q&a by dermalogica
question time Sally Penford answers your skin care concerns
Q:With threatened law suits on the increase, I’m becoming increasingly nervous to perform exfoliation on my clients. How can I minimise the chance of any likely skin reactions?
A: “You are right to be cautious in this potentially bitter sweet element of the professional treatment.While exfoliation can be a profitable revenue stream and deliver instant visible results for your clients, it can also cause harm, and worst-case scenario, create a possible legal situation for the skin therapist. So here are a few basic rules to ensure you keep sailing safely and smoothly through your exfoliation treatment:
1 ) Ensure your client completes a consultation card. Check for typical contraindications like prior laser or resurfacing medical procedures, oral and topical medications that affect cell turnover (like Isotretinoin, RetinA, Renova) and note the client’s use of products containing exfoliating ingredients. Cleansers, scrubs, masques, treatment serums and moisturisers that contain hydroxy acids, retinol, enzymes or physical abraders like grains, beads and particles all add up and can contribute to an overly exfoliated skin, especially when combined with professional level exfoliation. Don’t forget to also ask about tools like electrical cleansing brushes and at- homeMicrodermabrasion kits.
“Make sure your client signs the consultation card, which protects you should anything go wrong – like the undisclosed TCA peel she received
two weeks ago!Also, maintain due diligence on your end by filling out all the details of what you did, what you used and for how long; in a litigious situation this could prove enormously valuable.
2 ) The consultation card is only the first step – an in-depth, hands-on skin analysis is critical before selecting your exfoliant. First, assess whether or not the client has a healthy, intact skin barrier. If you suspect that the skin is dehydrated, sensitive and / or could be reactive, aggressive exfoliation should be avoided.
“Always ask your client questions about how their skin feels: do they ever experience burning, itching, soreness or stinging? Perhaps when
they apply a product or after they have cleansed their face? This helps to determine the integrity of the lipid barrier, as you may not always see visible signs of sensitivity. Even a recent cold that resulted in repetitive nose blowing can strip the delicate lipids that reside between the cells, and an application of the mildest LacticAcid could result in a painful and traumatic skin response.
“Beyond all of this, make sure that you utilise the education that your product supplier should provide. The more you understand your products, how they work and how they must be used, the better equipped you are to make informed decisions in the treatment room.”
Followa fewbasic rules to ensure you sail through your exfoliation treatment safely.
GUILD NEWS 79
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120 |
Page 121 |
Page 122 |
Page 123 |
Page 124 |
Page 125 |
Page 126 |
Page 127 |
Page 128 |
Page 129 |
Page 130 |
Page 131 |
Page 132 |
Page 133 |
Page 134 |
Page 135 |
Page 136 |
Page 137 |
Page 138 |
Page 139 |
Page 140 |
Page 141 |
Page 142 |
Page 143 |
Page 144 |
Page 145 |
Page 146 |
Page 147 |
Page 148