To patch test or not patch test, that is the question - spray tan

[tanfastic]

Hello Geeks, there has been some recent discussion on this issue on a recent thread and I hoped that if we dedicate a thread to the question we might get a better idea of where everyone stands on this bugbear.

I try to always patch test even though I am mobile and fully understand how difficult it can be to do especially when first starting out and trying to build regular clients. It is much easier when you have return custom who have been patch tested in the past or if you offer other treatments you can just test for everything, at least if they decide at a later date to have a tan, the test has been done.

A few Geeks stated that they dont test and that their insurance companies dont require them to but then others do and their insurers insist on this. It would be good to know which insurers do and dont and also the reasoning behind this.

I have just done a quick Google search regarding allergic reactions or skin reactions to spray tans and I will post the links, I would be very worried about having a client with problems if I knew my insurance would not cover me. Especially the one that died 24 hrs later whose husband was only cleared over a year later of strangling her , he blamed a severe reaction to a spray tan but it was finally found to be something else altogether. Imagine being blamed for the death of a client after spray tanning them and not knowing what the actual cause was for such a long time.

What are your thoughts on this, I know someone did state that we are bordering on Paranoia in the industry and I do agree to an extent but then the "No Win No Fee" mentality is forcing us to be .

Here are the links
Help please. Spray tan nightmare!!

http://www.salongeek.com/chit-chat/18253-self-tan-allergy-very-bad-experience.html

Side Effects of Spray Tanning | Healthy Skin Portal

Husband accused of strangling his wife is CLEARED of murder after he initially blamed her death on spray-on tan | Mail Online

Happy reading and hope to hear your opinions on this

 

[JulesC]

Okay, so being mobile & sometimes travelling 10 miles to a client, how do you propose i do a patch test. I'm really not prepared to travel a day earlier - it just won't be worth my while. Any ideas? x

 

[Baggybear]

My insurer is Salon Gold and they said to follow my training regards spray tan patch tests.

My training said that there is no point in patch testing the spray tan solution.

They said there may be no reaction to a patch test but could still be a reaction to the whole body spray because of the larger amount of skin being covered.

Therefore I do not patch test clients for spray tanning UNLESS they say they are very sensitive or have had issues with a previous tanning product (& these are questions I ask when booking an appointment in).

I test these people because I feel there would be nothing more I could have done if they don't react to a patch test but then they do react to a full body - I would have done all I possibly could have to prevent the reaction and I couldn't be at fault in any way.

 

[Lush-Lash]

Hmm a bit iffy about the story of the woman who died, just read it & I'm sorry but I don't believe the tan caused her too die.

**she had history of fainting & dizziness, & 'apparently' heart problems too but the heart bit couldn't be proved, the blaming the spray tan sounds as if they didn't know how it happened so they blamed it on the tan.

**it was her 'first' ever spray tan, so is that a natural tan on her wedding day picture then?

 

[Lil'Gem]

My insurer is Salon Gold and they said to follow my training regards spray tan patch tests.

My training said that there is no point in patch testing the spray tan solution.

They said there may be no reaction to a patch test but could still be a reaction to the whole body spray because of the larger amount of skin being covered.

Therefore I do not patch test clients for spray tanning UNLESS they say they are very sensitive or have had issues with a previous tanning product (& these are questions I ask when booking an appointment in).

I test these people because I feel there would be nothing more I could have done if they don't react to a patch test but then they do react to a full body - I would have done all I possibly could have to prevent the reaction and I couldn't be at fault in any way.

Couldn't have put it better myself!

I'm also with Salon Gold and checked before taking out the policy if I was required to patch test. I ask clients questions when they book and get them to fill in a consultation form when they come for the appointment which they sign. I clearly state on my website that I offer patch testing on request and the instances when I would recommend an/or insist that the client has one done prior to their tan.

 

[Sinead1989]

Hmm a bit iffy about the story of the woman who died, just read it & I'm sorry but I don't believe the tan caused her too die.

**she had history of fainting & dizziness, & 'apparently' heart problems too but the heart bit couldn't be proved, the blaming the spray tan sounds as if they didn't know how it happened so they blamed it on the tan.

**it was her 'first' ever spray tan, so is that a natural tan on her wedding day picture then?

I was thinking exactly the same about the wedding photo!! Doesn't look to natural to me......

 

[tanfastic]

Hmm a bit iffy about the story of the woman who died, just read it & I'm sorry but I don't believe the tan caused her too die.

**she had history of fainting & dizziness, & 'apparently' heart problems too but the heart bit couldn't be proved, the blaming the spray tan sounds as if they didn't know how it happened so they blamed it on the tan.

**it was her 'first' ever spray tan, so is that a natural tan on her wedding day picture then?

If you read it properly you will see it was not the tan but there was the insinuation for over a year

 

[tanfastic]

So why do some teach to patch test and others don't? This is the quandary, why can it not be a uniform requirement across the board for all?

 

[tanfastic]

Okay, so being mobile & sometimes travelling 10 miles to a client, how do you propose i do a patch test. I'm really not prepared to travel a day earlier - it just won't be worth my while. Any ideas? x

If it becomes an industry requirement as it is in hairdessing, no amount of complaining will change what you have to do. I am only putting the question out there hoping to stop all the upset when we suddenly get told that we HAVE to do it.

I may ring all the insurance companies tomorrow to get some more info on this, unless you geeks can bring some more info to the table. We want to discuss this as professionals who may be affected down the line, not argue about the logistics if you undesrstand what I mean. I saw this happen in the teeth whitening industry VERY QUICKLY and spray tanning is one of the fastest growing industries, over 500% growth in the last few years, how long before the vultures start circling? ( The insurers and the no win no fee clients)

 

[Baggybear]

It is up to the insurance company your with to decide if you should patch test or not.

The insurance companies that have had successful claims made against their therapists will require more precautions than those companies that have not had successful claims made against them.

There may be an industry wide rule but I can't see that happening anytime soon as we have nobody to enforce it. We have no authority to report people to for not following the rules.

Until the beauty industry is regulated and there are body's to answer to there will be different companies asking for different things.

This is not really a bad thing because it gives us choice to chose 1 company over another to suit our own needs (such as when ABT would not cover pregnant ladies at any stage of their pregnancy for a tan - where others said after 12 weeks was fine) but as long as we know what OUR company needs from us & we follow it then we will be fine.

 

[Tinxy]

BABTAC insurance told me they don't require me to patch test when I asked them - I forget the exact wording they used but long and short was that unless there were sensitivity contra-indications basically they do not require patch testing...
I personally do not see a need to patch test unless the patient history gives me any indicators to do so and unless my insurer changes their mind then I have no intention of doing so. Personally I think it's a serious over-reaction and next we'll be patch testing for waxing and massage oils!

 

[Ali1]

Just posted this in a previous thread but may be more appropriate here

I was taught to patch test if a client has very sensitive skin and/or has never used any tanning products before. Also to check with your insurer. I ALWAYS stick to this rule. If they've used tanning products before I tend to not bother, unless they say their skin is ultra sensitive. I'm mobile also and appreciate it's an inconvenience.

Although it doesn't often happen, I've now had two clients who had never used any tanning products before and both came out in a reaction to a patch test behind the ear. This reaction did not occur until the next day and was very itchy and red. One of them was a bride who was getting married two days later, the other going on holiday the next day so I was extemely glad I'd done it. I travelled 12 miles to do the patch test but it was worth it, what a nightmare that would have been for the bride in question! A cheaper way to do this is to put a cotton bud in the post well wrapped in clingfilm with solution on the tip if there's time.

 

[JulesC]

Just posted this in a previous thread but may be more appropriate here

I was taught to patch test if a client has very sensitive skin and/or has never used any tanning products before. Also to check with your insurer. I ALWAYS stick to this rule. If they've used tanning products before I tend to not bother, unless they say their skin is ultra sensitive. I'm mobile also and appreciate it's an inconvenience.

Although it doesn't often happen, I've now had two clients who had never used any tanning products before and both came out in a reaction to a patch test behind the ear. This reaction did not occur until the next day and was very itchy and red. One of them was a bride who was getting married two days later, the other going on holiday the next day so I was extemely glad I'd done it. I travelled 12 miles to do the patch test but it was worth it, what a nightmare that would have been for the bride in question! A cheaper way to do this is to put a cotton bud in the post well wrapped in clingfilm with solution on the tip if there's time.

The cotton bud in the post is something that occurred to me too! x

 

[tanfastic]

My most recent trainer suggested the same but then how can you tell for sure if the client has actually carried out the test or not?

It is a good thing to know that different insurers require different things at the moment and I think I will change insurers when the time comes as being mobile and patch testing across the board can be quite impossible at times, especially if you are bsed in a spread out area. Some of my clients are up to 25miles away, they pay extra for mileage but it is difficult to factor in a special trip for a patch test. I always ask as many relevant questions on the day of the initial enquiry and fortunately most have had tans before, so in those instances I can be quite confident that they will not have a reaction but that brings me back to the insurance issue and also the fact that if I have done a patch test it does give me the peace of mind knowing that I am covered and nothing is going to come back to bite me in the bum.

 

[Lisa at Glotanz]

At Glotanz we teach in our Spray Tan courses to patch test every client. But obviously once they've left our course it's down to the individual to decide what they want to do.
When we have customers in to have a spray tan, they are also required to have a patch test.

 

[Lil'Gem]

I understand where you are coming from Tanfastic. I personally will not be patch testing every single client unless I need to do so to become compliant with my insurers or new industry regulations/standards. It is a cosmetic product in my eyes.

I also offer facepainting and glitter tattoos which I mainly do to children. The children are more likely to react to face paints and glue because of their sensitive skin then a client having a spray tan. Nobody would expect to be patch tested for either face painting or glitter Tattoo's. If I truely thought that p/testing every client was necessary then I would do it, regardless of what my insurance covers.

The industry does need properly regulating and I'm in full support of any proposals to 'tighten up' practices. I will adhere to regulations & codes of conduct that may become legislation as a result. If that means patch testing every client then thats what I will do.

I do not think that this makes me 'unprofessional' which I feel is the way some geeks view it.

 

[LetUsSpray]

I do not patch test unless someone has commented that their skin is very sensitive or they have had reactions to tanning products in the past.
Patch testing was not even mentioned in my training (done through Wow Factor in 2010) and my insurance does not require patch testing. Being mobile if I had to patch test every client it would be very time consuming and not cost effective. If patch testing does become a requirement then I'm afraid I would have to quit as it really wouldn't be worth it with the cost of petrol and my time.
I feel this would be along the same lines of patch testing for every treatment: waxing, nails, facial products, shampoo and styling products, where does it end?

 

[Sadie1012]

If it becomes an industry requirement as it is in hairdessing, no amount of complaining will change what you have to do.

I've never had a patch test done at a hair salon either :?:

On the flip side, I've been having spray tans for years and only been told a patch test was required once. This lady tans from her own home and it was a pain in the bum to travel to her house two days in a row and it actually put two of my friends off booking with her.

 

[Lush-Lash]

I've never had a patch test done at a hair salon either :?:

On the flip side, I've been having spray tans for years and only been told a patch test was required once. This lady tans from her own home and it was a pain in the bum to travel to her house two days in a row and it actually put two of my friends off booking with her.

I've never had a hair patch test either hun & I've got psoriasis on my scalp & each time I've told the hairdresser, yet no patch test offered.

I agree about the inconvienience putting clients off, when I did lashes I always patch tested & as soon as I mentioned coming for a patch before the treatment the client would cancel or make some excuse why they couldnt come, gave up in the end!

 

[unas escarlata]

To patch test tan on EVERY SINGLE CLIENT is unrealistic.

My insurer (The Guild) says check with manufacturer. I use for Nouvatan and we patch test people with a known skin condition or previous sensitivity as I have already posted on a similar thread.

Can't help but feel that some people are just out to make trouble in threads like this. Follow insurer and manufacturer guidelines and realise that insurers and manufacturers will have different rules to each other. Get over it and let's get on with running our (quite frankly in my case very successful) tanning and training business.