Contraindications to beauty treatments: a table and a checklist to sign

Contraindications for common treatments in one table, yes/no checklists to sign for PMU, laser and lashes, and a template note for refusing a treatment.

Terminka Team 7 min read
Contraindications to beauty treatments: a table and a checklist to sign

“Can I come in for lips with a cold sore?”, “I’m on antibiotics — does that change anything?”, “I was on a sunbed yesterday.” “Probably fine” is not a good enough answer. Below you will find contraindications to beauty treatments in one table, checklists for the client to sign for three treatment groups, and a template note for the day a treatment has to be postponed.

Absolute and relative contraindications

  • Absolute — while they last, you don’t do the treatment at all. Example: an active skin infection in the treatment area.
  • Relative — the treatment is possible once a condition is met: after a break, after a doctor’s opinion or in a modified form. Example: a fresh tan before laser hair removal.

The same contraindication can be absolute for one treatment and relative for another, so record the decision you made as well.

General contraindications to beauty treatments

These come up for most treatments, so always ask about them:

  • pregnancy and breastfeeding;
  • active skin inflammation or infection, a cold sore in the treatment area;
  • poorly controlled diabetes;
  • cancer under active treatment;
  • blood clotting disorders and anticoagulants;
  • epilepsy;
  • a fresh tan — especially before laser, IPL and peels;
  • isotretinoin — during the course and for as long afterwards as the doctor advises.

The list doesn’t replace a conversation or the product and device manufacturer’s information. If a client mentions a condition or medication that isn’t here, treat it as a relative contraindication and ask for a doctor’s opinion. You cover all of this in the consultation — a ready list of questions is in Beauty consultation form: questions to ask.

Contraindications by treatment group

Treatment Contraindications
Permanent make-up (brows, lips, eyeliner) pregnancy and breastfeeding; an active cold sore (for lips); a tendency to keloid scarring; clotting disorders, anticoagulants; skin conditions and inflammation in the area; recent fillers or botulinum toxin near the area
Laser hair removal and IPL a fresh tan or fake tan; photosensitising medication, isotretinoin; pregnancy; epilepsy; infection, cold sores or inflammation in the area; tattoos and pigmented lesions in the area — work around them
Chemical peels isotretinoin, recent retinoid use; an active cold sore; wounds, irritation, broken skin; a fresh tan; allergy to the product’s ingredients; pregnancy and breastfeeding — for some acids
Microneedling and mesotherapy active inflammatory acne in the area; skin infections and cold sores; clotting disorders, anticoagulants; a tendency to keloid scarring; autoimmune conditions; pregnancy and breastfeeding
Lash extensions and lifts, brow lamination eye or eyelid infection and inflammation; allergy to adhesive, acrylates or product ingredients; recent surgery or treatment around the eyes; weak, shedding lashes; sensitive eyes and constant watering
Manicure, pedicure and podiatry fungal nail or skin infection — for cosmetic manicure and pedicure; infection, wounds and inflammation around the nail; acrylate allergy — for gel polish and extensions; diabetes with foot complications — a job for a podiatrist, not a cosmetic pedicure; poor circulation in the limbs
Massage fever and acute infections; thrombosis, severe varicose veins in the area; fresh injuries and inflammation; cancer under active treatment; skin conditions in the area; pregnancy — depending on the type of massage

Contraindication checklist for the client to sign

Each line is one question with a “yes / no” answer that the client ticks before the treatment and confirms with her signature. A “yes” anywhere means a conversation before you start. Fuller consent forms for these treatments — with risks and aftercare — are in Treatment consent form: a template. For Polish-speaking clients there are Polish checklists in the Polish version of this article.

Checklist: permanent make-up

CONTRAINDICATIONS — PERMANENT MAKE-UP

Full name:Date:Area:

Does any of the following apply to you?

  1. 1.Pregnancy or breastfeeding☐ yes ☐ no
  2. 2.An active cold sore (for lips)☐ yes ☐ no
  3. 3.A tendency to keloid scarring☐ yes ☐ no
  4. 4.A blood clotting disorder or anticoagulants☐ yes ☐ no
  5. 5.A skin condition or inflammation in the area☐ yes ☐ no
  6. 6.Filler or botulinum toxin near the area in the last [X] weeks☐ yes ☐ no
  7. 7.General: poorly controlled diabetes, cancer under active treatment, epilepsy, isotretinoin☐ yes ☐ no
  8. 8.Any other condition or medication the salon should know about:

My answers are true and complete. I will tell the salon about any change before my next treatment.

Date:

Client’s signature:

Checklist: laser hair removal and IPL

CONTRAINDICATIONS — LASER HAIR REMOVAL AND IPL

Full name:Date:Area:

Does any of the following apply to you?

  1. 1.Sunbathing, a sunbed or fake tan in the last [X] weeks☐ yes ☐ no
  2. 2.Photosensitising medication or isotretinoin☐ yes ☐ no
  3. 3.Pregnancy☐ yes ☐ no
  4. 4.Epilepsy☐ yes ☐ no
  5. 5.An infection, cold sore or inflammation in the area☐ yes ☐ no
  6. 6.A tattoo or moles in the area☐ yes ☐ no
  7. 7.General: breastfeeding, poorly controlled diabetes, cancer under active treatment☐ yes ☐ no
  8. 8.Any other condition or medication the salon should know about:

My answers are true and complete. I will tell the salon about any change before my next treatment.

Date:

Client’s signature:

Checklist: lash extensions and lifts

CONTRAINDICATIONS — LASH EXTENSIONS AND LIFTS

Full name:Date:Treatment:

Does any of the following apply to you?

  1. 1.An eye or eyelid infection or inflammation☐ yes ☐ no
  2. 2.An allergy to adhesive, acrylates or product ingredients☐ yes ☐ no
  3. 3.Surgery or a treatment around the eyes in the last [X] months☐ yes ☐ no
  4. 4.Weak, shedding lashes☐ yes ☐ no
  5. 5.Sensitive eyes or constant watering☐ yes ☐ no
  6. 6.General: pregnancy or breastfeeding, poorly controlled diabetes, cancer under active treatment, epilepsy, isotretinoin☐ yes ☐ no
  7. 7.Any other condition or medication the salon should know about:

My answers are true and complete. I will tell the salon about any change before my next treatment.

Date:

Client’s signature:

How to do it in Terminka

In Terminka’s electronic client records you set up the checklist once, and the client fills it in before her treatment:

  1. The field is already there. Each of the 31 ready-made templates (Client card settings → Card templates → Ready-made templates) has a “Contraindications / health notes” field — from permanent make-up and laser hair removal to lash lifts, pedicure and massage.
  2. Add the checklist. Tap Create based on this and add each line with Add field as Yes / No and mark it Required — the PDF then shows an answer next to every point; add the last line (“Any other condition…”) as Text. Tick Requires signature.
  3. Attach it to a service. Switch on Auto-suggest on booking and pick your treatment under Services. The client completes the checklist before the visit via an SMS link or in the salon (Hand the device to the client) and signs with her finger or an SMS code. A completed checklist stays current with no expiry: if the client should confirm it again, set Card validity in the template, and before a particular visit you can add a new one yourself (New card in the Cards tab).
  4. Record the decision. Turn the note below into a separate template of the Treatment type — you only fill it in when a treatment didn’t go ahead or went ahead after a doctor’s letter. The letter itself goes into the record with Upload scan, dated.
Treatment contraindications in a beauty consultation form — a field in a client record in the Terminka Partner app

What to do when a contraindication comes up

  1. Don’t do the treatment “just to see”. The client asking doesn’t change the risk.
  2. If it is temporary, postpone — and book the new date straight away so she doesn’t leave empty-handed.
  3. If it is a long-term condition, ask for a letter from her doctor saying there is no reason not to go ahead with this treatment.
  4. Offer an alternative — a hydrating facial instead of an acid peel, a classic manicure instead of gel.
  5. Explain it kindly and write it down. “With this medication your skin could react with dark marks, and I don’t want that for you” works better than “you can’t”. Note the decision in the record — even when she insists and you say no.

Template: contraindication note in the client record

Copy it and adapt it to your salon:

NOTE — CONTRAINDICATION TO TREATMENT

Client:Date:

Planned treatment:

Contraindication found:

Source:☐ consultation ☐ examination ☐ client told us

Type:☐ temporary ☐ permanent

Decision:

☐ treatment postponed to:

☐ treatment done after a doctor’s letter dated:

☐ another treatment offered:

☐ treatment refused

Client’s declaration: I have been told about the contraindication and the salon’s decision.

Client’s signature:

Therapist’s signature:

Can a client sign that she goes ahead at her own risk?

She can sign anything, but a signature doesn’t change the risk to her skin — or the fact that you are the one doing the treatment. If there is a contraindication, postpone or ask for a doctor’s letter, and record the refusal in the note.

A ready-made template with a contraindications field is already in Terminka — add the checklist from this article as “Yes / No” fields, and your client completes the consultation form in the app and signs it on a phone or via a link. Client records come with the Solo plan, and after signing up you get 14 days of all features for free.