It’s such a simple and quick thing to do, and so important, but many beauty therapists still aren’t doing patch tests before carrying out treatments.
A patch test is the safest and easiest way to test whether your client is prone to a skin reaction from products used during various beauty treatments. It often results in itching, dryness and irritation that can also cause swelling.
The patch test should be prepared just as if it was a treatment. Typically it can be applied to either the crook of the elbow or behind the ear. This should be done 48 hours before the beauty treatment.
Even if the client has had a patch test done elsewhere, they still have to have one at your beauty salon, as they may use different products. You should also repeat patch tests regularly, as it’s not uncommon to develop an allergy after repeated exposure to a product.
There are so many reasons why you need to do patch testing on clients before having hair colouring or lash and brow tinting. As a client, they can run health risks of having an allergic reaction, this could potentially be severe and require medical treatment.
As a business, it can leave you with heavy legal fines and settlements. And if you have a client who does react to a treatment without having done a patch test, it’s possible that your insurance wouldn’t be valid against the claim against you. And that’s not even considering the long-term impact it can have on your business reputation too.
So next time you have a client book in for a beauty treatment that requires a patch test, ensure you carry it out for the safety of yourself and your client.