Infections Associated with Personal Service Establishments: Aesthetics

Personal Service Establishments (PSEs) encompass a large range of businesses offering services such as aesthetics, tattooing, piercing, and body modification. Services provided by such establishments may pose potential health concerns to their clientele, including risk of infection and injury. These health risks will vary depending on the nature of the service, the tools and equipment used, the health status of the clients and service providers, as well as the infection control procedures implemented. While invasive procedures, such as piercing and tattooing, are clearly associated with bacterial and viral infection risks, even non-invasive procedures, such as pedicures, can result in infections. Any service with the potential to break the skin’s surface can be associated with infections. Infections can then be transmitted to and between clients if proper infection control procedures are not implemented.