When a beauty salon violates regulations... a challenge

Recently, the Ho Chi Minh City health sector has discovered many unlicensed and illegally operating cosmetic facilities, as well as many establishments violating regulations on medical examination and treatment. Many of these offending establishments have displayed defiant, rebellious, and contemptuous attitudes towards the authorities.

For example, a patient with endometriosis suffered a critical anaphylactic shock after undergoing a vaginal cosmetic procedure at Diva Saigon Cosmetic Clinic (District 11). While the patient was receiving emergency treatment, a team from the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health arrived to investigate the incident, but the clinic staff reacted and resisted fiercely.

Or more recently, the Dr EVA business (District 10) defied an 18-month suspension order, brazenly advertising and offering services on Facebook, and then performing vaginal cosmetic procedures on customers. When the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health Inspectorate conducted a surprise inspection, those inside closed the doors, requiring assistance from local authorities. This time, authorities continued to discover violations in the field of medical examination and treatment.

Meanwhile, Saigon Shine Co., Ltd. (District 3) is operating under the guise of a dental clinic to illegally practice men's health. This facility has failed to comply with requests to remove illegal advertisements in the medical field and has not appeared to work with authorities despite being invited twice...

The defiant attitude of these violating establishments was previously pointed out by the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health at the end of 2023. This included the case of an owner of an unlicensed beauty salon in Thu Duc City who repeatedly resisted health inspectors. On social media, this person posted a video with statements showing contempt for the law and the health of the people...

To date, many beauty salons have been inspected and fined by authorities, but the blatant disregard for the law by violators makes management even more difficult. Some establishments that are suspended today simply reappear with new signs in the same location the next day and continue to violate regulations. The "cicada shedding its skin" trick is exploited by violators to the fullest, shifting the consequences onto the customers.

According to a cosmetic surgeon, the administrative penalties for unlicensed or illegally operating cosmetic clinics range from a few tens of millions to about 100 million VND (depending on the violation), which is very small compared to the actual profits these establishments earn. The insufficient deterrent effect of these penalties could backfire, leading violators to disregard the law, repeat violations, and circumvent regulatory authorities. If this defiant and dismissive attitude continues, the problem of illegal cosmetic clinics could become ineffective and resistant to enforcement.

MINH KHUE

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/khi-co-so-tham-my-vi-pham-thach-thuc-post751622.html