Last November, The National Post reported that Alberta Health aims to eliminate 500 nursing jobs over the next three years in an effort to find efficiency in the budget.

Not surprisingly, we have had nurses come to us for guidance on how they can use their training and experience in the beauty industry.

Nurses working with injectables.

Nurses who join the beauty industry are often interested in offering injectables. Botox and fillers are amongst the fastest growing services in the beauty industry,

Alberta Health asks 3 questions when it comes to injectables:

1. Who can buy it?
2. Who prescribed it?
3. Who administers it?

If you a member of any college of nursing in Alberta (such as CARNA, CLPNA, or CPSA) you have to check with your college to see what you as a member are allowed to administer as a nursing professional.

If you want to provide aesthetic services, there are multiple medispas that hire RNs to administer injectables. For example, some spas work directly with doctors who are able to get and prescribe the injectables and the RN administers it.

Each manufacturer may have their own rules around a physician being present in the facility when injections are being administered. You will have to contact the manufacturers in question and inquire about their specific instructions.

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Cosmetic Botox® and Nurse Colleges

Botox is a Schedule 1 drug and therefore requires a prescription. Once a prescription has been written, it is currently up to each college to decide whether to allow their members to administer the drug, and under what conditions.

Botox® Manufacturer’s instructions

ALLERGAN’s instructions for use of Botox generally state that injections can only be given by physicians with the appropriate qualifications and experience in the treatment and the use of required equipment.

Who can buy it?

The sale of Botox is regulated federally. Only certain health professionals can purchase this drug legally.

Illegal Cosmetic Botox

Health Canada says is very interested in any inappropriate sales of Botox®. Alberta Health asks you report any suspected illegal sale of Botox.

Cosmetic Botox® and Alberta Health Violations

Alberta Health is not proposing a policy on the use of drugs in personal service settings, but, if reports arise that Botox is being offered in an unsanitary manner, steps will be taken by health inspectors to correct those violations.

The amended Personal Services Regulation and Standards require an operator using cosmetic Botox to follow any accompanying instructions for safe use.

Alberta Health Inspectors may also take referral steps if an inspector suspected irregularity with the purchase, prescription or administration of the drug. These referrals might be to a regulatory college, Health Canada, Alberta Health or to administrators the Pharmacy Act.

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Classification of Dermal Fillers

Dermal fillers (Polymethyl-methacrylate microspheres (PMMA) and Hyaluronic Acid) are neither a drug, nor a cosmetic. Rather they are a Class 3 medical device (given how far they are inserted into the body).

Sale of Class 3 medical devices

There are no restrictions placed on these devices by Health Canada as to who can sell them. Some manufacturer’s state that the fillers are only to be used by a health care practitioner.

Dermal fillers and Alberta Health

The newly updated Personal Services Standards regulate the use of fillers to require that they carry the product name, a list of ingredients and instructions for safe use. Also, any instructions for safe use must be followed by the operator.

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EXECUTIVE SPA GROUP

Beauty Industry Resource Centre

(780) 604-2772

info@executivespagroup.com

The year 2020 is bringing many anticipated changes to government-regulated industry standards.

While some occupations in the beauty industry are heavily regulated, others remain relatively unsupervised. This has led to numerous consumer complaints varying from spa and worker hygiene to severe injury resulting from negligence to Alberta Health and Alberta Health Services.

Through discussions with industry representatives, business owners, and provincial, territorial and federal health partners and stakeholders, the government of Alberta (Alberta Health) has updated previous Health Standards and Guidelines. For clarification purposes, the new updates apply to all types of personal services businesses including commercial, home-based, mobile, special-event, and vehicle-based businesses.

This article breaks down and interprets the updates into 5 sections of the Personal Services Standards guidelines.

If you are new to the beauty industry and are operating a home business, we recommend our Canadian Spa Industry Standards course to ensure that your business meets regulatory requirements and obligations for the protection of public health and your growing business.

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SECTION 1- OPERATIOR’S DUTIES

SECTION 2 – PERSONAL SERVICES WORKERS’ DUTIES

SECTION 3- COMING SOON

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EXECUTIVE SPA GROUP

Beauty Industry Mobility Across Canada

With the growing number of beauty professionals in this country, we thought we would take a look at employment mobility through Canada. While certification standards differ from province to province, here are some things you need to know if you are planning to move.

In Canada, all of the provinces and territories have regulation for hairstylists through the Red Seal Journeyman Certification. With this certificate, you are able to legally work from province to province. However, each province has different standards of training, so check out the National Employment Requirements to find out what you need to begin your trade. Barbering falls under the Hairstylist occupation as well, so certification will still be mandatory to practice this specialized craft.

As an Esthetician in Canada, however, you may find your mobility limited, as few provinces have regulation trade requirements:

• New Brunswick regulates Estheticians.
• Manitoba regulates their Electrologists and Estheticians through Apprenticeship Manitoba
• Saskatchewan divides their esthetic regulations between Nail Technicians and Skin Care specialists, also through an apprenticeship and trade certification commission.

Training and on-the-job hours may transfer to a regulated province if you meet their individual criteria. If you are moving outside of a regulated province, your training and certification will be appealing to employers in a province that does not have these requirements.

While the country is looking to start standardizing esthetics, hairstyling is the only beauty industry career that has national standards. If you are considering moving, or you need more information about labour mobility in Canada, visit Worker’s Mobility.

EXECUTIVE SPA GROUP