Position statements
Position statement – Deregulation of laser treatment
Friday, 4th July 2008
Summary position statement
Verity’s Board of Trustees is extremely concerned that the proposed deregulation of laser treatment could allow untrained technicians to perform laser treatment, exposing patients to potential health risks and financial abuse.
Full position statement
From the Board of Trustees of Verity: The PCOS Self Help Group, in consultation with medical adviser, Dr Alison Layton, Consultant Dermatologist at Harrogate and District NHS Foundation and board member of PCOS UK.
Women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) often have higher levels of androgen and testosterone hormones, which can lead to excess hair and adult acne, both of which can be extremely damaging to women’s self-esteem and have a significant impact on their quality of life. In a recent poll on the Verity website of more than 3000 women with PCOS, 25.66% said that they considered excess hair the worst symptom, with 7.75% reporting acne as the worst symptom.
Many women with PCOS look to laser treatment to combat excess hair and remove acne scarring. So long as cosmetic laser treatment is regulated, women can be assured that technicians are fully qualified and able to perform this highly technical procedure as safely as possible. We have been given to understand that the proposal to deregulate stems from the perceived lack of problems that have occurred in this industry, but Verity’s Board of Trustees feels strongly that this only serves to demonstrate the need for continued regulation, as it shows that the regulatory measures have been effective to date.
If the proposed deregulation comes into effect, we perceive the following areas to be of particular concern:
• The potential removal of vital safeguards for women seeking treatment for distressing conditions, such as excess hair and acne scarring.
• The possibility of unqualified technicians carrying out specialised treatments, using equipment which is potentially harmful and may lead to permanent scarring.
• Practitioners will be able make unsubstantiated claims to increase business, such as laser hair removal being permanent removal, when it actually results in a permanent reduction of hair.
• There may be few guidelines for women as to the cost of laser treatment or the amount of treatment required, which could lead to women being exposed to financial abuse.
• The treatment has not been practised over a long enough period for the long-term health risks to be fully investigated, so any deregulation at this stage is premature.
Verity’s Board of Trustees feels that women seeking laser treatment require the safety and assurance that a regulatory body can provide, and therefore we oppose the proposed deregulation of laser treatment.
The Board of Trustees
Verity: The PCOS Self Help Group
(in consultation with Dr Alison Layton, Consultant Dermatologist and board member of PCOS UK)
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Position Statement - Deregulation of laser treatment []
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