As the weather warms up, clients fill their calendars with summer celebrations and clinical treatments. However, some of those clients may arrive to you with sun-exposed skin. As their dermal practitioner, you may have to delay their treatment (and results), risking cancellation or loss of income.
Sun exposure as a contraindication
“UV exposure raises the skin’s temperature and dilates blood vessels, making it more sensitive and reactive,” explains Sarah Hughes, Learning and Development Manager for Dermalogica. “When performing advanced treatments on compromised, sun-exposed skin, the likelihood of irritation, burns, or post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation is significantly higher.” It may also slow skin recovery and delay progress, leading to client dissatisfaction.
Fabienne Rich, dermal clinician and founder of The Facial Room in Sydney’s Bondi adds that intensive treatments like chemical peels, intense pulsed light (IPL), laser, and skin needling are some of the riskiest to perform on sun-exposed skin. Fabienne says she won’t recommend treatments like laser or depigmenting peels during summer to clients who don’t comply with sun protection guidelines.
Consider client education
Sarah believes clients may not know how recent sun exposure impacts clinical treatments and that it can increase the likelihood of adverse effects.
“Explaining the risks of sun exposure to clients can be challenging, as many may not fully understand how it works,” she says. “It’s your responsibility to inform clients about these risks and how they can affect their skin. This reinforces your role as a trusted expert, ensuring safety and best outcomes for your clients.”
With her clinic operating within the beachfront suburb of Bondi, Fabienne says, “Managing sun exposure is a key focus, given how many clients enjoy an outdoor lifestyle here. I see the impact of sun damage regularly, which often means we need to adjust treatments based on the skin’s condition.”
Read about how beauty therapists can flag potential skin cancers during a facial here.
Tips for managing sun exposure
To help prevent clients from arriving to appointments with sun-exposed skin, Sarah recommends implementing clear, consistent messaging throughout your clinic’s processes to set the right expectations. This starts during the initial consultation, explaining that treatments may be adapted or postponed if a client arrives with recent sun exposure. She suggests incorporating sun exposure messaging into booking forms, emails, SMS reminders, and printed or digital resources.
Fabienne postpones treatments when necessary, which she says builds trust with her clients. Being adaptable and honest about why a treatment isn’t suitable for a sun-exposed client (by explaining possible adverse effects) demonstrates that her clinic prioritises client safety and treatment efficacy.
“I explain that after analysing their skin, due to recent sun exposure, it is best to change the treatment plan for the day,” she says. “I’ll offer them an alternative to reduce heat and inflammation and provide a beautiful, nourishing treatment to soothe their sun-exposed skin, then book them in for a more suitable date.”
By integrating education about sun exposure throughout your clinic and being prepared to adapt treatments as warranted, your clinic can reduce last-minute cancellations and loss of income due to client sun exposure.
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