STUK promotes radiation safety in the beauty care sector through a learning game

On the third of April, the Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority (STUK) published a learning game about the use of radiation in beauty care. The game is especially aimed at cosmetology students, but it also contains useful information for experienced cosmetologists and other beauty care professionals. The game covers topic such as the responsibilities of radiation users, the regulation of radiation use, equipment procurement, risks associated with radiation use and STUK’s duties as a supervisory authority.

The game helps STUK reach beauty care professionals early in their studies. Radiation is used in beauty care for ultrasound, laser and pulsed light treatments, but STUK has observed that very little is taught about radiation and its safe use. If used incorrectly, radiation can cause burns, scars or pigmentation changes to the skin.

With the learning game, STUK aims to proactively promote radiation safety in the beauty care sector, as as it also supervises the use of radiation by beauty care companies and entrepreneurs. Above all, lessons learned during studies will reduce the radiation risks of employees and customers, but hopefully also the number of deficiencies observed in supervision.

“The aim is that, rather than focusing on specific details of the game content, players will remember that there are requirements related to the use of radiation, that they must identify these requirements before providing services, and that they should contact STUK if necessary”, says STUK’s inspector Antti Latomäki.

The learning game is available in Finnish, Easy Finnish, Swedish and English. The Easy Language version is especially intended for students whose native language is not Finnish. There is a significant number of people in the beauty sector who speak Finnish as a second or foreign language.

STUK has sent a newsletter to educational institutions in the beauty care sector with instructions on how to use the game. More information about the game, the right to use it and related material is available on STUK’s website at stuk.fi/en/learning-game.

You can also learn more about the background of the game in Heidi Immonen’s Master's thesis for Laurea University of Applied Sciences Oppimispeli säteilyn käytön vaatimuksista kauneudenhoidossa (2024). The game was created in connection with the thesis at the suggestion of Immonen. The abstract of the thesis is available at https://www.theseus.fi/handle/10024/866745.