Personal Service Settings
COVID-19 guidance for re-opening personal service settings can be found on our Guidance for Businesses and Workplaces page.
Personal service settings are businesses that offer services such as aesthetics, manicures, pedicures, tattooing, permanent makeup, body piercing, hair styling, and barbering. These types of services can present a risk for the transmission of blood borne and other types of infections.
On July 1, 2018, Ontario Regulation 136/18 Personal Service Settings came into effect. This regulation sets operational standards for personal service settings to help protect the public from infection and injury.
KFL&A Public Health inspects these premises annually to ensure they are following the Regulation and the Personal Service Setting Guideline. Inspection results can be viewed online.
Notification to medical officers of health
Notice must be provided to the Medical Officer of Health at least 14 days before beginning operations if you are:
- Intending to operate a new Personal Service Setting
- Expanding the services offered at your Personal Service Setting
- Reconstructing or renovating your existing Personal Service Setting (beyond routine maintenance)
Personal Service Settings in operation before July 1, 2018, have 60 days to provide written notice to the Medical Officer of Health of the name, location, contact information and list of services provided.
Special events
Personal services providers wishing to offer services at special events must receive approval from KFL&A Public Health. Complete and submit the Personal Service Settings Special Event Application (E-form) to Public Health at least 10 business days before the event.
How do I choose where to go for these services?
Choose a business that is inspected by KFL&A Public Health. Always ask questions about the procedures and be sure you are happy with the answers. If the employee does not want to answer your questions, or does not make infection control steps a priority, choose to go somewhere else for the service.
What to look for:
- The premise and work area should be clean and well organized.
- The service provider should wash their hands before starting a procedure.
- There should be no double dipping of dispensing sticks or applicators into products such as lotions or waxes. Products, including tattoo inks, should be dispensed into new, disposable containers, which are discarded after each client.
- Equipment that touches skin without penetrating must be properly cleaned and disinfected between uses. Single use, disposable items such as razor or callous blades and foam files cannot be used on more than one client. They must be discarded after each use.
For piercing, tattooing and permanent makeup (micropigmentation) services:
- The service provider should be recording client information for any invasive procedure done.
- Any items intended to pierce the skin (e.g., needles or lancets) must be provided new, in sterile packaging. The service provider should open the sterile packaging in front of you.
- The service provider should clean the piercing or tattooing site with 70% isopropyl alcohol or other appropriate skin antiseptic before starting the procedure.
- Jewelry should be high quality, and be in sterile packaging that is opened in front of you.
- Ear piercing guns should not be used on any other part of the body other than the fleshy part of the ear lobe.
- The service provider should give you detailed, written instructions for caring for your tattoo or piercing until it heals.
In the case that you have a cut, rash, or skin infection in the area where the service is to be performed, wait until it has healed before having any service done. Avoid shaving your legs for at least 24 hours before having a pedicure.
If you see any symptoms of or develop a rash, see your health care provider immediately.