Hi all,

I just wanted to pick your brains' if I may?

I have carried out facials on two seperate clients. At the end of each treatment I have noticed that they both had localised swelling on thier cheeks. Both had a fair amount of papuals on the cheek area. Neither one complained of any pain and/or itching. I have never seen this before and thought that it may be (and this is the best way for me to describe it) that as the skin has been stimulated through massage and steam that it is now more "aware" of any bacteria on or just beneath it's surface. As the body sends fluid to any area where the bacteria is at it's worst, there is localised swelling in that area- a histamine reaction. Hmmmm???

What do you reckon?

I have never come across this before, the only thing i can think of is that it could have something to do with the steaming ? I don't offer steaming myself and haven't since college so i could be totally off the mark here !

Did you have the steamer quite close to the clients face and apart from these two clients have you steamed anyone else recently ?

Hi Juliette,

well its at work. They always offer facials with all facials and I do unless the clients has extreamly sensitive skin or broken capillaries. I dodnt have it to close the face about the client's arms distance.

did you speak to your clients the following day at all to ask them if the swelling had gone down? if not it may be worth giving them a ring just to see how thier skin is 24 hours after the treatment you will then be able to judge the severity of the problem and what might be causing it. If they didn't complain of any itching or soreness then i would temporarily rule out allergy, sounds to me like it might possibly just be stimulation of the circultion in the dermis. If the swelling hasn't gone down may be a good idea for them to see thier GP.

I did call yes and both said that was fine, no bruising and went within a few hours.