Salon and spa clients
Anytime you visit a salon or spa, there is a chance of getting an infection. Get your service done with the least amount of risk. You do not have to see blood or body fluids on items for an infection to occur. Make sure the salon or spa you choose makes infection control a priority.
The Health Department inspects salons and spas. We do not issue approvals, certifications, or licences. Visit different salons and spas and ask to see their last Health Department inspection report or get reports online as part of our disclosure program.
When to refuse service |
Do not get a service if the service provider:
- Cannot answer your questions.
- Does not use new, pre-packaged, sterile, disposable needles, blades or lancets for services that break the skin.
- Does not properly clean, disinfect, and/or sterilize their tools.
- Cannot show you the latest inspection report or does not have their disclosure sign posted. Contact the Durham Health Connection Line to report this.
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What are blood and body fluid exposures? |
A blood or body fluid exposure is when:
- A needle or sharp tool contaminated with someone else's blood or body fluid breaks your skin.
- Your broken skin is exposed to someone else's blood or body fluid.
- Someone else's blood or body fluid gets in your eyes, nose or mouth.
Steps to take if a blood or body fluid exposure happens:
- Wash your hands.
- Wear new gloves before touching the area.
- Wash the cut with soap and water. Allow the cut to bleed freely.
- Apply an skin antiseptic and bandage the area.
- If there has been a splash into your eyes, nose or mouth, flush the area with water.
- Contact a doctor.
- Tell your artist so they can document the details of this exposure. It is a requirement.
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Hairdressing and barbering services |
Your hairdresser or barber must:
- Clean their hands before starting.
- Clean and organize their work area.
- Check your hair and scalp for open sores and lice. They should not continue the service if they find either.
- Clean and disinfect combs, brushes, clips, curlers and other tools after each use.
- Clean and disinfect the reusable hooks for cap highlights after each use.
- Clean and disinfect clippers, trimmers and edgers after each use.
- Use protective guards on hair feathering and texturizing blades.
- Throw out blades they used to shave skin in a sharps container after each use.
- Clean and disinfect reusable shaving instruments after each use.
- Not use straight razors with permanent blades.
- Only use hair-weaving needles once. After each use, they need to throw it out in a sharps container.
- Throw out disposable highlighting caps, foil, and paper after each use.
- Use a clean towel or paper strip if they are reusing a cape to stop it from touching your skin.
See disposable versus reusable items. |
Manicure and pedicure services |
Your manicure and pedicure worker must:
- Clean their hands before starting.
- Clean and organize their work area.
- Discard disposable items such as files, buffers, cuticle pushers, sandbands, toe-separators, and slippers (must be new) after each use.
- Clean and disinfect nail clippers, foot paddles, pedicure blade holders and other presumable items after each use.
- Clean and disinfect footbaths after each use.
- Discard used pedicure blades in sharps containers.
See disposable versus reusable items. |
Aesthetic services |
Your aesthetician must:
- Clean their hands before starting.
- Clean and organize their work area.
- Dispense products in a way that does not contaminate the rest of the product.
- Only use items such as cotton balls, swabs, sponges, and wooden applicators once.
See disposable versus reusable items. |
Services that break the skin |
If you are getting microblading, microneedling, dermaplaning, electrolysis, or other facials that use sharp items, make sure your service provider is following these guidelines. Your aesthetician must:
- Clean your skin with a skin antiseptic.
- Not numb or freeze your skin with injectable anesthetics unless they are a regulated health professional. They can use freezing or numbing cream instead.
- Use new, pre-packaged, sterile, needles, lancets and blades.
- Keep sterile items in their sterile package until use.
- Discard needles, lancets, blades, and other sharp items in sharps containers after use.
- Not save needles and other sharp items for future use - even if they are using it on the same person.
- Keep records that include the date of the service, your full name, address, and phone number, as well as the details of your service and your service provider's name.
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Waxing services |
Your aesthetician must:
- Clean their hands before starting.
- Clean and organize their work area.
- Use new, disposable applicators to dispense wax or sugar.
- Not reuse or recycle wax or sugar.
- Store items like wax strips, applicators, and tweezers in clean, covered containers.
- Throw out wax roller cartridges after use. They cannot save them for future use - even if they are using it on the same person. They should be using new, full cartridges and clean rollers.
- Clean and disinfect tweezers used for hair removal after use.
See disposable versus reusable items. |
Salon and spa workers
The Ministry of Health requires health departments to inspect all salons and spas in Ontario. In Durham Region, we inspect at least once a year. We do more inspections if we receive complaints or if the studio needs a follow-up visit.
- Cleaning
- Sanitation
- Basic infection control to prevent the spread of diseases such as hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and HIV
These guidelines are for any services including special events and home-based salons and spas where there is a risk of being exposed to blood or body fluids.
Applications and forms
Contact a public health inspector and get information about opening a new salon or spa. We will give you an information package.
Health Department notification
Owners and operators of personal service settings must provide written notification to Durham Region Health Department 14 days before:
- opening a new personal service setting;
- changing the location of an existing personal service setting;
- starting the renovation or reconstruction of an existing personal service setting; or,
- providing additional services in an existing personal service setting.
Personal service settings notification form
Salon and spa services at special events
You must fill out an application form if you plan to offer salon or spa services at community events in Durham Region such as a fair or a trade show.
Request a Health Department display or presentation.
Owner/operator resources and requirements
Health Protection and Promotion Act |
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Resources for salon and spa workers |
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Cleaning and disinfection |
Regular cleaning and disinfection helps to prevent the spread of germs.
Cleaning removes dirt, organic matter, and most germs. Cleaning alone does not kill harmful germs left behind. Clean all surfaces before disinfecting them. Disinfection kills most disease-causing germs that stay on surfaces.
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Sterilization
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Sterilization kills all germs including viruses, bacteria, fungi and spores. Proper cleaning is important before sterilization. Items that break the skin such as needles and lancets must be new, pre-packaged and in sterile condition.
Your must test your autoclave every other week by sending the spore test to a laboratory.
Resources on how to sterilize reusable items on-site:
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Keeping hands clean |
Wash your hands to stop the spread of germs. Handwashing is the simplest and most important thing that you can do to reduce the spread of germs. It keeps you and your clients from getting sick.
Facts about handwashing
Handwashing steps
Hand sanitizing steps
Keeping Hands Clean video
Hand sanitizer video
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Disclosure
Personal service setting inspection reports
Our disclosure program for salons, spas and studios is called Know Before You Go Durham. Each time a public health inspector visits a salon, spa or studio for an inspection they will give the salon, spa or studio a coloured sign. The sign and the inspection results will be posted online for two years.
The sign must be posted right away at the main entrance to the spa, salon or studio, where it is visible to the public. Online inspection results provide real-time inspection and investigation results.
Common questions and answers about disclosure.
Inspection signs and resources
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Green sign (Pass) |
If the salon, spa or studio has a green sign, they were following most requirements during inspection. The inspector found no or only a few minor infractions. These minor infractions will most likely not spread any infections. There are no immediate health risks. If needed, there will be a follow-up visit. |
Yellow sign (Conditional)
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If the salon, spa or studio has a yellow sign, they were not following most of the requirements during inspection. The number or the types of violations have a risk of spreading infections. The inspector will inspect again in one to three business days. |
Red sign (Closed) |
A red sign means there is an immediate health hazard. A health hazard is any condition that can lead to the spread of infection or other negative health effects. These conditions can be no hot or cold running water, sewage backup, a fire, a flood, a power outage, or any other condition. If the hazard only affects some services, only they will be closed. If the health hazard is affecting the entire salon, spa or studio, then the entire salon, spa or studio will be closed. To reopen, the salon, spa or studio needs a green sign. |
Operator resources
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All salons, spas and studios in the Region of Durham must follow the Durham Region Personal Services Settings By-law # 17-2016.
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