Anyone gone to do waxing and when they fill inthe form are a diabetic??? Where would you draw the line. Would you wax a person with diabetis that is controlled by diet only, and refuse to wax someone who is insulin dependant?

I always obtain a note from the client's doctor, as he is the one who will understand the individual condition and be able to gauge how susceptible the sufferer is to infection.

hth

it also depends on what type they have got their ar several types of diebetes and normally i would wax and this goes down on their record card because most of my clients only have a special diet if some one came in and it was a different kind i would refer them to there gp. i remember when i first started working for myself i had a lady who wanted waxing and when she filled in her cardi told her at this point i am unable to carry out the waxing and i need to have permission off your Gp which she did and her doctor told me a few tips as long as the the customers aren't taking any medication or injecting with insulin i was ok but i needed proof and now i always ask them to bring intheir medication as i now put all this down on their records.
Diebetes doen't mean that you can't carry out its just a contra-indication this is just a precaution measure and really you should have done this in your training

When it comes to waxing, the main issue with diabetes is the potential for reduced wound healing ability, which can mean the client is more susceptible to infection; any injury to the skin caused by waxing is therefore a concern. Those clients with vascular damage and/or neuropathy (nerve damage resulting in a loss of sensation) are at particular risk, so a full consultation is vital.

There are different types of diabetes - Type 1 can only be controlled by insulin, Type 2 (the most common) can often be managed by a change in lifestyle (exercise, diet, etc). There is also a third type which affects a small minority of women during pregnancy, and a few other rare causes. What you need to know for waxing is whether the diabetes is controlled.

Having sought the advice of doctors and a local diabetes support group in the past, this is how I work it: if my client's diabetes is controlled, and there are no other contraindications, I will wax. With the proper care and precautions (which I treat all my clients with), I personally see no reason to refuse treatment: low temperature wax that is temp-tested on the therapist first, a gentle wax suitable for sensitive skin, great care in supporting the skin properly during the treatment, and ensuring proper aftercare is adhered to. Of course, if you accidentally damage your client's skin, advise them to seek medical attention immediately.

Unfortunately I've found that a lot of doctors just aren't prepared to write "permission to treat" notes, for the simple reason that it might come back and bite them on the ass if (heaven forbid) something should go wrong. If in any doubt, I don't treat - doctors note or otherwise.

Before a client books an appointment I always ask re contra-indications and if they have any I always require a doctors note. Sorry but just keeping myself safe.....

I do know of therapists who are happy to carry out this on diabetics but you never know it only takes one time......

I agree always ask for a doctors note. Some clients will try and blag it by saying ive had it done before & it was fine but at the end of the day what if something did happen ? If you haven't got a doctors note and you've got a consultation card stating that they have diabetes, you've had it !!

Good tip Sarah i never think to ask for contra-indications when a new client calls i will do now !

my mum is diabetic and the only real thing you need to worry about is their inability to heal quickly and loss of sensation. you shouldn't burn them anyway because you should've already tested the wax on yourself. alot of diabetics are completely fine and are 'normal'. it really is not that much to worry about. i would put it on the client card though to cover your own back.

The only other thing is if they are nervous/hate pain/have a low pain threshold it can cause low blood sugar levels. however, they'll know how to combat this very easily and shouldn't be something you need to worry about.

They aren't invalids, their pancreas just doesn't work properly!

Alot of my clients are diabetic and I always carry out hot/cold , sharp/blunt tests to ensure there is no lack of sensation. I get them to initial on their treatment card that I've carried out the tests, obviously if there is any lack of sensation they need G.P's permission.
I have a letter to send to G.P. which literrally requires them to tick a box saying either yes, no, or telephone to discuss, doctors are always short of time so its quick and easy. I also send a stamped addressed envelope, so literally GP just ticks a box, signs name and straight into envelope. Saves the client having to wait for appointment and then possibly pay for doctor's note.

Thank you Kadie, I get so P**sed of with my husbands, mum, dads, and foster brothers condition being the reason to treat them as if they are lepers.
Please Please, stop all this twadle you are all qualified therepists and should not be injuring your clients anyway.
Massage is good for diabetics, why? because it improves blood circulation and that is something they have problems with. Waxing does no harm, indian head massage is good, physio therepists totaly disregard diabitic as a contra indication and reflexoligy is RECOMENDED
I could go on but I'll start screaming so instead I will leave you with one final thing
Diabetics do something comenly called a prick finger test, this is where they use a needle on the side of the pad of the finger to produce a drop of blood that is put onto a test strip and this is put into a machine to test the suger level. I do not know of any diabetics who use a sterile dressing to clean the wound site. they all put the bloody finger in their mouth and get on with life. this test is carried out once or twice daily and I also don't know any diabetics who have suffered gangreen or blood poisoning from this practice.

I don't treat any of my clients as if they are lepers whatever their condition.
At college i was taught that some treatments state that diabetes is a contra-indication & can only be treated with a doctors note. Im not saying i agree but if i don't obtain a doctors note then my insurance is invalid. So at the end of the day i have to go with the doctors note.....

You raise some good points, Susie, but I don't see anyone implying that clients with diabetes should be treated as lepers - on the contrary, I think it is encouraging that everyone on this thread very evidently cares for the wellbeing of their clients, whether or not we agree with each other's handling of the situation.

I agree that in an ideal world clients would never get injured during a treatment, but sadly accidents do happen and we need to be aware of what to do in this event. Bruising, skin lifting and minor scalding are all potential risks when waxing, particularly when newly qualified, and need to be properly handled regardless of whether the client has diabetes or otherwise. Telling a client you have accidentally bruised, chafed or broken the skin and advising them to do something about it isn't treating that person as a leper - it's responsible client care.

I do, however, understand your frustration. Unfortunately the fact remains that some colleges, textbooks and the current National Occupational Standards are teaching that diabetes is a contraindicatoin to waxing - in light of this we will certainly face an uphill battle to dispel some of the fear and misinformation that has circulated as a result. Hopefully this thread will go some way towards that

Andy x