Skin test prior to hair colour

[Missy G]

Ive just seen on Facebook someone asking to have their hair coloured tomorrow,a salon has replied saying they can do it ...whn I mentioned shouldnt a skin test be done before hand the reply was :
It's not required if you have had colour within the last 3 months unless you are going darker than a 2 then patch test is required.
2 is basically black which this lady doesn't want.
Is this right.?

Like · Reply · 19 mins

 

[AcidPerm]

There's no legal requirement to skin test, but it's sensible to follow manufacturer's instructions on skin testing and also comply with the terms of your insurance policy.

If the client suffers a serious reaction and they didn't test, the client can obviously sue for damages and the salon's insurance company might refuse to pay out leaving the salon owner at risk of bankruptcy.

However, in this case, it's possible (but unlikely) that the Salon's insurance cover might only require a skin test within the previous 3 months.

If it was me with a new client, a skin test would indicate if the client was sensitive to colour and afford the opportunity to take a strand for testing, especially if I think there's a possibility that the client used a box dye or henna previously.

It's not just about being covered for insurance purposes, I wouldn't ever want to cause a client to suffer a painful reaction due to cutting corners to make a few quid.

 

[Carolineh]

I had a routine inspection from trading standards this week to check that all our local salons are complying with skin testing regulations, which we always do. She told me that if we didn't and there was a problem they are also alerted, as always, better to be safe than sorry I think and best for clients if you do xx