Intimate waxing no gloves! Is this right?

[angelina221]

It's not law and also on Habias website it states that a new spatula should be used for a new client or for a new area and not for each dip. I never double dip with my non-strip wax. I do double dip in my strip wax as I wax the whole area first and my spatula doesn't touch the skin, the wax does. Any wax that touches the skin, stays on the skin and never makes it way back into the waxpot.
I always wear gloves for intimate waxing but I don't for any other waxing.
It is also extremely hard to contaminate a waxpot.
One study that was carried out took samples from waxpots that had not been double-dipped in and waxpots that had and there was no difference.
Tankgerl, I can't believe how much you pay for your spatulas and gloves-you woz robbed!

 

[Gina Ballerina]

I'm not even going the read other replies on this one so sorry if this repeats anyones answer -

IT IS ILLEAGAL under UK health and safety law regarding personal protective equipment (PPE) and other areas that mention it; to carry out ANY waxing without the use single use disposable gloves, no matter what area you are treating be it eyebrows, lip, underarms, bikini line, hollywood, legs or any other area that can be waxed.

Not only would I or any customer not want someones hands near me with no gloves on a general cleanliness level, but those who don't wear gloves leave themselves and their customers open to lots of complications and infections. All areas waxed no matter how carefully will draw at minimum spots of blood, not only that not everyone knows what infections/diseases they themselves may or may not have. If the therapist has and cut spot small injury wound on her hands and as I've already mentioned as a client there will always be spots of blood -- then thats possible transmition of hepititus, aids, HIV, or any other infection carried in the blood!!!

I am also eaqually discusted by any therapist who does waxing using the same spatular through out any single treatment....Which by the way is as illeagal under health and safety law for the very same reasons as above. Plus in using the same spatular even if it is only a new one per client, is introducing blood, skin and hair at a minimum to your wax pot,then contaminating it and anyone else it is used on.

Given the costly alternative of court and possiable prosecution, really is £6 a box of 100 gloves and £1.20 per pack of spatulars that much to spend out!!!? Not to mention the excuse of they are mounting costs etc - Then you should have built that cost into your pricing structor thats part of how you work out treatment costs.

Okay, sorry I shall step down of my soap box now, to add no more than this -
Since I qualified, went into business for myself (where I researched local and national legislation) and and since taught beauty, this topic has been a personal peeve as it seems that there are people out there who qualified before this became law and in practice and (shockingly) in teaching continue to ignore the law. Yes some (and only some) health and safety law has been taken too far, but this hasn't it really is about EVERYONES safety. Having now fell foul of two contaminated wax pots personally - Once as a student at collage myself and the second as a client to a qualified friend (both where seriouse infections were introduced to me, that required medical treatment), I'm maybe more than a little passionate and out spoken about this topic.

Anyway there is your answer in a rather large nutshell

could you please point out where it says those of us not wearing gloves are breaking the law. I can't find anything either. Thanks in advance.

 

[missyb1975]

Ok, I am based in NSW Australia but took a look at our govt regulations on this issue too and this is what it says... though back when I trained in 2006, the QLD govt still allowed straining of wax and double dipping! Not sure if it's changed, but even the Lycon trainer at the time said that the heat of the wax was hot enough to kill off any contaminants and told us to double dip, at which our trainers nearly keeled over!!

5.6 Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

The use of personal protective equipment (PPE) protects both the client and operator by providing a physical barrier to infection transmission caused by dirt, blood and excretions. The operator must wear PPE including single use gloves and a clean gown or apron for all skin penetration procedures.

As the name implies, single use gloves are intended for single use only, and new gloves must be worn for each new procedure or when the procedure is interrupted by events such as a telephone call. Single use gloves must be disposed into the waste bin immediately the skin penetration process is finished.

A person who carries out colonic lavage using the “closed system” must wear a clean apron made of water impermeable material such as a plastic apron. The apron must be cleaned when soiled, and a clean apron used for the next procedure.

Some people are allergic to latex single use gloves and the powder placed on the glove. If a skin penetration operator develops a rash or skin condition it is recommended that they consult a medical doctor. Single use gloves are also made of other materials.

 

[shedunlop]

I think to make a declaration that something is against the law should be backed up with the proper documentation or a link to it. To say that it's there somewhere is just not good enough.

I have been waxing now since the early 90's and have been on this site for a long, long time and I am positive that if there had been any law stating this that it would have been discussed over and over again.

The conclusion of this thread is that some do and some don't and clients will vote with their feet and their money.

 

[soriminah]

Ok, I am based in NSW Australia but took a look at our govt regulations on this issue too and this is what it says... though back when I trained in 2006, the QLD govt still allowed straining of wax and double dipping! Not sure if it's changed, but even the Lycon trainer at the time said that the heat of the wax was hot enough to kill off any contaminants and told us to double dip, at which our trainers nearly keeled over!!

5.6 Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

The use of personal protective equipment (PPE) protects both the client and operator by providing a physical barrier to infection transmission caused by dirt, blood and excretions. The operator must wear PPE including single use gloves and a clean gown or apron for all skin penetration procedures.

As the name implies, single use gloves are intended for single use only, and new gloves must be worn for each new procedure or when the procedure is interrupted by events such as a telephone call. Single use gloves must be disposed into the waste bin immediately the skin penetration process is finished.

A person who carries out colonic lavage using the “closed system” must wear a clean apron made of water impermeable material such as a plastic apron. The apron must be cleaned when soiled, and a clean apron used for the next procedure.

Some people are allergic to latex single use gloves and the powder placed on the glove. If a skin penetration operator develops a rash or skin condition it is recommended that they consult a medical doctor. Single use gloves are also made of other materials.

Does it specifically state waxing? It talks about skin penetration which usually only applies to tattooing and piercing.

In Queensland, it is not mandatory to wear gloves and it is still perfectly acceptable to reuse wax.

http://www.health.qld.gov.au/ph/documents/cdb/32182.pdf

 

[vgml]

I always use the sanitising gel when waxing between body parts and the face, and as previously mentioned I always tell the client what I am about to do.

Jacqui xx

THere!!! I always use gloves but I also always sanitise with gloves on between body part and face.

Well spotted, Gloves on or off I think this is very important

 

[LIME]

I also have been waxing for 10 years and neither me nor my staff wear gloves... We wash our hands and then use antibac gel in front of the client before and after each treatment and before waxing a new area after bikini treatment. I have never had any complaints, having said that if a client requested we wear gloves there would of course be no problem. So from a hygiene point of view we are covered and from a comfort viewpoint if a client is going to feel embarrassed by bikini area touching then they will feel this way with or without gloves and its our job to eradicate their feelings of awkwardness through professionalism and the natural ability to make a client relax which every one of us as a therapist should have and be able to do without even trying! If wearing gloves is law then I too would like some cast iron proof of this... Anything other than this is, in my opinion, scaremongering within our trade and pushing an 'opinion' forcefully onto others :-/

 

[staceymackey]

Does it specifically state waxing? It talks about skin penetration which usually only applies to tattooing and piercing.

In Queensland, it is not mandatory to wear gloves and it is still perfectly acceptable to reuse wax.

http://www.health.qld.gov.au/ph/documents/cdb/32182.pdf

Yes, I believe when waxing in Queensland you ARE required to wear gloves at ALL times. Ofcourse, legislation is rarely black and white, but by not adhering to legislation or GUIDELINES then you can open yourself up to claims.

With legislation there DOES NOT have to be a SPECIFIC law relating to the wearing of gloves to leave you liable if an issue should arise with a client.

The above document contains this piece of legislation

Obligation of business proprietor and operator​

(1) A business proprietor must—
(a) take all reasonable precautions and care to minimise the
risk of infection (the ​

infection risk) to the proprietor’s
clients; and
(b) ensure each operator employed or otherwise engaged by
the proprietor takes all reasonable precautions and care
to minimise the infection risk to the proprietor’s clients.
Maximum penalty—500 penalty units.
(2) An operator must take all reasonable precautions and care to
minimise the infection risk when providing personal​

appearance services to a client.



Whilst the Act does not state "WEAR GLOVES" it does have a part of legislation which deals with "How an obligation to minimise an infection risk may be discharged if there is no regulation or infection control guideline", then it goes into further detail

HOWEVER in QUEENSLAND there ARE guidelines for the beauty industry which speak directly to the use of gloves. These guidelines can be found at the Department of Employment and Industrial Relations website.
Biological hazards - Workplace Health and Safety Queensland

These guildlines state


Personal Protective Equipment
​

• Make sure workers wear disposable gloves for all contact with blood and body substances, and when performing skin penetration procedures, such as electrolysis, skin extractions, tattooing and ear and body piercing.​

You then ask yourself, "am I coming into contact with blood and body substances?" when waxing, say an eyebrow? The guidelines to not specifically say "wear gloves when waxing an eyebrow" but they do specify that blood does not have to be VISABLE for an infection to be transmitted. Eyebrows can bleed - and you won't always see it.



There is not going to be a law for everything you HAVE to do. But in Queensland if a client feels you spread an infectious disease to them whilst giving an intimate wax (say they have a herpes outbreak), then you will want to ensure that you followed all legislation and industry guidelines to ensure there could be no question as to liability. Who wants to get into the debate about herpes and wax pots?

 

[LIME]

I would argue that we do take proper precautions... As one who has been subject to a claim (which was proven unsuccessful) if a client has it in their head their therapist is liable they will find another way... Such as 'oh those gloves were used before on someone else'. Its about proving negligence and we as professionals must use our discretion and knowledge to ascertain how a treatment can best be performed... None of us are looking to be negligent and I would hope if we are trained highly enough to be removing hairs from sensitive areas then we should be experienced enough to ascertain whether or not we are carrying out hygiene procedures adequately... I know I am :-D

 

[Pinkprincess73]

I think since the op is in GB the rules on health & safety are going to be different & therefore we can't really compare as every country may have different rules, but at the moment in GB we have yet to see proof that it is illegal not to wear gloves to wax

 

[staceymackey]

I think since the op is in GB the rules on health & safety are going to be different & therefore we can't really compare as every country may have different rules, but at the moment in GB we have yet to see proof that it is illegal not to wear gloves to wax

Agreed Pinkprincess... but as some geeks from Oz were questioning our own practices re adherence to legislation and health and safety incomplete information on such an important issue shouldn't be left unaddressed.

Apologise for hijack though.

 

[staceymackey]

I would argue that we do take proper precautions... As one who has been subject to a claim (which was proven unsuccessful) if a client has it in their head their therapist is liable they will find another way... Such as 'oh those gloves were used before on someone else'. Its about proving negligence and we as professionals must use our discretion and knowledge to ascertain how a treatment can best be performed... None of us are looking to be negligent and I would hope if we are trained highly enough to be removing hairs from sensitive areas then we should be experienced enough to ascertain whether or not we are carrying out hygiene procedures adequately... I know I am :-D

Agree with what you are saying here. I think if you use common sense AND adhere to industry guidelines you cannot go wrong. Professional bodies generally release guidelines or codes of conduct to help their members adhere to legislation (which is often indirect and confusing) and use 'best practice'.

 

[unas escarlata]

Anything other than this is, in my opinion, scaremongering within our trade and pushing an 'opinion' forcefully onto others :-/

I do hope you're not inferring that I'm scaremongering. I was giving info based on clinical experience - I'm a highly qualified nurse, clinical specialist, teacher and have qualifications in Health & Safety.

Double dipping was allowed - apparently it soon won't be.

The wearing of gloves will undoubtedly become mandatory in our industry just like it is in healthcare. I suggest people start trying to get used to them.

 

[Pinkprincess73]

I do hope you're not inferring that I'm scaremongering. I was giving info based on clinical experience - I'm a highly qualified nurse, clinical specialist, teacher and have qualifications in Health & Safety.

Double dipping was allowed - apparently it soon won't be.

The wearing of gloves will undoubtedly become mandatory in our industry just like it is in healthcare. I suggest people start trying to get used to them.

I don't think that was directed at you Unas xx

 

[LIME]

No it absolutely wasnt...

 

[gillian w]

Something that amazed me this week was not one phlebotomist taking blood at my local hospital wore gloves or washed their hands (or used antibac gel)in between people.Also the same tourniquet was used on every person.I could see in all 3 rooms and this was all of them not just a rogue one.

My husband also had some stitches removed from his leg after he broke his ankle and in removing them he bled quite a lot and the nurse did not wear gloves either and just wiped him with a cotton swab.So if this is going on in hospitals in full view of everyone im sure there is no law saying that a therapist has to wear gloves when waxing.

 

[gjg1]

If you like her go back but I'd put gloves in my bag & give them to her to wear if she has run out again x

I was goin to say this lol!

Sent from my GT-I9000 using SalonGeek

 

[Pinkprincess73]

I was goin to say this lol!

Sent from my GT-I9000 using SalonGeek

xx

 

[missymish]

Thanks for all the replies!

I can see it is 50/50. I was annoyed with the lame excuse to be honest she knows that I am a tanner so to say she can't find gloves I felt like she was treating me like an idiot. Also she did not sanitise her hands in front of me.
Also a couple of months back she said she couldn't get disposable knickers anywhere and I said I have tons at home do you want some but she wasn't interested and didn't ask where to get them. I am fine about the knickers but now the gloves aswell it just seemed like she was cutting back.

I would rather her be honest and say I am not using the gloves anymore for whatever reason not just fob me off with a lame excuse.

 

[unas escarlata]

Thanks for all the replies!

I can see it is 50/50. I was annoyed with the lame excuse to be honest she knows that I am a tanner so to say she can't find gloves I felt like she was treating me like an idiot. Also she did not sanitise her hands in front of me.
Also a couple of months back she said she couldn't get disposable knickers anywhere and I said I have tons at home do you want some but she wasn't interested and didn't ask where to get them. I am fine about the knickers but now the gloves aswell it just seemed like she was cutting back.

I would rather her be honest and say I am not using the gloves anymore for whatever reason not just fob me off with a lame excuse.

Come to me hun, I have plenty of gloves, antibac, paper knickers, hats etc xx