Patch Testing Important in a Beauty Salon

Conducting regular patch tests at your salon is crucial to ensure the health of your clients. What happens if you aren’t doing it? From a mild irritation to anaphylactic shock. Everything.

83% of respondents dermatologists reported that they do patches tests in their practice often. It has been proven to be the most effective method to determine hypersensitivity reactions in the skin.

As a salon owner, you’re the sole accountable for all that can occur at your salon. Be aware that customers are entitled to make complaints or demand the possible negative consequences from your service. This is why we want to keep you informed on this issue and avoid a complex and unwelcome circumstance.

In this blog, you’ll discover the most crucial aspects of testing for patch as a beautician or cosmetologist such as how to test for an allergen and how to handle the situation in which a patch test turns out positive.

What is the purpose of a patch test?

Allergen test performed on the hand. Patient undergoing allergen skin test at the clinic.

The test of skin patch is the safest way to test a tiny amount of a chemical on the skin of your client’s to observe their reactions to the substance. Make an eyelash/brow patch test to determine the effects of tinting treatment, Peel treatments, glue for lashes the perming of eyelashes, tanning sprays and other products you’ll find in a salon.

What are the substances that are identified during patch tests?

Based on the British Association of Dermatologists, there are 40 common items that can cause harm to the skin of people, such as preservatives, chemicals, fragrances medications, perfumes, chemicals, metals and even plants.

To avoid these situations You could make use of to avoid such situations, you can use a client management software. For instance, in Goldie which is a free app to schedule appointments designed for beauty professionals you can save inside the user’s “notes” section information about their allergies, preferred products, and any other details you believe are essential.

It is possible to try the application by downloading it absolutely free through Google Play, the App Store or Google Play.

What do you know to tell when it’s time to create patches for your client?

Typically, you should conduct an experiment with a patch for each new client that comes into your salon, or each time you begin using new products on your current clients.

What are the methods by which a patch test is done?

You should have a reliable testing kit for patch tests that includes everything you require to get a successful outcome.

  • 24/48 hours before your client’s appointment time, ask clients to visit your salon to conduct an examination of their skin for the products you’ll apply to their skin during the day of their appointment.
  • Begin the patch testing by asking some concerns to your client. If, for instance, it’s a woman, then you need to ensure that she’s not pregnant or possibly pregnant, or nursing since certain substances could cause harm to her pregnancy.
  • Be aware whether your child is taking any treatment for a medical condition, since some medications can cause an increase in sensitivity to particular allergens.
  • Once you have all this details about your client you’re ready to start testing the patches. Use a small amount of the product you plan to apply to a professional testing patch.
  • Then, you can apply the patch to a hidden area of the body for example, behind or behind the earlobe. The patch will stay taped in place for 24/48 hrs or until the day of the appointment.
  • Do not forget to warn your client not to shower or bathe when the tape test is in place, as it could affect the test’s performance.

A patch test is verified as positive if you observe symptoms such as wheals, redness and areas of swelling or other serious symptoms. Since it is your responsibility to determine if your client is allergic to a particular substance, you should be on hand for any adverse reaction they might experience, and ask for images or come in for a visit when they need to.

Below, you can observe what an eyebrow tint test is performed:

How do you handle a positive tinted eyebrow test scenario?

In this post, I’ll discuss an actual scenario that I encountered at a salon that turned into a professional lesson for us all. After a patch of eyebrow tint test the client noticed a dark patch on the skin, which confirmed that the customer was allergic to eyebrow tint. Here’s a review provided by Beauty Box’s owner and the LVL:

“This one of my clients been advised that she was sensitive and irritable to many tints, like the henna. Also, she had a negative reaction to lash extensions prior to. I was able to source an “sensitive” tint, as she was desperate to have a tint for the treatment to lift the lashes.

We performed an initial patch test days prior to her booking. We also conducted an examination of the patch for the lifting system. The client emailed me this photo the next day, telling me that she had only reacts in the direction of the tint. The rest of the product were good. We applied the lash lift treatment with out any tint.

I often patch test my client since her sensitivity can alter, and it is safer rather than regretting. If there was no patch test the treatment may have been a disaster and, more likely, her end at A&E.”

The salon’s owner reminds professional in the field of beauty of the fact that “patch tests are vital. They provide us with an indication of if a patient is allergic to products, and also if it is possible to perform the treatment. The patch test is intended for the security of the patient. It is essential for salons to conduct patch tests as per the guidelines of the manufacturer and policies for insurance.”

Conclusion

Be aware that regardless of how experienced you are or the years of experience you’ve gained in your field Your client’s safety always is first. This is why testing patches of the products you use prior to making an appointment is crucial to stay clear of dangerous situations.

When you are making a patch for a product test, ensure that you follow the guidelines of the kit and be in constant contact with your customer.

If the test is positive, stay cool and provide assistance until you can ensure that your client isn’t in any risk.

However, it is important to be aware that tests for patch allergies may not be 100% conclusive. In the words of News Medical Life Science there can be false-negative results where there’s no reaction, and false positives that indicate an allergy, even though there’s none.

The skin of your client’s may react differently to different substances and therefore, you must make every effort to ensure they’re happy and safe after having a treatment with you.