Why do we need to Patch Test? - also known as a Sensitivity Test?

A patch test is a way of checking that you are not allergic to the products that we are going to treat you with.  A small amount of the product is used in a innocuous place on the body, for example:

• a small amount of lash & brow tint on the inside of the elbow.
• glue for lash extensions and all products for lash lifting and brow lamination will also be tested on the inside of the elbow
• facial treatment solutions for peels behind the ear
• numbing cream for Microneedling also behind the ear
• laser & IPL treatments will be tested in the area we are going to be treating

Patch testing is essential to ensure that the active ingredients do not cause an allergic reaction.

A skin patch test must be carried out at a minimum of 24 hours before the scheduled appointment or 48 hours before if you have diabetes or other special circumstances.

Firstly, there is no insurance cover.

Secondly, you could have a serious reaction. It could just be an itchy rash or some painful localised swelling but in extreme cases your eyes might swell up so much that you can't see, you could have trouble breathing, or your skin could react so badly that you are left with a permanent facial scar.

Allergies aren’t just something we’re born with; they can change over time. It’s not uncommon for adults to develop allergies to things or substances that they previously didn’t have any issues with.  That’s why patch tests aren’t just performed once.

We have a responsibility to regularly ask you to do patch tests to make sure you haven’t developed allergies since the last appointment, particularly if your visits have been few and far between.

We require a patch test from ALL new clients, even if you have done one previously for the same treatment in another salon. For existing clients, patch tests must be done if it has been more than six months since your last treatment.

Certain medical conditions can actually cause allergies to develop, so we’ll also need you to do a patch test if you’ve had any change in your medical circumstances or any hormonal changes such as pregnancy.

We’ll also require you to have a patch test if they’ve recently tested positive for Covid-19, or if they’ve recently had a Covid vaccine.

Covid is well known for doing odd things to our immune systems, but this could actually mean that you react differently to the same products that we have always used. A number of salons and therapists have experienced clients who previously didn’t react to tint or glue having allergic reactions, even if they’re within the nine month window that has previously applied to patch tests.

Although it’s not an official regulation, we feel that it is better to be on the safe side. Same goes for the vaccines, although you’ll need to wait seven days after receiving the vaccine to take a patch test in case it influences the results.