IPL & Laser Safety - Regulate From The Ground Up!

Would it shock you to know that in NSW, you can buy and use a laser /IPL machine with NO training, NO industry regulation, and NO oversight? I know it’s shocked everyone I’ve ever told!

To date, anyone in NSW is able to purchase an IPL/laser or energy based device with NO TRAINING. These people do not need a degree in health, medicine, dermal science or physics… It’s absolutely dumbfounding and highly dangerous! What I’m really saying is that you can go out and buy yourself a machine, label yourself a laser technician and in NSW it is PERFECTLY LEGAL to do so! Moreover, there is no industry body that oversees training, skill, knowledge, or even that the machine you’re using is in working order!

Okay, now that I’ve scared you… Sorry… What does this all mean for you, the consumer? I’ve put it primarily down to RISK.

• A lack of regulation has led to a crisis in patient care, such that IPL and laser complications are now one of the top reasons for medico-legal claims in NSW.

• Regulation in the laser industry is, at present, in its infancy and still has a long way to go to regulating ALL medical grade devices.

• Safety and regulation is left to the practitioner, it is a voluntary exercise and one that the consumer should look into BEFORE undergoing treatment.

Now for the good news… Thrive Skin Clinic ensures that the only staff in our clinic who are allowed to even touch the IPL machine are our registered nurses, dermal clinicians, and Dr. Jemima Grant, who have ALL had the necessary and ongoing safety training needed to provide our clients with the best in care. We are not shy in saying that we have put a significant amount of money and time into staff training, machine servicing, and ongoing education. This doesn’t take into account the years of study our doctors, nurses and dermal therapists have spent at university or obtaining post graduate studies in physics, chemistry and basic skin science. Our equipment is medical grade (powerful) and TGA approved. While it is much more expensive to invest in this equipment and education, for us it's is a no brainer -  patient safety comes FIRST. Burning clients, blindness and scarring are UNACCEPTABLE outcomes for us.

Our clinical model is such that our medical director, Dr. Jemima Grant, ensures oversight to ALL clients. In practical terms, this means that Dr. Grant is available to advise, research current evidence, and can reach out to her aesthetic peers to provide safe protocols for clients. As an example, it is occasionally difficult to know the cause of pigmentation, the optimal laser setting, or to know what medications and medical issues are going to effect a treatment. In these instances, it is better to delay treatment, seek help and try a few test patches before proceeding. Or sometimes, it is safer to not treat at all.

Increasingly,  we are referred clients presenting with issues from other salons and clinics with laser and IPL related complications. The main issue we see is post-inflammatory pigmentation, where the face or body responds to a heat treatment with unsightly, dark pigmentation. Another issue we all too often hear about is blindness (YES! Blindness!) from NdYag laser. Lasers and IPL machines are not toys! As a community, we all need to speak up about this to try and improve patient safety. Regulation is under review, but it has taken years to achieve mere discussions… Unacceptable, really.

We believe that the best way to increase patient safety is to educate our client population: a grassroots kind of regulation! So, this is our #TopFiveTips that you can take with you if you choose to have an IPL or laser treatment in NSW.

1. Ask questions about the machine

   • “Is this machine approved for use in Australia?”

   • “How often is this machine serviced?”

   • “What kind of a machine is this, is it a medical grade machine?”

   • “Do these eye protectors comply with current industry standards?”

   If your technician can’t answer these simple questions without hesitation, it’s time to get out! It’s not worth playing with fire (literally) when it comes to your skin.

2. Ask questions about the technician

   • “What kind of training have you had in this field?”

   • “Do you have your laser and IPL safety certificate?”

   • “Can you show me evidence of your ongoing education and training?”

   If your technician can not show sufficient evidence that they are fully qualified for the job, you know what to do!

   Get out of there… It’s just not worth it!

3. As a patient, have you been thoroughly assessed?

   • Has the technician assessed your skin using the Fitzpatrick Scale?

   • Has your technician assessed your current medications, allergies, and medical issues?

   • Has your technician told you the risks or contraindications of your treatment?

   If your technician does not ask you a few simple questions to assess your suitability for treatment, you should reconsider! It’s important that your technician knows what is going on with your skin and health! This can effect the treatment outcome and it may not be in a positive way… These treatments aren’t cookie-cutter treatments! They rely on unique settings and patient care when it comes to an ongoing treatment plan.

4. Spot test?

   A spot test is when we check a small area of the skin to ensure laser or IPL settings are safe and optimised for your skin. For those of you with lighter skin, this is less important but still optimal if you’d like to do so. For those of you with darker skin tones or of Asian, Indian, Aboriginal or Mediterranean backgrounds THIS IS ESSENTIAL. These are the clients we are seeing weekly who present with dark scarring on their face and body from inappropriate settings… Not ideal!

5. Consider the cost

   You should always consider the cost of your safety. The cost of treatment should be the last point of order on your checklist! Yes, treatment might be $5 but have you weighed up how viable this price is? Will your cheap treatment cause you more financial pain in the long run? Please make sure you weigh up all your options before proceeding with treatment!

Let’s be clear - This post is not a rant stating that all laser technicians must be doctors and nurses. This is not the case at all! In fact at Thrive Skin Clinic, our medical team therapists work and collaborate all the time and our dermal therapists who are all extremely proficient at laser and IPL. Laser safety is not about operator’s background, but about training, experience, and the clinic culture of support and ongoing education to keep us clinician’s accountable and patients safe!

IMAGE: © THRIVE SKIN CLINIC