HS039 - Laser, IPL and Light Treatment Safety

Laser, IPL and Light Treatment Safety

This guide is for salon, beauty and aesthetics owners who offer laser or intense pulsed light (IPL) treatments, or are thinking of adding them. That includes laser and IPL hair removal, skin rejuvenation, pigmentation and thread vein treatments, tattoo removal and LED light therapy. Class 3B and Class 4 lasers and IPL systems can cause permanent eye damage and serious burns in a fraction of a second. The rules on who regulates them depend on where you are, and they are changing in England.

What you'll get

• Which laws apply to laser and IPL in a salon
• Who licenses or registers laser and IPL treatments in each nation
• The key safety controls: laser protection adviser, local rules, controlled area and eyewear
• What training records to keep
• What the 2026 government proposals mean for you

Part of the SOU Health & Safety Toolkit

Written for UK hair, beauty, nail and barbering businesses and branded ready to download. Free for SOU PRO and CEO members.

This resource is general guidance in line with UK health and safety law. It does not replace your own risk assessments or professional advice, and you remain responsible for health and safety in your salon. To the fullest extent permitted by law, Salon Owners United and its partners accept no liability for any loss arising from its use.