Client Consultation, Ethics, and Professional Conduct
Domain 8 - Client Consultation, Ethics, and Professional Conduct
This domain tests communication and judgment: how you take a history, obtain consent, keep confidences, stay inside scope, and behave when a client asks for something you must not do.
The consultation
A usable intake covers medical history, medications, allergies, pregnancy, past reactions, current home care and expectations. Explain the plan, the sensations to expect and the possible reactions, then obtain informed consent. Re-check contraindications at each visit because medications change.
Ethics in practice
- Stay in scope: no diagnosing, no prescribing, no claiming to cure acne or pigmentation.
- Be truthful in pricing, advertising and before/after photos; get written permission before posting anything.
- Keep records confidential; share only with client consent or where law requires.
- Refer when in doubt, and document the referral.
- Disclose conflicts of interest, such as retail commissions, when recommending products.
Documentation
Record the date, service, products used, patch-test results, contraindications noted and any reaction. Records protect the client and are your defense if a complaint is filed.
Worked example
A regular client points to a dark, irregular mole and asks you to 'freeze it off like the doctor does.' That is a medical procedure, and the lesion needs assessment. Say clearly that it is outside your scope, explain why a changing mole should be seen, and document the conversation and referral.
Traps
Promising results creates liability. Posting a client's photo without consent breaches confidentiality even if her face is cropped. 'She said it was fine' is no substitute for a signed form.