Bruised my client, advice please!

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Kim_S

Member
Joined
Aug 11, 2015
Messages
22
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9
Location
Australia
Last week I did an arm and leg wax on a lady. The legs were fine but when I came to the arms and was waxing the inside of the arm (elbow crease) she instantly bruised. I was horrified - I was supporting the area while waxing, the temp of the wax was fine, and I've never bruised anyone in my life! I pointed out the bruise immediately (she hadn't noticed) apologised profusely and asked if she wanted me to continue with the service. She was a little surprised but seemed mostly fine and said to continue.
On her other arm blood spots immediately came up and again, I was mortified. I asked her (even though she'd already filled in her client card) again if she was on any blood thinning medication etc as I'd noticed some old bruises on her legs when I'd waxed them. She started to get a bit huffy then and said no.
I was incredibly apologetic, gave her the arm wax for free and said to call if she had any issues. She said not to worry and it would be fine.
The next day she emailed the salon with photos of her arm complaining to my manager. My manager is a lovely, understanding woman and knew how upset I was over this so she has been great about it, but has asked that I call the client to touch base today and see how she is going.
My question is: is there anything obvious I've missed as to why she'd bruise like that? I'm happy to take on feedback as I just can't figure out why it happened.
Also, what should I say to her? As terrible as I'm feeling about it, I'm a bit irritated she acted completely fine on the day and then did a full reversal the following. I feel like I've apologised enough already and I have no idea what else I can say to her.
 
Is she diabetic?
 
Hi Michele! No, she stated she wasn't diabetic. No bloody thinning meds, not on Roaccutane or any kind of acne medication...I just can't figure it out. I feel so disheartened about it and dreading the next time I need to do an arm wax!
 
I bruise really easily as I'm asthmatic and I use steroids .... Could it be that? X
 
The crease of the elbow and the crease on the back of the knee ... both areas require some caution or bruising will occur. You need to treat the crease in both areas as the actual dividing point - so don't wax over the creases, consider the crease as your start and end points.
 
That area is really prone to bruising if you wax over as the skin is very thin there naturally and a lot of blood vessels underneath. I bruise when I have a blood test. Not from the actual blood test itself but from the micro pore they use to keep the cotton ball in place. Even just scratching in that crease line can cause bruising.
Like Jacquelineanna said never wax over the area directly also start and end your patches in the crease and make sure if your patch is over the crease you can move it above or below by stretching, same as the femoral ridge in bikini waxing
 
You need to make sure your barrier ie oil or talc has covered these areas never work without a barrier on people with hair on very vascular areas.I must say I have come across very few people who I have actually had to wax in the elbow crease hair often stops there so if you don't have to do it don't
 
Bruising after waxing.jpg
Hi Kim_S

I am not in the beauty industry, I have done a bit of my own waxing on my own face (between my eyes, top lip).
I am new to having other areas waxed, anyway I just paid $60 for a full face and full arm wax and
I have ended up with bruising on my arm near my armpit heading around to my back,
the girl who did my wax job was a wee bit rough (in my opinion) and said I had very sensitive skin,
I didn't know I had bruising until I got in the car and had a look.

I am a mildly annoyed with the fact that I have bruised and I am left wondering if it is normal?

As far as I know am NOT diabetic, I am NOT on blood thinners, I am NOT on any meds at all.
I am just a customer (not one of yours, nor have I been to your salon)
who just walked into a beauty salon one day wanting some waxing done and I have been left with bruising,
I know it will subside however till then I can not wear singlet tops I have to wear sleeved shirts till the bruising goes away.
 
Hi ladies, bit of a late response but thanks for all your advice! Still a bit of a mystery but I took on board your suggestions and asked another therapist in the salon to show me her technique. Between us we worked out what the easiest way is for us (with minimal risk to the client). We no longer allow clients to lay back on the bed and hold their arm out, we ask them to sit on a stool with the bed supporting their arms. I also no longer wax over the crease (how I was initially taught) to be totally safe. I don't want a repeat of that situation!
@WendyWoo74 Sorry to hear that! That seems like an odd area to bruise from just an arm wax - when you say you had an arm wax did she do your underarms as well? A full arm wax in my salon does not include underarms. Bruising from waxing is not considered normal and generally only occurs due to medications, illness or therapist technique. I suggest you contact your therapist/salon and let them know as it's important to give feedback (whether it be positive or negative). I was disheartened to hear the feedback from my client but having said that, if she hadn't contacted the salon I never would have known she had that much of an issue and wouldn't have had the opportunity to review my technique.
 
View attachment 193886 Hi Kim_S

I am not in the beauty industry, I have done a bit of my own waxing on my own face (between my eyes, top lip).
I am new to having other areas waxed, anyway I just paid $60 for a full face and full arm wax and
I have ended up with bruising on my arm near my armpit heading around to my back,
the girl who did my wax job was a wee bit rough (in my opinion) and said I had very sensitive skin,
I didn't know I had bruising until I got in the car and had a look.

I am a mildly annoyed with the fact that I have bruised and I am left wondering if it is normal?

As far as I know am NOT diabetic, I am NOT on blood thinners, I am NOT on any meds at all.
I am just a customer (not one of yours, nor have I been to your salon)
who just walked into a beauty salon one day wanting some waxing done and I have been left with bruising,
I know it will subside however till then I can not wear singlet tops I have to wear sleeved shirts till the bruising goes away.
Wow that's really bad. The therapist might have put too much wax on and not stretched the skin at all! This isn't an area that should bruise easily.
 
When I was training one of the students had a bad bruise from an arm wax (not from me) and I've always been nervous about arm waxing ever since. I take ages, work in small sections and keep the client sitting sideways on to the couch with a towel covered pillow on their lap to rest their arms on. I cut wax strips in half to reduce the temptation to wax off too large a section.

Wendywoo74 yikes! From the photo I'm guessing that the therapist waxed off from a diagonal angle from the inside to the outside of the arm. In the UK there is no specific training for arms - only legs are taught. It is presumed that therapists will be able to adapt their training to suit other areas of the body. I'd go back and ask for a refund for the arm wax. Bruising can happen but it isn't one of those things and the salon owner will be happy to make a goodwill gesture and discuss the learning issues with the therapist.
 
Bruising IS one of those things if the waxer's technique is poor.
I agree with Clougher's post ... that bruise occurred due to the wax very likely being too thick and the skin not being stretched enough and the therapist trying to remove too big a section ... ..which meant the therapist would not be able to generate the 'power and speed' required to remove it safely.
The bruise would have appeared instantly, and the right thing to do would have been to tell you straight away. You likely would still have been cross but not as cross or possibly shocked as when you found it later.
When something of this nature happens to a client it is the worst thing possible and dents her confidence in the salon ... good customer service should soothe the client and try to make amends and restore confidence.
When something of this nature happens to a therapist it is the worst thing possible and dents her confidence ... she has to pick her self up, understand why it happened, improve her technique and hold her nerve the next time she is waxing.
 
Well quite Jacquelineanna there are a lot of learning issues for the therapist, I agree with everything you said - I meant that from a client perspective it is not one of those things ☺️

Quite recently I had a client come up in hives when I waxed her arms. Yikes! I'd waxed her bikini loads before but I use a different wax for that area. She didn't notice but I pointed it out straight away. As she said "it WAS one of those things" but as she hadn't had hives when she came in - I gave her a discount and told her to take an anti-histimine and to let me know if the reaction didn't settle within 24 hours. Sometimes you take all due care and attention but still don't get the desired outcome. It's how you handle the client care that matters most.
 
Hey Duchess ... I didn't intend that to come across in a judgey way :)
I have much respect for you and your posts.
Judgey Isn't even a real word ... I just made that up :)
And it really is all about the client care!!
Xxx
 
Well quite Jacquelineanna there are a lot of learning issues for the therapist, I agree with everything you said - I meant that from a client perspective it is not one of those things [emoji5]️

Quite recently I had a client come up in hives when I waxed her arms. Yikes! I'd waxed her bikini loads before but I use a different wax for that area. She didn't notice but I pointed it out straight away. As she said "it WAS one of those things" but as she hadn't had hives when she came in - I gave her a discount and told her to take an anti-histimine and to let me know if the reaction didn't settle within 24 hours. Sometimes you take all due care and attention but still don't get the desired outcome. It's how you handle the client care that matters most.

That sounds like a histamine reaction which is perfectly normal, I personally wouldn't have given a discount as that implies the reaction was some how your fault when it wasn't. Some clients just react like that, it goes away after a few hours and is completely harmless!
 
Its strange you were taught to wax in the crease. Its a big no no!! Anyway we all maje mistakes, its how we learn :)
 

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