Introduction
The aesthetic industry is a field that develops and improves every year due to new scientific discoveries, technological advances, and consumer demand. Cosmetic procedures are becoming more accessible, and individuals are inclined to address certain aspects of their appearance through dermal therapy. Dermal therapy is based on science related to the cosmeceutical field, including laser procedures, microdermabrasion, light treatment, skin resurfacing techniques, and other similar interventions. All the medical procedures mentioned prior are popular among consumers and have been used in aesthetics for decades. However, the role of dermal therapists is somewhat unclear due to multiple factors involving the political, social, and legislative aspects of the industry itself. As a result, the role of a dermal therapist is not highly regulated either due to the complexity of the aesthetics field or the fact that the position is relatively new. However, the lack of guidelines and well-established regulations is harmful from multiple standpoints. First, the professionals in the field are not protected through global associations and written legislation regarding their obligations, duties, and procedures that can or cannot legally be performed by them. Thus, the roles are ambiguous as the governing bodies did not come to a clear consensus despite the effort of global and local professional associations.
It is also vital to pinpoint the adverse effects on the consumers who seek the procedures advertised by dermal therapists. A lack of regulations compromises their safety and rights as certain professionals may not be eligible for executing specific tasks that are either too advanced or involve major interventions. In this case, the individuals who see negative results after the procedures do not have clear instructions on how to minimize potential risks, seek compensation, or ask for the license of the professional to be removed. As a result, both the customer and the provider cannot be assisted in terms of well-regulated policies on the exact procedures, equipment, and safety rules that solely apply to dermal therapists. Thus, an intervention is needed for the global consideration of the scope and objectives of professionals in the field. This paper will exemplify how the lack of specific guidelines regarding dermal therapy negatively affects the professionals, the profession, and the industry itself. Moreover, the role of professional associations, both local and global, will be highlighted as a step towards are more ethically and legally regulated industry.
Aesthetic Associations
As the aesthetic industry is quickly improving and developing, new associations related to this field are forming both on federal and global levels. An example is the domain of aesthetic plastic surgery represented by the European Association of Societies of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, an organization that aims to improve the industry through promotion, advocacy, and experience exchange (European Association of Societies of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, 2022). This is an example of a global association of plastic surgeons, yet similar entities operate on state and federal levels. Another example is the Aesthetics International Association (AIA), which incorporates more professions, including dermal therapists, beauticians, and other positions not necessarily related to invasive procedures. AIA advocates for countries to implement separate licensing for each aesthetic-related expertise, which would help regulate the beauty industry and minimize risks both for the providers and the customers (AIA, 2022). In order for the suggestion to be examined from the perspective of dermal therapy, it is essential to consider the background of the field, the legal and ethical implications, as well as the role of governing bodies and professional associations.
Dermal Therapy
It is essential to mention that dermal therapy is a relatively new field that is not regulated, yet certain procedures correlate with the objectives of individuals operating in this particular domain. Namely, dermal therapists specialize in cosmeceutical procedures, including light treatments and microneedling (de Vries et al., 2021b). The roles are not defined, and no standard guidelines when it comes to the role of dermal therapists are implemented in legislation. This is attributed to the fact that the field is fairly new, and it is yet to become extensive enough to be considered by legislators as a domain that is to be assessed (de Vries et al., 2021a). However, while the domain itself is still developing, the procedures that are being executed by dermal therapists were present long before. For example, microdermabrasion was first introduced to the market in 1985 and has been since performed by multiple individuals within the aesthetic industry, from trained physicians to beauticians (Shah & Crane, 2018). In Australia, in particular, multiple procedures involving epidermal therapy are self-regulated and not extensively mentioned in policies and legislative requirements (Viney, 2017). Such interventions as laser use for skin rejuvenation and hair removal are often performed in dermal therapy yet are not highly regulated (Kaya & Guvenc, 2019). Nonetheless, the frequency with which customers seek such procedures highlights the importance of regulatory measures.
Ethical and Legal Considerations
Like any other industry correlating with risks and direct communication and interaction with clients, the aesthetic industry requires considerations in terms of the legislative and ethical aspects. The ethical and legal perspective, however, is not only important for the consumers in terms of protection but also for the workers and businesses providing the services. Researchers mention that the medical spas that offer a wide range of aesthetic services are often unregulated, causing nonphysicians to perform complex procedures and increasing the risks of infections, side effects, and other negative outcomes (Valiga et al., 2021). On the other hand, since no policies and guidelines exist when it comes to determining the limits for each field, it is challenging to blame businesses for taking the opportunity to capitalize on this phenomenon. Leow (2017) specifically highlights the extent of this problem in Australia. The federal regulations not only differ based on the states but are sometimes inexistent and create ethical and legal limitations.
From an ethical standpoint, the aesthetic industry is closely related to healthcare in terms of close contact with the patient, addressing physical issues, and performing procedures based on each customer’s individual needs.
The Role of Professional Associations
Both global and local associations advocate for the legal protection of the workers and the clients to ensure the most prolific practice possible. From this standpoint, policies aimed to protect consumers and providers would encourage the field of dermal therapy to strive and develop ethically. Consumers would be able to access available procedures knowing they are performed by experts, and the providers would be protected by law in case a mistake occurs or a customer is unsatisfied with either results or the intervention itself. An example of a federal organization aimed to improve the legislative aspect of the aesthetic industry is the Australian Society of Dermal Clinicians, a non-profit association advocating for more rigid and precise regulations (2022). Such organizations, both global and local, have the potential to influence governments and governing bodies in terms of implementing licensing procedures and scopes for experts in the field.
Conclusion
It is certain that the aesthetic industry is still evolving, which highlights the challenge of a lack of regulations when it comes to fields such as dermal therapy. On the other hand, dermal therapists perform some of the most popular procedures on the beauty market, which is why customers are at risk due to a lack of adequate guidelines. The implications of limitations in terms of legal and ethical barriers related to the unregulated aesthetic industry prevents it from becoming fully transparent both for providers and consumer. On the one hand, customers cannot be guaranteed efficacy while the individuals operating in the field are not protected by law. An individual seeking the intervention of a dermal therapist has to have a rigid ethical implication in terms of the safety of the substances and equipment used, the effectiveness of the procedures, and the minimization of possible risks. The ethical issue extends to the therapists themselves as they are not protected or allowed to operate based on specific guidelines, which highlights the issue of a lack of legislative norms.
The role of both local and global professional associations is tremendous as they can potentially influence the governing bodies in regard to advocacy for policy implementations and regulations. This can shape the aesthetic field and make it safer for those seeking the procedures as well as those delivering them. At the moment, the highly regulated fields are certainly ones in which patients are at most risk due to the invasiveness of the interventions, such as plastic surgery. However, professional organizations worldwide aim for similar methods to be applied to a variety of domains, including dermal therapy. It is certain that such associations are helpful in terms of promoting efficacious practices and forming communities in which experts in the field can communicate and learn new skills.
References
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