A laser epilation burn, spot or scar may give rise to claims for treatment costs, loss of earnings, a fee refund and non-pecuniary damages. Which of these claims will be accepted, however, depends on the nature of the procedure, the commitment made, the treatment records, the damage and the causal link. The absence of a permanent scar does not make a claim fruitless, and not every redness automatically gives rise to a right to compensation. [1–3]
In beauty centre disputes two problems often arise together: while the person seeks compensation for harm to their health, they also face a demand for payment for sessions they did not use. For this reason, health records should be reviewed in the same file as the contract, the session card and the payment documents. This guide focuses on epilation procedures carried out by private businesses. Decisions and legislation were checked as of October 11, 2026.
What is the legal nature of epilation at a beauty centre?
Where a person receives a service for purposes outside commercial or professional activity from a business carrying on a commercial activity, the transaction is, as a rule, a consumer transaction. Where a specific result is undertaken for aesthetic purposes, Court of Cassation (Yargıtay) decisions also assess the epilation relationship under the provisions on contracts for work. These two characterisations do not exclude each other: the consumer provisions and the rules on contracts for work may need to be examined together. [1–3]
The contract should show whether only a set number of sessions, a reduction of hair growth in certain areas, or some other result was promised. Concrete promises in advertisements, messages and sales conversations also help determine the expected features of the service. A burn, failure to achieve the promised result, and a person withdrawing from the package without any defect in the service each call for a different legal assessment. [2]
Does a business licence allow every device and procedure?
No. The workplace licence, the practitioner's professional competence, the technical suitability of the device and whether the procedure stays within the permitted scope are separate matters. The current regulation on beauty salons provides for certain conditions for hair removal with IPL devices in the 600–1200 nanometre range, and for serial-pulse diode equipment made solely for epilation that does not exceed an energy limit of 20 J/cm². The practitioner's relevant competence certificate is also required. These values are not individual treatment advice or recommended safe device settings. [4]
Device notification, conformity documents and inspection reports are also part of supervision. The report conditions introduced by the December 2025 amendment include annual renewal and renewal upon a new device or a change of head. The brand name, the CE mark or the business's general licence therefore does not cover the whole inspection. Current authority should not be inferred by ignoring later legislation on the basis of a court decision that annulled an earlier regulation. [4]
The 2025 study by Şen and Sert also addresses the authority of beauty salons to perform epilation and depilation in light of personal health, professional competence and regulatory changes. The limits used in that study are based directly on the text of the regulation in force. [4, 5]
Which evidence should be preserved after a laser epilation burn?
The first priority is to obtain the necessary health care. Treatment should not be delayed in order to secure legal evidence. At the examination, the date of the procedure and the onset of the complaints should be stated accurately; health records, prescriptions, reports and invoices should be kept. The person's own photographs matter, but they do not replace a medical assessment on their own. [3, 6]
| Document or record | What it clarifies | How it can be preserved |
|---|---|---|
| First examination and follow-up records | Findings, treatment and change over time | Copies are requested from the health institution; dates are kept. |
| Photographs and correspondence | Appearance, timing of the complaint and the business's response | Original files and the entire conversation are kept; images are not altered. |
| Session and device records | Practitioner, area treated, device and parameters used | Existing records are requested from the business in writing; any that cannot be obtained is noted in the file. |
| Contract and consent documents | Commitment, risk disclosure and package scope | All signed pages and annexes are obtained together. |
| Payment and session card | Amount paid, service used and sessions remaining | Receipts, bank records, card terminal (POS) records, the card and any promissory notes are kept together. |
| Damage documents | Treatment costs, incapacity to work and loss of income | Invoices, sick leave reports and income documents are filed. |
A notice sent to the business should clearly state the date of the procedure, the complaint, the records requested and the claim. For evidence that may be lost, such as existing camera recordings, a request for protection and, where the conditions exist, a court-ordered preservation of evidence may be considered without delay. Rather than unlawful access to or collection of other persons' health data, the relevant records should be requested through lawful procedures. [6]
Why do device settings matter in the expert review?
The Court of Cassation's 12th Criminal Chamber decision of March 27, 2019 (E. 2017/8577, K. 2019/4142) shows the scope of technical review in a complaint of a burn after epilation. The Chamber held that the relationship between the recorded energy value, the spot or handpiece size and the likelihood of a burn had not been sufficiently explained, and asked for an examination by a panel of three academic members in dermatology. [7]
The decision concerns the reversal of an acquittal based on an incomplete examination; it is not a direct conviction or a compensation ruling. What can be drawn from it is that the explanation "a low setting was used" is not accepted as sufficient without examining the other features of the device and the person's data. [7]
Do a complication and a consent form remove liability?
When a complication defence is assessed, the pre-procedure suitability review, the method used, the information given and the follow-up are examined together. A risk being a known risk and the procedure being carried out in accordance with its requirements are not the same thing. On the other hand, not every unwanted result is by itself proof of fault. [1, 7, 8]
Claims relating to sun exposure, tanning, medications used or failure to follow care advice must be linked to the event through expert examination. Fault should not be attributed to the person without investigating what information the business received, what warnings it gave and how much the alleged conduct contributed to the damage. If a contribution by the injured person is established, its effect on compensation is assessed separately. [1]
Does consent given for one procedure cover another?
In the Court of Cassation's 3rd Civil Chamber decision of April 26, 2016 (E. 2015/10634, K. 2016/6585), needle epilation following laser treatment and spots on the upper lip were examined. The form in the file related to laser treatment, and the information concerning the subsequent procedure had not been sufficiently investigated; these were matters requiring re-examination. [8]
The Chamber reversed the rejection judgment and did not fix a specific compensation amount. The decision shows that a general document signed for an earlier procedure does not by itself prove that the person was informed about a later change of method. The content of the form, its date and the procedure actually carried out should be compared. Clauses such as "all responsibility lies with the customer" do not automatically remove statutory liability. [1, 2, 8]
Should the action be directed at the business or the practitioner?
First, the natural or legal person who is a party to the contract is identified. The trade name on the sign and the company name on the invoice may differ. The person who performed the procedure, the company that employs the staff, those responsible for organising the service and, where present, the roles of any health institution are each examined separately. Breach of contract, personal fault, and liability for employees or auxiliaries may each provide a different legal basis. [1]
The regulation sets out duties and responsibilities for the responsible manager of a beauty salon and for the practitioner. Which person is liable for which damage, however, cannot be determined by a title alone, without concrete duties, acts and a legal relationship. Use of a franchise brand also does not make the brand owner automatically liable for damages in every case. The contract, the invoice, the advertising and the actual organisation should be examined together. [1, 4]
Where the damage results from a defect in the device, the product liability of the manufacturer or importer may also arise. For this, the existence of a burn alone is not enough: the product's non-conformity, the damage and the causal link are assessed. Procedural error and a product-related problem should not be confused. [9]
What compensation can be claimed for a laser epilation burn?
In a concrete case, necessary treatment costs linked to the damage, loss of earnings, loss of working capacity and losses arising from the disruption of economic prospects may be examined. The necessity and cost of any future corrective treatment must rest on expert assessment. It cannot be accepted that all undocumented or hypothetical expenses will be met in full. [1]
A refund of the fee or a reduction of the price falls within the remedies of choice for a defective service. Material and non-pecuniary damages arising from bodily injury are assessed according to their own conditions. These claims may be raised together, provided the same loss is not recovered twice. There is no fixed calculation of non-pecuniary damages as a multiple of the procedure price, nor a general tariff by burn degree. [1, 2]
Can non-pecuniary damages be claimed where no permanent mark remains?
In the Court of Cassation's 3rd Civil Chamber decision of October 14, 2015 (E. 2014/19681, K. 2015/15751), the absence of continuing damage about three years after the event was not accepted as sufficient on its own. Taking together the health records close to the time of the event and the suffering experienced, the rejection of the non-pecuniary damages claim was reversed. [3]
This decision shows that recovery does not by itself erase past bodily harm and the pain it caused. It does not mean that every temporary redness will attract compensation, nor that all reports prepared after the event are invalid. It is important to document the initial findings together with the healing process. [3]
Can a session card serve as evidence of payment?
In the Court of Cassation's 6th Civil Chamber decision of September 20, 2021 (E. 2021/188, K. 2021/203), payment records on a membership and session tracking card were held to require evaluation together with other evidence. The fact that the person who received payment on the card was not shown to be an insured employee of the business was not regarded as sufficient to exclude the document from review. [10]
In the same decision, the 2,000 TL non-pecuniary damages awarded by the court of first instance was also found inadequate in light of the features of the event. That amount is not an approved tariff. The decision reverses on the evaluation of the payment evidence and on the inadequacy of the non-pecuniary damages; it does not indicate the compensation to be expected for a present-day event. [10]
Package cancellation and fee refund for unused sessions
In a defective service, the consumer may use whichever of the following suits the concrete case: re-performance of the service, free repair of the result, a reduction of the price, or rescission of the contract. The nature and proportionality of re-performance and repair options are subject to limits. After bodily injury, it should not be presented as a necessary solution that the person accepts further treatment at the same place. [2]
Whether the package has been fully or partly performed, the divisibility of the services, the scope of the defect and the chosen remedy all affect the refund calculation. For this reason, it cannot be said in every file that the whole package price will be recovered unconditionally, or that each session used will be deducted at the single-session price advertised. If the business closes or transfers to another company, the contracting party, the transfer and any undelivered services should be examined separately. [1, 2]
Does every contract carry a 14-day right of withdrawal?
No. Withdrawal for any reason is different from seeking a remedy for a defective service. A general 14-day withdrawal period does not apply to every contract concluded at a salon. Whether the contract is an instalment sale or a contract concluded away from business premises must be determined. [2, 11, 12]
| Contract situation | General withdrawal framework | Distinction to watch |
|---|---|---|
| Instalment service contract with the business | As a rule, 7 days from the contract | If the service starts before the period expires with the consumer's consent, the right of withdrawal may be affected. Credit card instalments are not governed by the same regime. |
| Contract concluded away from business premises | As a rule, 14 days from the service contract | Signing at the salon right after a personal offer on the street may also fall within this scope; the concrete circumstances and exceptions are examined. |
| Contract concluded at the salon, outside any special withdrawal regime | No automatic general withdrawal period | Defect, the contract terms and other grounds for ending the contract are examined separately. |
A notice of withdrawal should be given to the provider in writing, or by a durable medium, within the relevant period, and proof of its arrival and content should be kept. Relying on a telephone conversation alone is not safe. An application to an arbitration committee should not be used on the assumption that it replaces the notice to be given to the provider. The absence of a withdrawal right does not mean that the rights concerning a defective service are absent too. [11, 12]
Is a signed promissory note or a "package cannot be cancelled" clause binding?
Where a negotiable instrument is issued because of a consumer transaction, the note must be made out to a named payee and a separate note must be issued for each instalment. Notes that do not comply are invalid as against the consumer. Adding only the words "consumer transaction" does not satisfy these conditions. The validity of the note and the existence of the basic debt arising from the service contract are separate questions. [2]
Terms imposed without negotiation that create an imbalance against the consumer contrary to good faith are subject to review for unfair terms. A clause stating "no refund under any circumstances" does not remove the rights arising from law. Missing appointments, however, does not by itself end the obligation. Whether the business may demand all remaining instalments at once depends on separate statutory conditions for acceleration. [2]
If an enforcement payment order has been served, an objection to the contract is not regarded as sufficient on its own. The competent authority and the short periods for objection or complaint may vary according to the type of enforcement. The note, the contract and the service of the notice should be examined together and without delay; an invalidity claim is no reason to ignore the enforcement proceedings.
Arbitration committee, courts and complaint routes
In 2026, where the value of a consumer dispute is below 186,000 TL, the route is the Consumer Arbitration Committee (Tüketici Hakem Heyeti). For this amount and above, subject to statutory exceptions, the route is mandatory mediation before litigation, followed by the consumer court. Where there is no consumer court, the civil court of first instance sits as a consumer court. Jurisdiction should not be assessed only by reference to the session fee paid; the nature of the claims asserted and the total value of the dispute should be examined. [2, 13]
Applications to the Consumer Arbitration Committee are not subject to mediation as a condition precedent to litigation. In determining the place of application, the consumer's place of residence is also important. A consumer's exemption from fees does not mean that expert and other litigation costs will never arise. Advance on costs, a possible reimbursement of the opposing party's attorney fees and, where the conditions exist, legal aid are assessed separately. [2, 6]
How is an action prepared when the amount is not yet determined?
By an amendment that entered into force on July 31, 2026, Article 107 of the Law No. 6100 on Civil Procedure (HMK) was repealed, and a provision was added to Article 109 allowing, in the same action and once until the end of the investigation, an increase of the claim where part of a divisible claim has been sued. It is also provided that, for the increased part, the statute of limitations is deemed interrupted from the date of the action. Transitional provisions should be examined separately for earlier actions. [6, 14]
For this reason, the phrase "an action for an indeterminate claim is filed" from older samples should not be carried directly into a current petition. The heads of material damage, the claim for non-pecuniary damages, the starting point of interest, the date of the action and the transitional provisions should each be considered separately. The new partial-action provision should not be taken to mean that all claims, in particular non-pecuniary damages, may be split in the same way. [1, 6, 14]
Do prosecutorial and administrative complaints replace compensation?
Where there is a link between a defective application and an injury, a complaint for negligent injury may be made to the public prosecutor or the police. Not every burn is automatically treated as a crime or as conscious negligence; criminal liability is investigated for the natural persons concerned. The legal personality of the business and the criminal liability of the practitioner should not be confused. [7, 15]
Notifications may be made to the authority responsible for licensing and device inspection, and to the provincial health directorate. These administrative processes do not by themselves secure a fee refund or compensation. Where the procedure is a medical intervention carried out by a health professional, the provisions on special investigation permission are examined separately; this regime does not apply automatically to every beauty employee. [4, 16]
Settlement in the criminal file has a particularly important effect on compensation rights. Under Article 253(19) of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CMK) as currently in force, a victim–offender mediation (uzlaşma) may prevent a damages action from being brought on account of the offence under investigation, and may have the effect of withdrawing an existing action. Damage that cannot be identified at the time of settlement, or that emerges later, is excepted from this rule by statute. For this reason, a settlement text given in return for a small payment or a free session should be examined with such unidentified damage in mind. [17]
How are time limits calculated in laser epilation disputes?
There is no single "laser epilation limitation period". The legal basis of the claim, the date of knowledge, the date of performance or delivery, and the specific provision that may apply are determined together. The periods below do not substitute for one another. [1, 2]
| Legal basis | General period | Starting point and key distinction |
|---|---|---|
| Tort, Turkish Code of Obligations (TBK), Art. 72 | 2 years from learning of the damage; in any case 10 years from the act | Knowledge of the damage and of the liable person is assessed. Where the act constitutes an offence subject to a longer criminal limitation period, a longer period may apply under the relevant conditions. |
| Defective service, Consumer Protection Law (TKHK), Art. 16 | As a rule, 2 years from the statement | Longer statutory or contractual periods are reserved. Concealment of the defect through gross fault or fraud is subject to a special regime. |
| Defective work, TBK, Art. 478 | For works other than immovable property, 2 years from delivery | A 20-year period is provided where the contractor has committed gross fault. The legal characterisation and the applicability of the defect provisions are examined. |
In a criminal complaint, as a rule the six-month complaint period runs from learning of the act and of the perpetrator. The exception for conscious negligence in negligent injury and the nature of the injury are assessed separately. That period is not the limitation period for a compensation action. [15]
A notice of defect, a withdrawal, an objection to enforcement and the limitation period for an action are all different periods. Statutory protection of periods exists for the time between an application to mediation and the final mediation minutes. It should not be assumed, however, that a message to the business, an administrative complaint or a prosecutor's application automatically suspends the limitation period for the civil action. [1, 2, 18]
Conclusion
A sound assessment of a laser epilation dispute considers together the health findings, the treatment records, the commitment made and the payment relationship. Preserving the first examination records and the session card, checking whether the consent matches the type of procedure performed, and identifying the correct party are of concrete importance.
A permanent scar that is absent, a signed form or unused sessions do not by themselves answer all rights. The fee refund, material and non-pecuniary damages, administrative supervision and criminal complaints should each be assessed on their own conditions. When preparing an application, the claims and periods should be determined according to the file, and older decisions should be read together with the current procedural rules.
Frequently Asked Questions
The burn healed and left no mark; can I still claim non-pecuniary damages?
Yes, if the conditions are met. The absence of a permanent mark does not by itself remove the past bodily injury or the pain it caused. The importance of the first-period health records is explained in the relevant Court of Cassation decision.
Do I lose all my rights because I signed the consent form?
No. What the form was issued for, which risks were explained, and whether the procedure was carried out in accordance with its requirements are examined. A general signature does not by itself show that adequate information was given for a later, different method.
If the salon offers a free session instead of a fee refund, must I accept it?
No. For a defective service, the remedy of choice suited to the concrete case is assessed. If a re-treatment offer is conditional on giving up all compensation claims, the legal effect of that text should be examined separately.
Can I cancel a package signed at the salon within 14 days in every case?
No. Instalment services, contracts concluded away from business premises and an ordinary salon contract are not subject to the same rules. The withdrawal table sets out these distinctions; rights arising from a defective service may still be reserved.
If the note is invalid, may I disregard the enforcement payment order?
No. The invalidity claim may need to be raised before the appropriate authority and within the applicable time limit. The type of enforcement, the date of service and the content of the note should be examined without delay.
Does the device being licensed or CE-marked prevent a claim?
No. Device conformity, the practitioner's competence, the permitted field of use and the concrete application are assessed separately. A technical conformity document does not prove that every use on every person was carried out correctly.
Does settling with the prosecutor's office affect my right to compensation?
Yes. The consequences under CMK Article 253(19), and the exception for damage that cannot be identified at the time of settlement or emerges later, must be considered together. Because of the distinction in the settlement section, the scope should be determined before any text is signed.
Sources and legal bases
- Law No. 6098, Turkish Code of Obligations; Arts. 49–56, 61, 66, 72, 74, 112, 115–116, 154 and 470–478. Current text.
- Law No. 6502 on Consumer Protection (Tüketicinin Korunması Hakkında Kanun); Arts. 3–5, 13–19, 47, 68, 73, 73/A and 83. Current text.
- Court of Cassation, 3rd Civil Chamber, October 14, 2015, E. 2014/19681, K. 2015/15751; reversal concerning epilation damage and non-pecuniary damages. Full decision.
- Regulation on Business Opening and Operating Licences (İşyeri Açma ve Çalışma Ruhsatlarına İlişkin Yönetmelik), Official Gazette, August 10, 2005, No. 25902; Annex 1, beauty salons section, in particular 10–13.2. Current text.
- Şen, N. and Sert, G. (2025). Güzellik Salonlarının Epilasyon ve Depilasyon Uygulama Yetkisinde Kişi Sağlığı Bağlamında Sınırlar [Limits, in the context of personal health, on beauty salons' authority to perform epilation and depilation]. Lokman Hekim Dergisi, 15(2), 671–677. DOI: 10.31020/mutftd.1583728. Article.
- Law No. 6100 on Civil Procedure (Hukuk Muhakemeleri Kanunu, HMK); Arts. 107–109, 189–190, 219–220, 266, 281, 324, 334 and 400–405. Current text.
- Court of Cassation, 12th Criminal Chamber, March 27, 2019, E. 2017/8577, K. 2019/4142; device parameters, expert examination and reversal of an acquittal. Full decision.
- Court of Cassation, 3rd Civil Chamber, April 26, 2016, E. 2015/10634, K. 2016/6585; disclosure in laser and needle epilation, reversal of a rejection judgment. Full decision.
- Law No. 7223 on Product Safety and Technical Regulations (Ürün Güvenliği ve Teknik Düzenlemeler Kanunu); especially Art. 6. Current text.
- Court of Cassation, 6th Civil Chamber, September 20, 2021, E. 2021/188, K. 2021/203; reversal concerning payment card and non-pecuniary damages. Full decision.
- Ministry of Trade. Information on Instalment Sales Contracts (Taksitle Satış Sözleşmeleri Hakkında Bilgilendirme), October 19, 2022. Official statement.
- Ministry of Trade. Information on Contracts Concluded Away from Business Premises (İş Yeri Dışında Kurulan Sözleşmeler Hakkında Bilgilendirme), August 17, 2026. Official statement.
- Ministry of Trade. Information on Consumer Arbitration Committees (Tüketici Hakem Heyetleri Hakkında Bilgilendirme), January 22, 2026; 2026 monetary threshold. Official statement.
- Law No. 7589, July 16, 2026; Official Gazette, July 31, 2026, No. 33326. Ministry of Justice announcement.
- Law No. 5237, Turkish Penal Code (Türk Ceza Kanunu, TCK); Arts. 20, 22, 73 and 89. Current text.
- Law No. 3359 on Basic Health Services (Sağlık Hizmetleri Temel Kanunu); supplementary Art. 18. Current text.
- Law No. 5271, Code of Criminal Procedure (CMK); especially Art. 253(19). Current text.
- Law No. 6325 on Mediation in Civil Disputes (Hukuk Uyuşmazlıklarında Arabuluculuk Kanunu); Arts. 16 and 18/A. Current text.