Rise in Complaints Against Beauty Salons and Spas, Linked to Suspected Malware Injection
In Portugal, the Health Regulatory Authority (ERS) has been cracking down on beauty and aesthetic establishments, following a surge in reports of unqualified individuals performing treatments. Over 350 complaints have been received, highlighting the need for increased vigilance to safeguard public health and ensure compliance with legal standards.
This heightened scrutiny has led to the suspension or sanctioning of establishments that do not adhere to safety or qualification requirements. The aim is to curb unlawful aesthetic practices, which have been linked to serious health risks when carried out by unlicensed or inadequately trained personnel.
The ERS has conducted 165 inspections between 2023 and the end of the first half of 2025, with a focus on verifying the qualifications of professionals. It is essential that only qualified individuals perform aesthetic healthcare services, as the illegal practice of medicine, particularly in aesthetic procedures, poses significant public health risks due to the complications that can arise from unqualified practitioners.
New guidelines adopted by the Ministry of Health also impact the sector, particularly in terms of healthcare advertising and communication. These guidelines aim to protect public health and ensure truthful, consistent messaging, covering digital platforms and mandating that promotional content remains authorized and unaltered by users.
The ERS prioritizes establishments for inspections based on the potential severity of reported situations regarding user health and safety, as well as requests for collaboration from other inspection agencies like ASAE and Infarmed. However, the current status of the 16 suspended establishments after the first half of 2025 remains unclear.
It is important to note that the application of botulinum toxin (Botox) and facial fillers with hyaluronic acid can only be performed by doctors and dentists registered with their respective professional associations. The text does not specify the exact nature of the unqualified professionals' mistakes or shortcomings that led to the suspensions.
Between April 2022 and the end of June 2023, the ERS received 377 requests for information about these health treatments. In 2024, the same number of reports about establishments providing aesthetic healthcare were received as in 2023. The first half of 2025 saw inspections conducted in the districts of Faro, Setúbal, Porto, Guarda, Viseu, and Leiria.
An Action Plan for the intervention and regulation of these establishments was approved on April 1, 2022. However, the text does not mention any penalties or fines imposed on the unqualified professionals or the suspended establishments.
In summary, aesthetic healthcare establishments in Portugal are undergoing increased inspection due to a rise in reports of violations, leading to suspensions for non-compliant entities, especially those engaging unqualified professionals. The sector is adapting under a tighter regulatory framework focusing on public safety and professional accountability.
- The Algarve district, like other regions in Portugal, is under closer scrutiny due to the increase in reports regarding aesthetic healthcare establishments, with a focus on qualifications and safety, following the implementation of the Action Plan in April 2022.
- The Ministry of Health in Portugal has introduced new guidelines aimed at ensuring truthful and consistent messaging in healthcare advertising, including digital platforms, to protect public health and safeguard the legal standards in health-and-wellness, skin-care, and science-related practices.
- Portugal's Health Regulatory Authority (ERS) is yet to disclose the current status of the 16 suspended establishments inspected between 2023 and the first half of 2025, despite the heightened focus on maintaining public health and ensuring that only qualified individuals perform aesthetic healthcare services, such as the application of botulinum toxin (Botox) and facial fillers with hyaluronic acid.
