Contraindications

During a consultation, ensuring that your customer has no contraindications to the treatment is vital. 

Some contraindications are permanent, others are temporary, and there are also relative contraindications.

Permanent contraindications – these contraindications prohibit the treatment permanently:

• Epilepsy is a common condition that affects the brain and can cause frequent seizures. Seizures can appear suddenly, thus making them difficult to predict. Therefore it is not recommended to perform the treatment on clients with epilepsy.
• Previous allergic reaction to Lash Lifting products and tint. It is recommended to patch-test the clients if they have any concerns; however, patch tests are not 100% reliable. If the client has a previous allergic reaction to tint, Lash Lift can still be performed. However, the tinting stage should be skipped.
• Hypertension of 2nd/3rd stage – hypertension is another word for high blood pressure. In stages 2 and 3, it can cause sudden heart attacks, strokes, and other complications.
• Hepatitis, HIV, and Syphilis – are infectious diseases that can be transmitted through getting in contact with sores and blood.
• Alopecia areata is a common autoimmune disorder often resulting in unpredictable hair loss. In most cases, hair (including lashes) falls out in small patches around the size of a quarter. For most people, hair loss is nothing more than a few patches, though in some cases, it can be more extreme. Sometimes, it can lead to the complete loss of hair on the scalp (alopecia totalis) or, in severe cases, the entire body (alopecia universalis). Lash Lift is not recommended if hair loss is present, however slight.

Temporary contraindications – these contraindications prohibit the treatment for a limited time until the symptoms have passed. Some contraindications are permanent, others are temporary, and there are also relative contraindications.

Blepharitis (eyelid inflammation) is the most common lash disease, experienced by approximately 30% of all adults. It is even more common among wearers of lash extensions. Blepharitis is characterized by one or more of the following symptoms: 

• Redness of the eyelids
• „Peeling“ skin on the eyelids
• Crusty, gunky eyes – primarily upon waking up
• Small cysts on the edge of the lid
• Bloodshot eyes
• The feeling of something being in the eye
• Itchiness or a burning sensation in the eyes 

Blepharitis usually looks like the customer has forgotten to wash their eyes in the morning – the lashes are stuck together and partially or entirely covered with crust. Unfortunately, many are unaware that it is a disease and think they have crusty eyes.

The inflammation has three underlying causes: 

• Blockage of sebaceous glands of the eyelid 
• Demodex mites 
• Acne or seborrheic dermatitis, i.e., disturbance in the function of sebaceous glands 

The first two causes are more common among wearers of lash extensions, as customers sometimes avoid washing their lashes thoroughly, thinking that it would shorten the life of the extensions. This is also one of the reasons you should explain properly cleaning the lashes during the consultation. The truth is that daily washing with a good lash foam will increase lash retention, not the other way around. 

Sebum and impurities are also an excellent environment for Demodex mites living in lash follicles (even in healthy individuals!). If Demodex mites begin reproducing en masse due to favorable conditions, it will lead to blepharitis. Instruct your customers in proper lash care.  

Lash extensions should be removed after contracting blepharitis, as the disease deteriorates lashes and causes them to fall out as the follicle is infected. 

It is much easier to prevent blepharitis than fight it once it appears. 

The most effective products against blepharitis are: 

• Hormone ointment (doctor’s prescription is required) 
• Chrissanthie gel in an undiluted form

Conjunctivitis is characterized by the following: 

• Redness of the sclera and the inside of the eyelid 
• Tear secretion 
• Pus secretion from the eye 

 Causes: 

• Virus 
• Bacteria
• Allergy 
• Chemicals affecting eyes 
• Smoke and other eye irritants 

A stye is an acute inflammation of sebaceous glands on the edge of the eyelid. The characteristic red, tender bump near the eyelashes can identify it. A stye is a bacterial inflammation; you should not do a lash lift during it.

A chalazion is a small, usually painless lump or point of swelling that appears on your eyelid. A blocked meibomian or oil gland causes this condition. It can develop on the upper or lower eyelid and disappear without treatment.

The head louse (Pediculus capitis) is a parasite visible to the naked eye that exclusively lives on the human scalp and feeds from blood sucked through the scalp. The notion that lice infestation is caused by poor hygiene is false. One may get lice from direct contact with someone’s head or by using someone’s comb, hairbrush, hat, or scarf. In addition, anyone may contract head lice. 

Head lice may also move from the hair into eyebrows and eyelashes without the individual knowing them. If you discover head lice in a customer’s hair/eyelashes/eyebrows, always inform the customer about it. It is essential to explain to the customer that these parasites are not caused by poor hygiene but may be contracted by anyone and virtually anywhere. Advise the customer to visit a pharmacy where unique products against lice are available. 

When the customer has left, clean (disinfect) ALL surfaces that the customer may have touched (pillow, bed, fleece blanket, tools, etc.) with extreme care. Wash the towels at a very high temperature! 

How to identify lice: 

• Even one live louse that moves freely on the skin is a sign of an infestation! Adult female head lice are light brown and approximately the size of a sesame seed. 
• Lice eggs are firmly attached to hair, usually near the scalp. They are oval, with a diameter of 1-2 mm, whitish or yellowish; new pinhead-sized lice hatch after eight days and leave pearly white eggshells attached to the hair. If you notice that a customer has lice, be discreet when talking to the customer about it: the customer is very likely highly embarrassed, so you should not increase this embarrassment even more. 

 NB! Head lice spread VERY easily, so follow all disinfection rules if you spot even one louse on your client!

Any abnormal skin condition can cause additional irritation. Thus, it is recommended to perform the treatment only on fully healed skin.

Keratitis may or may not be associated with an infection. Non-infectious keratitis can be caused by a minor injury, wearing contact lenses for a long period, or by a foreign body in the eye. Viruses, bacteria, fungi, and parasites can cause infectious keratitis. Signs and symptoms include eye redness, eye pain, excess tears or discharge from the eye, difficulty opening the eyes because of pain and irritation, blurred vision, decreased vision, sensitivity to light (photophobia), and a feeling that something is in your eye.

The first six months are crucial in healing the cornea flap. After that, it is prohibited to apply any pressure on the eyeball, including rubbing.

The treated area must be completely healed.

Chemotherapy and cancerous diseases target the immune system and weaken hair follicles.

The treated area must be fully healed before the treatment.

These contraindications do not prohibit the performance of the treatment but may result in unpredictable outcomes:

• Lactation and breastfeeding – hormone levels fluctuate and may result in overprocessing or underprocessing.
• Pregnancy (specifically 1st trimester) – antihistamine consumption is prohibited during pregnancy. Additionally, 1st trimester is generally the most sensitive time for women: they may get nausea and sickness during the treatment. During 3rd trimester clients might find it challenging to stay in the lying position for an extended period. During the pregnancy, lying on the back can result in the fetus pressing on the vena cava, which in turn can block blood flow to the heart and damage the fetus.
• Chronic stress

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