Plain-English explanations of the technical terms and legislation used in this document.
- Ablative procedure
- A laser or energy-based treatment that removes the surface layers of the skin, creating an open wound that can let infection in.
- Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) test
- A quick swab test that measures invisible biological residue on a surface to show how clean it really is.
- Anaphylaxis
- A severe, life-threatening allergic reaction needing immediate emergency treatment.
- Antisepsis
- Cleaning the skin with an antiseptic before a procedure to kill germs and reduce the chance of infection.
- Aseptic non-touch technique (ANTT)
- A standard way of carrying out a procedure that avoids touching the parts that must stay sterile, so germs are not introduced.
- Atypical mycobacteria
- A group of slow-growing bacteria that can cause stubborn skin and soft-tissue infections after cosmetic procedures.
- Bare below the elbow
- A rule that staff wear short sleeves and no wrist or hand jewellery during clinical work so hands and forearms can be cleaned properly.
- Biological agent
- A micro-organism, such as a virus or bacterium, that can cause infection or disease.
- Biostimulator
- An injectable product that prompts the skin to make its own collagen over time, rather than adding volume directly.
- Blood-borne virus (BBV)
- An infection such as hepatitis B, hepatitis C or HIV that can be passed on through blood.
- BS 7320
- The British Standard that sets out the safety requirements for sharps containers used to dispose of needles and blades.
- Cannula
- A thin, blunt-tipped tube inserted under the skin to deliver injectable products with less bruising than a sharp needle.
- Care Quality Commission (CQC)
- The independent regulator of health and social care services in England.
- Cellulitis
- A spreading bacterial infection of the skin and the tissue just beneath it, which can become serious if untreated.
- Central sterile services department (CSSD)
- A specialist facility that cleans, sterilises and packs reusable instruments to a validated standard.
- Chemical peel
- A treatment that applies an acid solution to the skin to remove the outer layers and improve its appearance.
- Chlorhexidine
- A widely used antiseptic solution applied to the skin to kill germs before an injection or procedure.
- Cold chain
- Keeping vaccines and certain medicines within a safe temperature range from delivery to use.
- Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (COSHH)
- The law for safely managing chemicals, biological agents and other hazardous substances at work.
- Decontamination
- The combined process of cleaning, disinfecting and, where needed, sterilising equipment so it is safe to reuse.
- Dermal filler
- An injectable gel used to smooth lines or add volume to areas of the face or body.
- Duty of care (waste)
- The legal responsibility to make sure waste is stored, transferred and disposed of safely and by a licensed handler.
- Endocarditis
- A serious infection of the inner lining of the heart, which can follow germs entering the bloodstream.
- Energy-based device
- Equipment that uses light, sound or radio waves (such as laser, IPL, radiofrequency or HIFU) to treat the skin.
- Environmental Protection Act 1990
- The law that sets the duty of care for handling and disposing of controlled and hazardous waste.
- FFP3 respirator
- A close-fitting face mask that filters out very fine airborne particles, such as those in surgical plume.
- First-expired, first-out
- A stock system that uses the items with the earliest expiry date first to reduce waste and avoid using out-of-date products.
- Folliculitis
- Inflammation or infection of the hair follicles, usually appearing as small red or pus-filled spots.
- Hazardous Waste (England and Wales) Regulations 2005
- The law controlling how harmful waste, including some clinical waste, is classified, moved and disposed of.
- Health and Safety (Sharps Instruments in Healthcare) Regulations 2013
- The law requiring safer needles, safe sharps disposal and a clear procedure for sharps injuries.
- Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974
- The main law placing a general duty on employers to protect the health and safety of staff and others.
- Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014
- The regulations setting out the fundamental standards that providers of regulated care must meet.
- Healthcare-associated infection
- An infection that a person picks up as a result of receiving healthcare or treatment.
- Hepatitis B / hepatitis C
- Viruses that infect the liver and can be passed on through blood; hepatitis B can be prevented by vaccination.
- Herpes simplex
- The common virus that causes cold sores, which can flare up after treatment around the mouth.
- High-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU)
- A treatment that uses focused sound waves to heat and tighten tissue beneath the skin.
- Hyaluronidase
- An injectable enzyme used to dissolve dermal filler, for example to correct a problem or manage a complication.
- Hygiene Code
- The Health and Social Care Act 2008 Code of Practice on the prevention and control of infections, against which the regulator assesses cleanliness and infection control.
- Immunosuppression
- A weakened immune system, whether caused by illness or medication, that makes infection more likely.
- Infection prevention and control (IPC)
- The measures used to stop infection spreading between clients, staff and visitors.
- Informed consent
- Agreement to treatment given freely after the risks, benefits and alternatives have been clearly explained.
- Inherent risk
- The level of risk that would exist if no controls were in place to reduce it.
- Intense pulsed light (IPL)
- A skin treatment that uses broad-spectrum light pulses for purposes such as reducing pigmentation or hair.
- Local exhaust ventilation
- Equipment that draws contaminated air or fumes away from a work area at the point they are produced.
- Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA)
- The body that regulates medicines, medical devices and blood components in the United Kingdom.
- Mesotherapy
- A treatment involving multiple small injections of substances into the middle layer of the skin.
- Micro-needling
- A treatment that uses fine needles to make tiny punctures in the skin to encourage repair and renewal.
- National Infection Prevention and Control Manual (NIPCM)
- A national reference setting out the standard infection control precautions that all healthcare staff should follow.
- Near miss
- An event that could have caused harm but did not, by chance or because it was caught in time.
- Necrotising fasciitis
- A rare but rapidly spreading and life-threatening infection that destroys soft tissue.
- Personal protective equipment (PPE)
- Items such as gloves, aprons and masks worn to protect against harm or infection.
- Platelet-rich plasma (PRP)
- A treatment using a concentrated part of the patient's own blood, prepared and re-injected to aid skin or tissue repair.
- Post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP)
- Emergency medicine started soon after possible exposure to an infection, such as HIV, to reduce the chance of catching it.
- Povidone-iodine
- An iodine-based antiseptic used to clean the skin before a procedure, often when chlorhexidine cannot be used.
- Precautionary principle
- The approach of taking strong protective action against a serious possible harm even where the chance of it is judged low.
- Prophylaxis
- Treatment given to prevent a problem occurring, such as antiviral medicine to stop a cold sore flaring up.
- Reasonably practicable
- Doing what is sensible and proportionate to reduce a risk, weighing the effort and cost against the level of danger.
- Registered Manager
- The person registered with the regulator as responsible for the day-to-day running of a service.
- Regulated activity
- A type of care or treatment the law requires a provider to register with the regulator to deliver.
- Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013 (RIDDOR)
- The law requiring certain workplace injuries, diseases and dangerous events to be reported to the Health and Safety Executive.
- Residual risk
- The level of risk that remains once the existing controls have been taken into account.
- Root-cause analysis
- A structured investigation that looks beyond the immediate event to find the underlying reasons something went wrong.
- Sepsis
- A life-threatening reaction in which the body's response to an infection damages its own tissues and organs.
- Sharps
- Needles, blades and other items that can cut or puncture the skin.
- Single assessment framework
- The structure the regulator uses to judge a service, built around quality statements and five key questions (safe, effective, caring, responsive, well-led).
- Single-use device
- An item designed to be used once on a single patient and then disposed of, never cleaned and reused.
- Steam sterilisation (autoclave)
- A process that uses pressurised steam in a machine called an autoclave to kill all germs on reusable instruments.
- Surgical plume
- The smoke or vapour produced when tissue is treated with a laser or energy device, which can carry harmful particles.
- Thread lift
- A procedure that inserts dissolvable threads under the skin to lift and support sagging tissue.
- UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR)
- The UK's main data-protection law governing how personal information is collected and used.
- UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA)
- The national body responsible for protecting the public from infectious diseases and other health threats.
- Vascular occlusion
- A serious complication where injected product blocks a blood vessel, cutting off blood supply to the skin or tissue.
- Waste transfer note
- The written record that must accompany waste when it is handed to a carrier, showing what it is and where it goes.
- WHO 'five moments' for hand hygiene
- The five key points during care, set by the World Health Organization, when staff should clean their hands.