What to do if a lash client gets a bad chemical reaction to adhesive?

Introduction

I'm a lash artist, and I've been doing this for years. One of my clients came in recently with a rash around her eyes. She'd had it for about two weeks, but it wasn't getting better so she decided to see me. The first thing I asked her was whether she had any known allergies or previous chemical reactions to adhesives, and she said no—she'd never had any issues with them before. That made me wonder: Was this just an isolated incident or was something else going on? So I did some research into how other lash artists handle cases like this (and also talked with my colleagues), and here are some things you should know if one of your clients gets a bad reaction:

Considering the damage.

As a lash technician, it's important to consider the damage to the client's eyes, health and reputation when dealing with adverse reactions.

To start, you must assess the damage inflicted by the adhesive on your client's lashes. The damage can range from minor irritation (which might mean removing just a few extensions) to severe trauma.

While assessing this damage, keep in mind that clients are often surprised and embarrassed by their experience with an inexperienced technician or poor product choice. In cases where they've experienced irritation and/or infection, they may feel embarrassed about returning for follow up appointments due to embarrassment or fear of judgement from other people who notice their eyes are red/inflamed/infected as a result of bad adhesive use. These feelings could lead them away from ever returning for another appointment at a salon again—and if there aren't enough customers coming through our doors every day then business suffers as well!

Dealing with complaints.

By the time your client has gotten in touch, it will have been at least 24 hours since their initial appointment. This means that a reaction may already be present (and possibly worsening). If so, you'll need to take extra precautions during removal.

Additionally, you should ask about any other allergies or sensitivities your client may have. An allergy to an adhesive could mean an allergic reaction to any ingredient in the formula—so if you don't know which chemicals are causing problems for your client, it's best not to use them again until these issues are addressed.

Post-treatment care for allergic reactions.

If you experience an allergic reaction, call your doctor immediately.

The following are some ways to reduce discomfort and speed recovery:

  • Use antihistamines as needed. Many people find that an over-the-counter medicine such as Benadryl (diphenhydramine) helps ease their symptoms, but if you have severe reactions and need prescription medication, ask your doctor.

  • Avoid using the product that caused the reaction until your skin has recovered completely from any flareups.

  • Keep affected areas clean and dry by washing them with warm water several times per day until healed. If there isn’t an easy way to rinse off adhesive chemicals in one swipe with a cotton pad soaked with professional lash adhesive remover solution, consider doing so with baby wipes instead; they will still take care of any residual adhesive while being gentle enough not to aggravate sensitive skin further!

A treatment plan should be formulated for each specific case of an allergic reaction.

A treatment plan should be formulated for each specific case of an allergic reaction. Understanding what caused the reaction and how to treat it will help you prevent it from happening again.

If a client is at risk for an allergic reaction, he or she may need to stop using certain adhesives until his or her skin has healed completely.

Conclusion

We hope this article has helped you to better understand the causes and treatment of allergic reactions to adhesive. When in doubt, always consult a medical professional first—and remember that it’s always better to err on the side of caution when dealing with clients’ health!

Back to blog

Leave a comment

Please note, comments need to be approved before they are published.