Council debunks myths of self-claimed "non-surgical cosmetictreatments" - CHOICE # 375

If wrinkle removal and skin whitening by the simple act of injections sound too good to be true, you cannot be more correct.

The Consumer Council has surveyed a rapidly emerging market touting consumers with what it claims to be the latest in new cosmetic technology - so-called "non-surgical cosmetic treatment" that could actually impose health risks to the public.

The "innovative" treatments being marketed includes whitening drips, injection of placenta extract and even carbon dioxide.

But how effective are such treatments? Can they be delivered competently? What are the risks?

In light of the above and other concerns of various stakeholders, the Consumer Council has sought the views of professional bodies - the Hong Kong Society of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons, the Society of Hospital Pharmacists of Hong Kong, and the Hong Kong Association of Traditional Chinese Medicine as well as the public health authority - Department of Health.

One general consensus that emerged clearly is: there is scant scientific evidence to support the use of whitening drips, placenta extract and carbon dioxide for their claimed effects on the skin.

Besides injection form of cosmetic treatments, there is also another presentation known as gold thread facelift.

For this latter form of treatment, the patient will need a local anesthetic, after which a tube will be inserted into the face for the subsequent threading of a golden web into the skin and/or deeper underlying tissues. It is claimed that the golden thread can trigger body reaction so that collagen will coat the thread and thus the achievement of a fuller skin tone and increased elasticity.

Last year, a medical journal Aesthetic Plastic Surgery reported on a patient who developed facial pain after she had undergone three so-called gold thread lift suspension procedures within 10 years. Skull radiographs revealed complete fragmentation of all the implants and a total loss of their vector orientation.

At present, pharmaceutical products and medical practice are governed by the Pharmacy and Poisons Ordinance and Medical Registration Ordinance respectively. Apparently, the self-claimed "non-surgical cosmetic treatments" fall outside the jurisdiction of the above laws.

As dermal fillers are classified as medical devices in many other countries, the Government is urged to speed up the regulation of medical devices in Hong Kong. At present, such products are subject to voluntary administrative control by Department of Health.

As regards regulatory measures on cosmetic treatment by injection, if the substance to be injected is not a pharmaceutical product, there is no specific legal requirement on the conditions of injection or qualification of the person giving it.

The Department of Health considered that since the differentiation between medical and cosmetic therapy can be difficult and may have to be judged on a case by case basis, whether there has been legal contravention may not be easy to tell at the outset of any incident.

The Department remarked that if a pharmaceutical product is involved, it must first be registered with the Pharmacy and Poisons Board according to the Pharmacy and Poisons Ordinance. During the registration assessment, a product's form for its indicated use(s) which route(s) must be declared.

In that connection, the Undesirable Medical Advertisements Ordinance prohibits the advertising of any treatment for the correction of deformity or the surgical alteration of a person's appearance. Nevertheless, advertisements on wrinkle removal or improvement to appearance through the so-called non-surgical means may not be straight forward offenders and will require careful scrutiny.

On the part of the consumers, they are always advised to study the details of the treatments carefully, including evidence for claimed benefits and short and long term undesirable effects. Always weigh the benefits and the risks. Also, make sure that the persons offering the service are adequately trained and sufficiently experienced. Available options must also be considered before coming to a final decision.

The Consumer Council received a total of five complaints related to cosmetic treatment cited above over the past three years. The complaints were largely about side-effects, unsatisfactory results, misleading claims or sales practice.