Infection prompts beauty clinic check

A medical beauty clinic in Mong Kok continued operations yesterday after a 24-year-old customer contracted a bacterium infection due to a suspected breach of infection control procedures.

Staff of the clinic, Geel Medical at Gala Place on Dundas Street, said their injection procedures are up to standard despite some panicked clients requesting refunds.

The Department of Health announced Tuesday evening that a 24-year-old woman was infected with mycobacterium abscessus - a rapid-growing bacteria - after receiving collagen-stimulating injections on October 9. She developed a rash and abscess at the injection site five days later.

The department conducted on-site investigations and reviewed the clinic's injection procedures, saying: "the incident may involve [a] breach of infection control procedures."

One staff member yesterday said the clinic, which is still operating, is clean and complies with infection control procedures, adding that health officials conducted inspections last Friday.

"The department observed our injection process, injection environment, preparations and disinfection. Health officials also collected related documents and specimens for testing," she said. "After the inspection, the department told us we [did] a good job cleaning and [that] our operation procedures are fine."

The staff member also said the injection was administered by a registered doctor, who continues to give jabs to other customers.

She added the clinic has been operating for two years and such an incident had never happened before.

Dermatologist Kingsley Chan Hau-ngai said it is unusual to be infected with mycobacterium abscessus after receiving a medical aesthetics injection and the case is an isolated incident.

He said infections could be caused by various reasons, including contamination of the syringe or its contents or failure to disinfect the skin before injection.

Before receiving services, people should be aware of whether the medical aesthetics products are registered in Hong Kong or if they are expired and should check if syringes are broken, Chan said.

They should also see a doctor as soon as possible if they suffer from redness, swelling or pain in their skin, he said, adding that early-stage bacterial infections can be easily treated.