Client Consultation, Contraindications, and Skin Analysis
The consultation is the foundation
Use an intake form before every service: medications (especially isotretinoin, retinoids, blood thinners, photosensitizers), allergies (lidocaine, fragrance, adhesive, dye), pregnancy, diabetes, hypertension, epilepsy, autoimmune conditions, recent surgery or injectables, and prior reactions. Document, obtain consent for waxing, tinting, and lash services, and update at each visit.
Contraindications are absolute (active infection, open lesions, sunburn, product allergy) or relative (pregnancy, recent peels, sensitive skin, certain medications). When in doubt, do not treat - refer to a physician. Estheticians never diagnose.
Skin analysis
Work under good light with magnification. Observe oiliness, pore size, dehydration (fine lines, tightness), sensitivity (erythema, telangiectasia), pigmentation, texture, and laxity. Palpation confirms oil and hydration. Fitzpatrick type predicts sun response and peel risk.
Wood's lamp: normal skin shows faint blue-white; dehydration reads violet; sun damage and pigment read brown; oily areas read yellow; coral-red-orange fluorescence suggests porphyrins from acne bacteria.
Traps: trusting self-diagnosis ("I'm oily" when the skin is dehydrated and over-cleansed), confusing dehydration (a condition) with dryness (a type), and treating Wood's lamp output as a diagnosis rather than a screening aid.
Rule of thumb: describe, document, refer - analysis guides product choice, never a medical conclusion.