're operating even before we enter the door. Therefore, when we inspect, everything is neat and compliant with regulations; we don't detect anything unusual. We only discover violations when people complain; it's very difficult to detect violations during inspections. Therefore, to manage them effectively, the law needs to be changed to bring them under the management and licensing of the Ministry of Health,” said the Head of the Health Department of Vinh City.
The management of cosmetic service establishments currently faces many shortcomings and difficulties. Many cosmetic service establishments do not require operating licenses. During operation, these establishments not only provide services such as permanent makeup, tattooing, and embroidery as advertised, but also use equipment and machinery to perform other services such as filler and Botox injections. Some establishments with weak capabilities advertise beyond their capacity and provide substandard services, leading to complaints, disputes, social disorder, and potential health risks to customers. The competent authorities need to consider and study specific regulations for cosmetic service businesses that require operating licenses, similar to those for home healthcare services and emergency services, to ensure effective management and supervision.
Ms. Tran Thi Cam Tu - Vice Chairperson of the People's Committee of Vinh City
