Health & Beauty Glossary
Plain-language definitions of terms you meet in health, dentistry and medical aesthetics in Quebec. This glossary explains what the words mean. It does not say whether a treatment suits you, lists no risks and gives no prices — that is for a health professional.
Brand names
Several common terms are trademarks rather than procedure names: Botox®, CoolSculpting®, Hydrafacial® and Invisalign® refer to specific products or devices, and equivalent alternatives exist. The entries below say so.
Verify a licence to practise
Quebec professional orders maintain a public roll of members. That is the most reliable way to confirm someone is entitled to practise.
Collège des médecins du QuébecOrdre des dentistes du QuébecOrdre des psychologues du QuébecOrdre des infirmières et infirmiers du Québec (OIIQ)Ordre des pharmaciens du Québec
- Acupuncture
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A practice involving the insertion of fine needles at specific points on the body. A regulated profession in Quebec.
- Alopecia
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The medical term for hair loss, of which several forms exist.
- Botox®
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A brand name for a preparation of botulinum toxin type A. Other botulinum toxin brands exist. In Quebec, injecting it is an act reserved to certain health professionals.
- Botulinum toxin
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A substance used in medicine and medical aesthetics, marketed under several brand names.
- Chemical peel
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Application of a solution intended to exfoliate the skin. Depths and agents vary.
- Chiropractic
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A health profession regulated in Quebec, concerned notably with the spine and nervous system.
- CLSC
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Centre local de services communautaires: a Quebec public facility providing local health and social services.
- Cryolipolysis
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A controlled tissue-cooling process. CoolSculpting® is a brand name for a cryolipolysis device.
- Dental crown
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A prosthesis that covers the visible part of a tooth.
- Dental implant
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A device placed in the jawbone to support a prosthesis or a crown.
- Dental veneer
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A thin shell bonded to the visible surface of a tooth.
- Denturology
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A Quebec profession whose members design and fit removable dental prostheses.
- Dermal filler
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An injectable product used to add volume or change a contour. Several types exist, including hyaluronic acid based ones.
- Endodontics
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The dental specialty concerned with the interior of the tooth, including root canal treatment.
- GMF (family medicine group)
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A grouping of family physicians and other professionals providing front-line services.
- Hyaluronic acid
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A substance naturally present in the body, also used as a component of certain injectable and skincare products.
- Hydrafacial®
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A brand name for a facial performed with a proprietary device combining cleansing, exfoliation and serum application.
- Invisalign®
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A brand name for a system of clear orthodontic aligners. Other aligner systems exist.
- IPL (intense pulsed light)
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A technology emitting a broad light spectrum, distinct from a laser which emits a single wavelength.
- Laser
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A device emitting light at a precise wavelength. Different lasers target different structures in the skin.
- Massage therapy
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A set of manual techniques applied to soft tissue.
- Melasma
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A skin pigmentation condition presenting as darker patches, often on the face.
- Microneedling
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A technique using fine needles to create controlled micro-punctures in the skin.
- Neuropsychology
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A field of psychology concerned with the links between brain function and behaviour.
- Occupational therapy
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A health profession aimed at independence in daily activities and work.
- Orthodontics
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The dental specialty concerned with the position of teeth and jaws.
- Osteopathy
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A manual approach focused on tissue mobility. In Quebec it is not governed by an established professional order.
- Periodontics
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The dental specialty concerned with the gums and the supporting tissues of the teeth.
- Physiotherapy
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A health profession concerned with physical function, movement and rehabilitation.
- Professional order
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A Quebec body responsible for regulating a profession, maintaining the public roll of its members and handling investigation requests.
- PRP (platelet-rich plasma)
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A preparation made by concentrating the platelets from a person's own blood, used in various medical and aesthetic protocols.
- Psychotherapy
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A psychological treatment regulated in Quebec: the title and the practice are reserved to authorised persons.
- Radiofrequency (RF)
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Energy used by some devices to heat skin tissue in a controlled way.
- RAMQ
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Régie de l'assurance maladie du Québec, the body administering the public health and drug insurance plans.
- Reserved act
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An activity that Quebec law reserves to members of a given profession. Certain aesthetic injections fall into this category.
- Roll of members
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A professional order's public register, allowing you to check whether a person is entitled to practise.
- Rosacea
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A chronic skin condition characterised notably by facial redness.
- Speech-language pathology
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A health profession concerned with communication, language and swallowing.
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