Client Consultation, Communication, and Professional Practices
What this domain tests
This domain tests how you gather information, obtain consent, communicate a plan, and document services. Questions often present a client statement, a health condition, or a conflict and ask for the most professional response.
Intake and consent
Use a health history that covers medications, allergies, skin conditions, pregnancy, recent surgeries, and prior chemical services. Ask about Accutane, blood thinners, and diabetes because they affect service choices. Explain the service, risks, and alternatives, then obtain informed consent. Perform patch and strand tests when indicated and record the results. Keep client information confidential and share it only as required for care or law.
Communication and boundaries
Use open-ended questions and reflective listening: “What bothers you most about your hair?” then repeat back the goal. Clarify the achievable result and cost before starting. Avoid diagnosing medical conditions, promising guaranteed outcomes, or gossiping about clients. Maintain professional boundaries and refer health concerns to a physician.
Worked example
A client on Accutane asks for a facial wax. Reason: Accutane increases skin fragility and risk of tearing, so waxing is contraindicated. Explain the risk, decline the wax, offer a safe alternative, and document the refusal and referral.
Traps
Skipping health history; treating consent as a signature only; diagnosing a rash; promising “exactly like the photo”; discussing one client with another; failing to note a contraindication.