BY SIDI MOHAMED
DOHA: Government inspectors have caught several beauty salons across the country for doubling as health care consultants in breach of licensing rules.
A number of beauty parlours have also been singled out for severe punishment for selling wigs made of natural human hair.
The above-cited violations have been detected by the Ministry of Economy and Commerce in crackdowns its inspectors launched recently, ahead of Eid Al Adha holidays.
The raids were conducted to ensure that different outlets, including parlours, eateries and other shops don’t flout rules that aim at protecting the rights of consumers.
A press statement issued by the Ministry of Economy and Commerce said yesterday that its inspectors have lately unearthed this phenomenon of some salons selling wigs made of natural hair.
Knowledgeable circles told this newspaper that many women lose hair due to different reasons and some beauty salons exploit them and offer them wigs.
According to a woman, wigs that are made of shining, silky human hair are expensive and some parlours might be selling them.
She said she was not aware of the harmful effects of using such wigs but some women who have used them over the long-term complain that their use prevents natural hair growth.
Some experts this newspaper spoke to said use of wigs can cause allergies, hair loss, headache and dandruff, among other problems.
The Ministry said that its inspectors have taken samples from these wigs and they will be sent to the authorities concerned for laboratory tests.
The salons that had these wigs didn’t have any health or import certificate that would show that they were fit for use by people.
Then, according to the Ministry statement, there are some parlours that double as medical clinics and provide health care consultation for certain ailments.
The Ministry didn’t give details and didn’t cite those ailments but according to some women who occasionally visit beauty salons, ailments of the skin, hair and nails might prompt a woman to seek help from a beautician rather than a medical doctor.
The Ministry said that these clinics were not licensed to carry out such practices as providing medical consultation to customers.
According to the Ministry, in all some 10 beauty salons have been booked for the above-said violations, out of which four were in Al Sadd and Fereej Nasser, while an equal number of them were in Al Wakra. And two of them were caught in Al Khor.
The Peninsula
