Reaction to beauty treatment - no patch test

MissVix

Hello again all

Whilst I've been discussing another matter, I've been prompted to ask you about another situation which I believe falls under the same category.

Last week I was bridesmaid for a friend's wedding.
A few weeks before this, I asked my regular beautician (from whom I had received nail treatments but nothing else) about eyelash extensions. I asked what I'd need to do, how long it takes etc. They reassured me that it would be easy, take a couple of hours and I should book in for a few days before the wedding.

I called up, booked for the Weds and had my lash extensions done. We discussed that I'd never had lash extensions before and I was told again that all would be fine. I asked if I needed to have a patch test and was told no. Upon completion I was given lots of instructions about how to care for the lashes but no discussion of any kind of reaction or possible complications.

The next day, I had severe hayfever symptoms which continued to get worse despite medication. On the day of the wedding (Friday, 36 hours after lash treatment), my face was so swollen I could barely open my eyes.

I removed the lashes, took antihistimines to reduce the reaction and tried my best to get on with the day. Needless to say it was a bit of a fiasco especially when it came to pictures!

The swelling remained and on Monday I saw a GP who confirmed that the lashes were the cause and gave me steroids to reduce the swelling.

Naturally, I'm angry about the situation but don't know what my rights are. I would like to visit the salon, find out the ingredients of the glue (because if I'm allergic to something I need to do) and ask for a refund.

However, am I within my rights to do so under the Supply of Goods or Services Act? I believe they have failed in a duty of care by not testing and by telling me I didn't need to test. But was it my responsibility to insist on a patch test?

Thanks again in advance for any help you can give me.

Poppie68

MissVix wrote: »

Hello again all

Whilst I've been discussing another matter, I've been prompted to ask you about another situation which I believe falls under the same category.

Last week I was bridesmaid for a friend's wedding.
A few weeks before this, I asked my regular beautician (from whom I had received nail treatments but nothing else) about eyelash extensions. I asked what I'd need to do, how long it takes etc. They reassured me that it would be easy, take a couple of hours and I should book in for a few days before the wedding.

I called up, booked for the Weds and had my lash extensions done. We discussed that I'd never had lash extensions before and I was told again that all would be fine. I asked if I needed to have a patch test and was told no. Upon completion I was given lots of instructions about how to care for the lashes but no discussion of any kind of reaction or possible complications.

The next day, I had severe hayfever symptoms which continued to get worse despite medication. On the day of the wedding (Friday, 36 hours after lash treatment), my face was so swollen I could barely open my eyes.

I removed the lashes, took antihistimines to reduce the reaction and tried my best to get on with the day. Needless to say it was a bit of a fiasco especially when it came to pictures!

The swelling remained and on Monday I saw a GP who confirmed that the lashes were the cause and gave me steroids to reduce the swelling.

Naturally, I'm angry about the situation but don't know what my rights are. I would like to visit the salon, find out the ingredients of the glue (because if I'm allergic to something I need to do) and ask for a refund.

However, am I within my rights to do so under the Supply of Goods or Services Act? I believe they have failed in a duty of care by not testing and by telling me I didn't need to test. But was it my responsibility to insist on a patch test?

Thanks again in advance for any help you can give me.

Some salons do offer a patch test 24 hours before and some don't...there is no regulation thats states they have too as the glue is not applied to your skin but to your natural eyelash. If you had insisted they would of done one for you though.

tomtontom

If the reaction was as bad as you describe you should have gone straight to A&E, not left it three days. Such a reaction, if it really was that bad, can be life threatening.

As you are a regular customer of the beautician I expect they'll give you a refund if you explain.

Poppie68

To be honest a GP would not be able to confirm it was the glue/lashes without doing appropriate tests he would only be able to guess...have a word with the salon and show them a picture the most you may get is your money back but as i patch test is not routinely offered and you never insisted you may struggle with that.

MissVix

tomtontom wrote: »

If the reaction was as bad as you describe you should have gone straight to A&E, not left it three days. Such a reaction, if it really was that bad, can be life threatening.

As you are a regular customer of the beautician I expect they'll give you a refund if you explain.

Thanks for the advice.

I didn't think it pertinent to the original thread so left out that two of the guests at the wedding were a GP and a paramedic so they were monitoring me instead of driving the 30 miles to A&E.

The reaction was more like hayfever for so long I thought it was just allergies, hence not trotting straight off to the hospital at the first symptoms.

Hindsight is a wonderful thing!

MissVix

Poppie68 wrote: »

To be honest a GP would not be able to confirm it was the glue/lashes without doing appropriate tests he would only be able to guess...have a word with the salon and show them a picture the most you may get is your money back but as i patch test is not routinely offered and you never insisted you may struggle with that.

Thanks for the advice. Now I know that I should have tested!

Seems strange, as every other place I've had procedures has insisted on a patch test - this includes bleach, dye and even once a test for waxing!

As the salon didn't ask me to register, didn't ask if I have any allergies or even tell me about the risk of reaction or any other risks, I wonder whether they care at all!

Regardless, I'll have to face them to see if they'll be fair. Thanks for your advice