Industry responds to teenage client’s reaction to brow treatment

The recent tabloid story of a disastrous brow treatment carried out on teenage client highlights the importance of patch testing before tints.

The story, published in the Metro on July 1, reported that a client aged 13, accompanied a friend of her mother, received an eyebrow wax and decided to add on a brow tint treatment. The therapist performed the tint without a carrying out a patch test, despite the client saying that she’d had allergic reactions to hair dye in the past.

Christina Jenkins, director at the Eyelash Design Company, which owns the Lash Perfect Lash Bar in London offering a range of brow and lash treatments, said, “Without a patch test, the therapist is unable to detect if the client may have allergic reaction to the products being used. A positive reaction can include anything from redness, irritation and swelling to permanent hair loss, scaring and can even affect the vision.”

She added that failing to carry out a patch test leaves a salon liable for the client’s reaction, as salon insurance will not cover negligence.

Commenting on the story on Professional Beauty’s Facebook page, Carla Cunningham Ray of Beautify Me in Essex said, “Members of the public don’t know the correct procedure, so put their trust in the salon to do the right thing and advise accordingly.”

Fellow commenter Clair Orpwood said, “[This] gives us such a bad name, it’s so frustrating!” Likewise, many members of the Professional Beauty community pointed out that tinting treatments should not be carried out after a wax, as the skin is more sensitive.