It's high time beauty parlours shape up on hygiene in Dubai

BY PMA RASHEED

The Gulf Today, 16 Dec 2009

Strict controls have been imposed on ladies' beauty parlours operating in Dubai in order to ensure compliance with the civic body's regulations on the highest hygiene standards to be followed by such establishments.

For ensuring quality services to customers and protecting them from various transmissible diseases, Dubai Municipality (DM) has drafted a set of regulatory requirements for the ladies' beauty salons, said a senior DM member.

Redha Salman, Director of Public Health and Safety Department of the DM, said, "Any irregularities or abuse found at the emirate's beauty parlours will invite strict penal actions, as neglect may cause the spread of communicable diseases like Hepatitis-B, Aids and tuberculosis. All sorts of equipment and devices should be maintained in clean, safe and hygienic conditions."

"The newly-drafted measures against violating ladies' beauty salons will be implemented during the next phase of a health safety campaign that was launched by the municipality last week," he added.

Penal action

According to him, the activities of ladies' salons in the city will be closely monitored by the DM in cooperation with the Department of Economic Development, and the establishments will be issued heavy fines if they are found not adhering to the set of criteria. Unauthorised operations of beauty parlours will face stringent penalties.

"The activities at the beauty centres include provision of cosmetic treatments for hair, skin and nails such as cleaning, washing, colouring and hair cutting and dressing as well as eyebrow shaping, make-up, skin treatments and henna designing," Salman defined.

Debarred services

He pointed out that general beauty parlours are not allowed to offer massage services or to provide customers with equipment for losing body weight, nor with devices for enlargement or reducing the size of organs, tanning treatments for skin colour changes and cleaning of organs like colons.

"Only specialised clinics are permitted to perform such services. To offer such services, the establishments have to convert their status to specialised beauty clinics.

After approval

The change of status and inclusion of additional services will be approved after confirming the adopted facilities. All of the equipment and devices should be installed after obtaining medical certification from the Ministry of Health (MoH)," he explained.

Salman called upon all hairdressing salons in the emirate to commit themselves to the hygiene requirements in order to provide a healthy environment for the customers of these salons and barbershops, as they are the most frequented of public places - by people of all ages, cultures and habits, health and social levels.

"Technicians and barbers working in beauty parlours and hair dressing salons should sterilise their hands, wear gloves, and mask their faces before getting to work on a suitably reassured customer," Salman said.