3.2 Contraindications and contra-actions
You’ve now got a firm grasp on the biology of the eyelid and eyelash. Well done! While this level of knowledge is a prerequisite for your progression within this course, it is worth mentioning that (unfortunately!) many lash technicians will lack this critical knowledge due to sub-standard training courses and programs, and so you are likely already better educated than many of your soon-to-be competitors.
The final important component of your foundational biological knowledge is to gain an appreciation for the more common adverse conditions, irritations and reactions associated with the eyes and eye region.
Contra what?
If you have ever received a beauty or cosmetic treatment, or visited the website of a responsible provider of these, you may have heard or seen the words contraindications and contra-actions before. But what do these actually mean? We’re glad you asked!
Contraindications
The term contraindication originated in the medical field. When broken down into its components, it is defined as:
- contra – against, opposite to;
- indication – a symptom that suggests a certain medical treatment is necessary.
When combined, the term contraindication is thus defined as a condition or factor that serves as a reason to refuse treatment due to the potential harm that treatment may cause to you or your client.
Key phrase | Contraindication: a condition or factor that serves as a reason to refuse treatment due to the potential harm that treatment may cause to you or your client.
While the term contraindication originated in medicine, it is now widely used across many facets of beauty, health, and personal services industries. In simple terms, it is any condition under which you should either refuse treatment to someone altogether or only proceed with treatment after additional safety measures are carried out.
The best way to get your head around contraindications is to learn what they are, and why they prevent treatment. Common contraindications that you will encounter as a lash technician include, but are not limited to:
- Previous reaction or allergies
- Evidence of eye inflammation or infection
- Cuts or open wounds in the region of the eyes, or recent eye surgery
- Cosmetic tattoo (permanent makeup) to the eye region in the past 2 weeks
- Hypersensitive skin
- Alopecia
- Contact lenses
- Pregnant
- Claustrophobia
- Damaged natural eyelashes
- Dry eyes syndrome
- Twitching eyes
- Trichotillomania
As you can see, there is a vast range of contraindications to be aware of, and there are many more that we haven’t covered! To read more about each contraindication, download the resource provided:
You are not expected to know and remember all of these, nor is it your role to diagnose any conditions. Most contraindications will be identified by your client during the client consultation, and for some, you will be able to identify them upon visual inspection. If you are ever unsure, always consider the potential risks. If proceeding with the service could harm you or your client, then refuse service. It is too big of a risk for your business to proceed if contraindications are present, and not only will you harm your client, but it will also harm your reputation.
Further to this, you need to stress the importance and consequence of not stating contraindications to your clients. This is generally discussed with your client during the consultation process but must also be documented. A good tip to remember is ‘ if it isn’t written down, it never happened’. If for any reason legal action was taken as a consequence of a reaction to a service you have provided, you will want to ensure that you have documented evidence that a client did not indicate any contraindications and that they were fully aware of any contra-actions.
Contra-actions
A contra-action is an undesirable reaction that can occur during or after a lash extension service.
Key phrase | Contra-action: an undesirable reaction that can occur during or after a lash extension service.
The best way to remember the difference between contraindications and contra-actions is to think about contraindications being the ‘indicator’ of a potential issue and contra-actions being a reaction. 99.9% of the time, clients will have no reaction to eyelash extensions, but on rare occasions, clients will show some type of reaction that can range in severity. This is something that is out of your control, and despite your best efforts to prevent contra-actions, they may occur from time to time and symptoms to look out for will include, but will not be limited to:
- Adhesive entering the eye
- Chemical burns to the skin
- Redness
- Itching
- Swelling
- Sensitivity
- Burning or stinging
If any of the above occur during the treatment, stop immediately and assess the situation. Depending on the severity, you may need to remove all products, use an eye bath to flush the eye or apply a cold flannel. For serious reactions, such as a client’s eyes fully closing, seek emergency medical attention straight away. Continuing the service where contra-actions are present may cause serious damage, so it is recommended that stop the service and see if the symptoms persist.
If you would like to learn more about allergic reactions and sensitivities caused by lash extensions, read the following articles:
If a client develops a reaction in the days following the treatment, the best practice is to remove their lashes as soon as they are able to return. Do this with caution, though, as to not cause further damage or discomfort. When removing lashes in a situation like this, also ensure that you do not offer any medical advice and suggest that they visit their doctor (GP). If a person has had an allergic reaction previously but is wanting to try extensions again, unfortunately, refusal of future lash extension services is the most appropriate option. Usually, allergic reactions will worsen in severity rather than getting better, so it is not worth the risk! Alternatively, you can do a patch test if your client persists in wanting to try again.
If in the unfortunate event that lash adhesive enters a client’s eyes, the client might experience sensitivity or a burning sensation, and in some cases, it can cause permanent damage. Your lash adhesive will usually have a safety data sheet (SDS) which will outline the actions to be taken in the event the glue touches a clients eye. Glue touching the eyeball itself will generally have a more severe impact than glue touching the eyelid skin. We will cover SDS in more detail in a later module, but if in doubt, seek emergency medical attention – it is better to be safe than sorry!
Patch tests
One of the best ways to pre-empt and prevent contra-actions related to allergies is to conduct a patch test. There are a range of methods that you can use to conduct patch tests which are outlined as follows:
Apply adhesive behind the ear or the crook of the elbow
Using this method, either the crook of the elbow or behind the ears are cleansed and then adhesive is applied to that area. After a minimum of 24 hours, if the skin turns red, itchy, irritated, swollen and sore, then there is a reaction present. If the skin has no change, then it is likely the client will not have a reaction. This can be a quick way to conduct a patch test, and if the client did have a reaction, irritation in the crook of the elbow or behind the ear would be far less painful than swollen eyes! This method is particularly useful if there is a strong suspicion or worry that the client may be allergic to the adhesive.
Apply lashes to the outer corners
Using this method, you will apply a small amount of adhesive to a few eyelashes (2 to 3) at the outer corners of each eye. After 24 hours, if there are no adverse reactions, your client is ready for lash application. This method can be an effective way to not rule out or identify allergies; it is also useful for clients who have not had lash extensions before. By applying a few lashes to each outer corner, the client also gets an insight into the lash application process and what to expect – which is perfect for those clients who are anxious or nervous about the process!
Apply 10 or so lashes to each eye
For clients who have indicated no reactions or who are wanting a volume set, it might be best to go that step further and patch test across the lash line. In this method, you can strategically bond 10 or so lashes across the lash line of each eye. When selecting these lashes, they should be the same length as the clients natural lash to ensure they blend seamlessly. This method will take the longest amount of time out of all options, but will provide the most accurate indication of any contra-actions.
Regardless of the method you choose, the results of the patch test must always be recorded, and the client’s signature and date are required. Some technicians charge for patch tests, but we recommend that you build these into your service offerings.
If you are interested in learning more about conducting patch tests, watch the videos below: