Beauty Treatment Leaves Auckland Woman With Facial Burns

An Auckland woman has lodged a formal complaint with the Health and Disability Commissioner after suffering facial burns during a skin treatment at a local beauty clinic, The New Zealand Herald reported. Five months after the procedure, her face remains visibly scarred.

Shirley Agostinha de Oliveira, 36, underwent the Elōs AC Acne treatment at About Skin clinic on February 13 to treat black spots on her face. The incident has since led to significant physical and emotional distress, with de Oliveira stating she has been unable to return to her workplace in person and now works remotely due to her appearance.

De Oliveira said she trusted the staff member administering the treatment, having been a client at the clinic for several months. However, upon returning home, she felt a burning sensation on her skin. She claimed the following day the condition had worsened, prompting concern from a friend and ultimately leading her to seek emergency medical attention, where she was told it was a burn.

She reported returning to the clinic shortly after the procedure and said a staff member remarked it appeared to be a reaction. The clinic, she said, later acknowledged the burn, refunded her appointment fee, and offered ongoing treatments aimed at resolving the issue.

De Oliveira described the psychological toll as severe. She said she avoided turning on her camera during video calls and no longer felt confident going outside or returning to her office.

She also said she had recently been made redundant and felt she had lost a year of her life due to the incident.

About Skin’s director, Jody Burke, defended the clinic’s practices, describing its safety protocols as “rigorous” and calling the situation “highly unusual.”

Burke told Herald the Elōs AC Acne treatment is specifically designed to be safe and effective on darker skin tones when performed correctly. She said the medical aesthetician who carried out the treatment had 15 years of experience.

According to Burke, de Oliveira had undergone patch testing for both Sublative and Elōs AC Acne treatments in August 2024. Although February 2025 was her first full Elōs AC Acne session, Burke said a comprehensive pre-treatment assessment had taken place before the procedure. She explained that seasonal changes could impact skin response, which is why such assessments are standard before every session.

In response to the reported injury, Burke said the clinic responded immediately with personalised aftercare, including complimentary medical-grade skincare, makeup support, and free in-clinic treatments. She confirmed that de Oliveira continued receiving these treatments until May, when she transitioned her care to a private dermatologist.

Once informed that a doctor had diagnosed a first-degree burn, Burke said the clinic reimbursed medical costs and escalated the case to the clinic director. A tailored recovery plan was implemented, and the clinic also committed to covering the dermatologist’s consultation fees and any medically necessary treatment related to the burn and subsequent pigmentation changes.

Herald reported that Burke provided a detailed breakdown of costs reimbursed to date, including approximately $350 for makeup, $184 for medical consultation and medication, $1350 worth of skin treatments, and $650 in skincare products. She stated the clinic remained open to continuing support should de Oliveira wish to re-engage with them.

The Auckland Council, which oversees local beauty salons under the Health and Hygiene Bylaw, confirmed it had not received any complaints of this kind.