Loopholes in the management of cosmetic facilities in Nghe An
In recent years, more and more beauty service establishments have appeared to meet people's beauty needs. In Nghe An, there are up to 544 beauty establishments, spas... However, many establishments operate illegally, causing many difficulties for state management.
Chaotic activity
In mid-July, according to the reporter's records, Mayo Clinic Cosmetic Institute (Nguyen Phong Sac Street, Vinh City) closed and stopped operating after being fined and suspended for 4.5 months by the Department of Health Inspectorate.
This is not the only beauty salon in Nghe An province that uses many prohibited services. However, due to lax management, many facilities have not been punished, or after being punished, everything is back to normal.
According to statistics, in Vinh City there are 120 beauty salons, spas..., but so far only 20 facilities have self-declared and notified that they meet the conditions to provide beauty services through the Department of Health. The rest are either not qualified, or have not yet sent notices to state management agencies as prescribed.
According to current regulations, cosmetic establishments can exist in three forms.The first,Cosmetic surgery hospitals and hospitals with cosmetic surgery specialties licensed by the Ministry of Health;Monday, cosmetic surgery clinic is a facility licensed to operate by the Department of Health;Tuesday,Cosmetic service establishments. Cosmetic service establishments are the most numerous type, not allowed to use invasive services; not under the management of the health sector; do not require an operating license but must have a written notice of meeting the conditions for providing cosmetic services according to the form.
By the end of 2023, through the review of the district-level People's Committee Health Departments, the whole province had 554 beauty salons, spas... Of these, only 91 facilities had self-declared and notified that they met the conditions for providing beauty services through the district and city health departments (accounting for 16.4%). Meanwhile, there were still 463 facilities that had not self-declared or did not meet the prescribed conditions for self-declaration. Many facilities were still operating in disguise, practicing beyond the scope of expertise,... prescribed in the self-declared version.
Regarding the Mayo Clinic Cosmetic Institute, Mr. Tran Nguyen Truyen - Chief Inspector of the Department of Health said that this is a cosmetic facility not licensed by the Department of Health, so the unit cannot conduct regular inspections, but only after receiving a complaint of unlicensed medical practice. "According to regulations, these facilities are managed by local authorities. Specifically, the health departments of districts, cities and towns," Mr. Truyen said.
Ms. Ho Thi Hoa - Head of Vinh City Health Department said that the unit had previously received a number of complaints about this cosmetic facility. The city then organized an inspection and made a record but could not impose a fine. That was also the only time the Vinh City Health Department organized an inspection at this cosmetic facility. "After the inspection, we sent a document to the People's Committee of Hung Dung Ward, assigning the ward to regularly monitor and inspect the business activities of the facility. If the facility is found to be operating beyond the scope of its registration, it will be strictly handled according to the provisions of the law," Ms. Hoa said.
The ward does not have the manpower or expertise to inspect and supervise these beauty salons on its own. “We will only cooperate if the city has an inspection team. If the ward inspects itself, we cannot.
Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Khanh - Chairman of Hung Dung Ward People's Committee. Vinh City
Due to the lack of uniformity in regulations, sanctions, and state management of cosmetic service business, the lack of coordination between agencies, departments, and sectors has created many loopholes, causing many cosmetic service businesses to operate illegally, operate beyond the scope of their licenses, advertise beyond their expertise, etc., causing many incidents and consequences for customers.
Need to strengthen inspection
Hospitals with cosmetic specialties and cosmetic clinics are medical examination and treatment facilities that must have an operating license. Therefore, before operating and providing cosmetic surgery services, these hospitals and clinics must complete procedures to have a license issued by the competent authority. Meanwhile, for cosmetic service facilities, according to regulations, they are not required to have an operating license, but only need a written notice of meeting the conditions for providing cosmetic services sent to the medical department where the headquarters is located at least 10 days before operating.
This relatively “lenient” regulation on operating conditions is the reason why the management of the District People’s Committee for aesthetic service establishments is facing many difficulties. As mentioned, at this time, only 91/554 establishments have made the announcement. The remaining 463 service establishments cannot be controlled whether they perform cosmetic spraying, tattooing, or embroidery or not.
Meanwhile, through people's feedback, many establishments often advertise widely and perform cosmetic services using drugs or substances, devices to intervene in the human body such as surgery, procedures, interventions with injections, injections, pumping, radiation, waves, burning or other invasive interventions or tattooing, spraying, embroidering on the skin using injectable anesthetics, injecting fillers... even trading in cosmetics of unknown origin, origin and expired. Some establishments also collude with doctors "running shows, performing surgeries on the street, performing illegal surgeries" to perform invasive techniques beyond the permitted level.
According to Ms. Ho Thi Hoa, these beauty salons need to be put under the management of the health sector and must be licensed to operate like medical facilities. “According to current law, these beauty salons do not need to be licensed to operate. They only need to register their business and self-announce their operations, which is very easy and has sprung up like mushrooms. When they open widely, management is also very difficult. We go to check, through the camera, they already know before they even enter the door. Therefore, when we go to check, everything is neat and in accordance with regulations, nothing unusual is discovered. We only discover it when people report it, but when we check, it is very difficult to detect violations. Therefore, to manage well, we need to change the law, to put them under the management and licensing of the health sector,” said the Head of the Vinh City Health Department.
The management of cosmetic service establishments currently has many shortcomings and difficulties. Cosmetic service establishments are not required to have an operating license. During operation, cosmetic service establishments not only provide spraying, tattooing, and embroidery services as announced, but also use equipment and machinery, and perform other services such as injecting substances such as fillers and botox. Some cosmetic service establishments have weak capacity but advertise beyond their capacity, perform services that do not ensure quality, leading to complaints, disputes, causing social insecurity and disorder, and potentially affecting the health of customers... Competent authorities need to consider and research specific regulations for types of cosmetic service businesses that must be licensed to operate, such as: Home health care service establishments; emergency service establishments... for effective management and supervision.
Ms. Tran Thi Cam Tu - Vice Chairman of Vinh City People's Committee
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