NHF/NBF on the importance of patch testing

Caroline Larissey is the NHF/NBF’s director of quality & standards, reveals the importance of patch testing within any beauty business…

“Allergy alert and sensitivity testing are vital to protect your clients, your reputation and your salon business.

“Having an approved and reliable patch testing system in place when providing lash and brow services will provide peace of mind. Vitally, you can also be confident your insurance will cover you if things go wrong.

“Always check that your insurer will cover the patch testing systems you have in place.

Allergies and hair colour

“Some people are allergic to ingredients used in hair and beauty treatments, in particular, the hair colorant known as PPD and similar chemicals. It’s also important to realise that allergies can develop over time so clients can become allergic to products that you have previously used with no problem.

“Allergic reactions are usually mild, resulting in itchy, red, or warm skin and sometimes swelling. However, allergies can also be serious and life threatening which is why it’s so important to carry out allergy alert testing – also known as patch testing.”

Skin sensitivity tests

“Having sensitive skin is not the same as having an allergic reaction, but some clients will have skin that is sensitive to certain products and ingredients such as adhesives or oils, especially around the eyes.

“Always carry out sensitivity tests for new clients at least 24 hours in advance of carrying out eyelash perming or extensions. In addition, make sure the client will be comfortable with the products and techniques you’ll be using.”

Your client

“Clients under the age of 16 should not be offered treatments that involve the application of hair colour or tinting to eyebrows or eyelashes. This also means that allergy alert tests must never be carried out on under-16s.

“Your insurance will not cover you if your employees carry out treatments on clients who are too young. The same applies if they are not qualified to provide the treatments they offer.

“Don’t forget that you must comply with strict data protection laws when collecting and storing health-related records such as questionnaires and consultation forms.

“Under GDPR you must get permission from your client to store their information and you must keep health-related records in a secure place for four years.”

Beauty salon toolkit

The NBF has recently launched an allergy alert and sensitivity testing toolkit for beauty salons which includes everything you need to set up a reliable and consistent record-keeping and testing system.

The toolkit is free to NBF Members, plus postage and packaging, and includes a detailed guide to allergy alert and sensitivity testing and GDPR-compliant client healthcare questionnaires and consultation forms. It can be found at: nhf.info/beautyH&Skit.