Victoria's Health Complaints Commissioner has shut down more than a dozen other cosmetic operators flouting the law in Victoria in the past year alone. Operators have been hit with prohibition orders which ban them from advertising services or providing any type of cosmetic, surgical or medical procedure. The shop which the illegal salon was operating from has also been closed. Credit: Yan Zhuang Some have been found to be working illegally in Australia as beauty therapists or massage therapists and ordered to complete training and obtain relevant qualifications before they can practice. The Department of Health and Human Services was on Wednesday contacting 68 clients known to have received procedures from the Springvale salon.

"This is one of the worst we've seen in Victoria in terms of [hygiene] practices and certainly one of the greatest risks for transmission of infection," Chief Health Officer Dr Brett Sutton said. "There appeared to be no evidence of cleaning or disinfection. There were cockroaches on medical equipment and it's pretty evident that the risk of infection was substantial.” The shop in which the illegal salon was operating out the back of had also been closed. Credit: Yan Zhuang Authorities know of at least 50 more clients, but because of poor record keeping they fear the real number could be in the hundreds.

Another cosmetic procedure from Lee Kim Tan's Facebook page. The clinic was operated by Lee Kim Tan at the back of shop G23, 46-58 Buckingham Ave in Springvale and most of her clients were of of Cambodian or Vietnamese background. "This was a jewellery shop for all intents and purposes," Dr Sutton said. "If someone sets up a salon, hides it away and doesn't flag that any beauty therapy, or indeed skin penetrating procedures are ongoing there, its very hard for council to walk into a jewellery store and find out there are issues." Early on Wednesday afternoon the jewellery shop which the illegal salon was operating from had also been shut down. Signs plastered on the windows read that it would remain closed until further notice.

One trader at the shopping centre who did not want to be named said she’d seen both her friend and a customer with eyebrow tattoos at the store, describing the results as “very ugly”, tattooing thick individual strokes that did not resemble eyebrow hair. She said her friend, after seeing the result of the $250 procedure, was so unhappy she asked for a refund so she could have the procedure done elsewhere but was refused and told she could have another procedure done at the store. Another described the store owners as “secretive”, not mingling much with other traders. Other traders at the centre said they’d heard rumours of dodgy practices happening at the store, and had noticed the store, which initially only sold jewellery, had over time also started stocking an array of other products like bags and make up products. Dozens of images posted to Ms Lee's Facebook profile show before and after shots of women with scabbing from eyelid procedures and bloody scabs on their nose, and procedures for lip fillers, mole removals and more.

Dr Sutton believed Ms Lee was the only person working in the salon. She had basic cosmetic training but not infection training, he said. Dr Sutton also said there was evidence she acquired botox and fillers overseas and brought them in against customs regulations. Health Complaints Commissioner Karen Cusack said a ban on the Springvale salon operating would remain in place while her office conducted an investigation. “It’s important the public has confidence in health service providers and that they raise any concerns they might have with us,” she said. A statement from the department said there were no reports so far of clients becoming unwell from visiting the salon. It said the risk of contracting hepatitis B and C were moderate and the risk for HIV was low.

"If you, or someone you know, had cosmetic procedures at this salon, see your doctor as soon as possible to have a blood test," Dr Sutton said. "I want to reiterate how important it is to only receive cosmetic services in a registered facility using hygienic processes. "The risk of infection, injury and permanent damage is very high if premises do not employ suitably qualified staff and practice suitable infection control measures. "If you are concerned about an illegal salon – check it is properly registered with your local council." He encouraged people to check the online Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency database if they think someone is falsely claiming to be a medical practitioner.