Regarding skin testing!!

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Hayley865

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Hi everyone!!

Ok I have a new salon which I opened around 6 months ago. I always always always do a skin test 48 hours prior to appointment for ALL colour services. After working in other salons I found that we always did this, but then 50% of salons I know don't bother. And ask clients to sign a form to say they are happy to proceed without a skin test. I personally think I am covering myself and the client by doing a patch test. I do patch tests whether it's off/on the scalp and even with highlights I use a toner which then touches the scalp.

But my question to you all on here is do you all do skin tests?? I find I'm losing customers because they want a last min appointment, they come in at 12pm on a Sat asking if I can "fit" them in for half head highlights and an all over colour - obviously I explain my policy is skin test and cons. 48 hrs prior to service. But in the last couple of weeks I'm losing alot of money for these last min walk ins wanting expensive colours. So they then go off to another salon up the road which probably doesn't skin test.. so I feel like even though I'm making sure I do things properly I'm losing money. The only option I can think is if a client has highlights don't offer a toner just use a purple shampoo, but I feel toners make highlights so much nicer!

Just wanting to know if you guys all patch test and does anyone else experience this???

xxxx
 
Hi everyone!!

Ok I have a new salon which I opened around 6 months ago. I always always always do a skin test 48 hours prior to appointment for ALL colour services. After working in other salons I found that we always did this, but then 50% of salons I know don't bother. And ask clients to sign a form to say they are happy to proceed without a skin test. I personally think I am covering myself and the client by doing a patch test. I do patch tests whether it's off/on the scalp and even with highlights I use a toner which then touches the scalp.

But my question to you all on here is do you all do skin tests?? I find I'm losing customers because they want a last min appointment, they come in at 12pm on a Sat asking if I can "fit" them in for half head highlights and an all over colour - obviously I explain my policy is skin test and cons. 48 hrs prior to service. But in the last couple of weeks I'm losing alot of money for these last min walk ins wanting expensive colours. So they then go off to another salon up the road which probably doesn't skin test.. so I feel like even though I'm making sure I do things properly I'm losing money. The only option I can think is if a client has highlights don't offer a toner just use a purple shampoo, but I feel toners make highlights so much nicer!

Just wanting to know if you guys all patch test and does anyone else experience this???

xxxx

Sooner or later the salons that don't will get sued and forced to shut down, and chemical reactions will scare people more and more that they'll be requesting skin tests. IMO anyway.

Also you need to skin test for purple shampoo as it contains pigment.

Don't lower the standards of your colour to suit the impatient walk ins, look after the clients that are organised and come in regularly :)
 
Sooner or later the salons that don't will get sued and forced to shut down, and chemical reactions will scare people more and more that they'll be requesting skin tests. IMO anyway.

Also you need to skin test for purple shampoo as it contains pigment.

Don't lower the standards of your colour to suit the impatient walk ins, look after the clients that are organised and come in regularly :)

Hi perry it's been a whole!! In now back hairdressing opened up a room
In a beauty salon & it's going well :) anyway I might be having a blonde moment but would u skin test same way for colour with purple shampoo? Hope yr well
Thanku xxx
 
Hi perry it's been a whole!! In now back hairdressing opened up a room
In a beauty salon & it's going well :) anyway I might be having a blonde moment but would u skin test same way for colour with purple shampoo? Hope yr well
Thanku xxx

Hey vix! It has been a while lol how are you?
Read the back of the bottle, if it says skin test then it should say how, but yeh in the same way as tint :)
Still using affinage? X
 
In the salon that I work at we always have the clients fill out a paper stating that we recommend a skin test 48hrs prior to the colour sevice but they have the right to decline, the client, receptionist and chemical tech sighns. They have to sighn this with every colour services they have because allergy's can just appear.
 
I'm really well thankyou, glad to be back at work after maternity leave & on countdown to wedding! Such a stressful year looking forward to the end of this year already!! Lol! Yea still using affinage :) have u tried their new colours? I've got to get them & experiment with them. How's u? Still keeping busy? XVx
 
Ooh and thankyou for that will read back of bottle! After using it for years didn't even occur to me would have to skin test with it xxx
 
I agree with Perry, skin tests are very important especially as people can develop an allergy even if they'd previously had colour (happened to my aunt) an as far as I'm aware apparently signed forms saying the client is prepared to take full responsibility do not stand up in court an are effectively not worth the paper they are written on :)
 
A disclaimer aint worth the paper its written on im afraid. If they have a reastion, youre still seen as negligent. Always patch test. Never worth the risk xx
 
I'm really well thankyou, glad to be back at work after maternity leave & on countdown to wedding! Such a stressful year looking forward to the end of this year already!! Lol! Yea still using affinage :) have u tried their new colours? I've got to get them & experiment with them. How's u? Still keeping busy? XVx

Ahh thats cool! :)
Ive used the 5,62, wasn't overly impressed but then they do go a shade darker and obviously on a base 4 you're not going to see that much tone in it...lovely and shiny though!
Want to try the chocolate orange too but cant think of a suitable guinea pig haha.
I can't remember if you use kitoko or not but have you seen the new protein additive?
Yeah i'm all good ta, been house/dog sitting for the last few weeks, going home tomorrow so got a busy week ahead as been putting off clients whilst ive been here so its more of a holiday (and a lot of my clients don't want their hair cut whilst being watched by a dribbling rottweiler haha)
x
 
Ahh thats cool! :)
Ive used the 5,62, wasn't overly impressed but then they do go a shade darker and obviously on a base 4 you're not going to see that much tone in it...lovely and shiny though!
Want to try the chocolate orange too but cant think of a suitable guinea pig haha.
I can't remember if you use kitoko or not but have you seen the new protein additive?
Yeah i'm all good ta, been house/dog sitting for the last few weeks, going home tomorrow so got a busy week ahead as been putting off clients whilst ive been here so its more of a holiday (and a lot of my clients don't want their hair cut whilst being watched by a dribbling rottweiler haha)
x

Chocolate orange is nice had it on myself for a bit
 
hi, im quite new on here... im a mobile hairdresser & what i tend to do is give my regulars afew (colour start) skin tests so they have afew ready and waiting to use. ill then txt/ring them prior to an 'on scalp' colour to remind them to wack it on :) with new clients, i will drop one off afew days before thier appointment :) (petrol and time, i know, but not worth risking)
i will openly admit that i dont skin test for foiling (naughty i know) :confused:
 
There's great information in the Good Salon Guide Members Handbook 2012 on:

Consultation (record card with client history)
Skin allergy Testing - how to
Applying the colour

Hope this helps.
 
Hair we go ! I don't for foiling either. Why don't you just post them after all time is money !

Went to a hair show couple of years back lee Stafford and top colourist on stage, anyway this topic came up and to my amazement the colourist said if client has colour in hair and she can see the root regrowth she does not test ? I know a lot of salons who like myself only test new clients, as our regulars ie 6 weeks between colours we count the last colour as our test !
many may disagree but many in my area dont test at all, my client got a voucher for saks at x mas and had her root and foils done NO skin test !
 
I always always skin test at least 48 hours prior to a colour service for all my new clients. I agree with pinkpants, with all my regular 6 weekly clients I count their last colour as a skin test. It is just not possible to skin test people before every single colour service. If people would like a skin test every time then I will find room in my diary but the fact is clients will get pretty cheesed off if they have to make a 2 minute visit to me every six weeks 48 hours prior to the service.
 
Hi guys the Nhf offer insurance where's if the client as had the same colour for upto 12 months they still cover you. If they change tone a skin test must be performed. I know that this can be seen as a negative as no e of us wan to be responsible for an allergic reaction.

Te colour start pads are great post them out and when you arrive get them to sign their record card that they skin tested themselves. Ensure the colour start patch is recommended by your manufacturer some don't recommend them xx
 
Hi jody, I am with NHF and did not know this, do you mean you covered just by Being a member ? Or go with one of their recommended insurers? To put it in perspective you have more chance of being run over than having a reaction ! Everything comes with a risk!
 
tbh now ive started training as a hairdresser id rather go to a salon that asked me for a skin test for my first appointmemt than one who never asked as to me asling for one is more proffesional .. but after that i think for a regular client then treat the last colour as skin test x

Sent from my GT-I9100 using SalonGeek
 
Hi

It's with one of their insurers pink pants xx
 
Thanks for all your replies. I totally agree and wouldn't want to stop skin testing, but I just feel its unfair that other salons don't and they get the last min custom! I will continue to patch test.. the way I do it is ask them to pop in 48 hrs before, get client to sign record card and date of skin test. There should be some sort of health and safety law against it.
 

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