WKYT- FEB 4, 2008, "THE PRICE OF LOOKING GOOD"

Years ago, they were considered bold moves to become beautiful. Now, getting Botox injections or laser treatments are just as common as manicures or pedicures.

They could actually be hazardous to your health, not because of the treatments themselves but because of who's giving them to you.

Kentucky law requires these types of cosmetic procedures be administered by a physician or under order of a physician. According to Dr. Paul Hester of Be Medi-Spa in Lexington, a physician also has to be present or at least on the property.

The issue is that many spas and salons are offering cosmetic procedures but there is no licensed personnel administering them. There have been reports of cosmetologists or other unauthorized personnel doing the procedures which is not only against the law, it can be a danger to the patient.

Dr. Hester says these procedures may seem simple and easy to do, but the technology used in a laser procedure, for instance, requires an intense amount of power. He also says treatments like Botox are invasive in nature. He says doctors are trained to do these techniques while technicians are not.

Hester also says a doctor is not only trained to administer the procedure but they are trained to care for the patient after the procedure.

The most common injury reported from cosmetic procedures like these is a burn. Dr. Hester says the burns can be disfiguring, but others can heal over time.

Some of the reported cases he noted involved superficial burns or allergic reactions to chemical peels. He also said he's heard of terrible infections occurring during the healing process. Another popular complaint is burns stemming from poor energy use during laser hair removal.

These are all basic procedures that had anything but basic end results because the person who administered them was not trained properly.

These cosmetic procedures are becoming more and more popular and Dr. Hester says while Kentucky does have laws on the books, they're not enforced. He says we need more serious laws to prevent mishaps.

His recommendation is for you to ask a few questions prior to your appointment. Ask if there is a doctor on staff, if the doctor will be administering your procedure or at least overseeing it and make sure you can see the doctor prior to and during the healing process, just in case there is an issue.