A Sherwood Park aesthetics clinic is under fire for performing unauthorized cosmetic procedures treatments to its clients, however the owner said it’s an honest mistake.
Last week, Health Canada issued an advisory saying treatments were being provided by someone posing as a medical practitioner without the necessary qualifications at MedSkin Laser Center in Sherwood Park.
The government agency said the facility was offering unauthorized platelet-rich plasma (PRP) treatments — sometimes called a vampire facial — including:
- Facelift, neck and decolletage
- Facelift with microneedling
- Plasma bio filler
- Hair restoration
- Vampire breast lift and facial
- O-shot
The list also included unauthorized platelet rich fibrin (PRF) for scalp, eyes, acne, face, neck, jaw line, hands and decolletage, as well as unauthorized Botox injections, microneedling and plasma pen treatments.
PRP involves blood being drawn from the patient’s body, put in a centrifuge machine to separate the platelet-rich plasma, which is then used for various treatments.
Health Canada said the operator was not qualified to offer such procedures — only doctors or nurses can.
But Christine Francouer, owner of MedSkin Laser Centre, is defending her reputation and wants to clear her name.
She said her intentions were not malicious and she wasn’t intentionally skirting the rules.
Although not a doctor, Francouer believed she was qualified to perform PRP injections after being certified in 2017 to perform PRP treatments by the British Columbia Academy of Medical Aesthetics and Skin Care in Vancouver.
“What’s more devastating is ‘posing to be a practitioner’ — sounds like I was posing to be a doctor. That’s most upsetting,” she said.
“We were always called laser practitioners or practitioners — not implying any sort of doctor reference.”
Francouer said she wasn’t aware of Health Canada’s policies. In 2019, the health agency confirmed PRP can only be performed by medical practitioners like doctors and nurses.
She said only learned of that when Health Canada visited her clinic a few weeks ago for a regular inspection.
“At the time she said, ‘You can’t be doing PRP.’ I showed her my certificate, asked her what was going on, and she says, ‘No, it’s food and drug. you have to be a doctor to do it now.’
“So even though I had my training years ago, like six, seven years ago? It’s null and void.”
Health Canada said while it approves products and devices, it does not regulate clinics.
MedSkin Laser Centre is not a medical clinic, so the College of Physicians & Surgeons of Alberta doesn’t oversee it.
Francouer blames part of the confusion on the lack of an oversight body for beauty and aesthetics clinics like hers that are not run by a dermatologist or other physician.
She wants an oversight organisation that looks after the medical aesthetics industry.
“A regulatory body that can help with this sort of thing so you can register, take training, know that it means something and know that you are the difference and you are accredited for it,” Francouer said.
“Obviously it is a big concern — this industry is not regulated.”
For now, it’s a lesson learned to keep up with Health Canada changes and current guidelines.
“I’m crossing my fingers that people will understand, accept it, take a look at the information and still continue,” she said. “I hope it doesn’t damage my reputation because that’s the biggest thing.”