What is a contraindication?
A contraindication is a condition that makes a client unsuitable for a beauty treatment. Since not all medical conditions are immediately visible or apparent, they will usually be disclosed via the client record form, or during consultation discussions. Contraindications can be absolute or relative. There is an important difference between the two.
Total contraindications:
A total contraindication means that you should never perform any treatment on a client whilst they have the condition.
Contraindications are conditions that may be present on a client and are such that you would have to adapt a treatment or not be allowed to proceed with the treatment, unless they have written confirmation from their GP that it is safe to do so.
It is essential that you not only look for these problems, but you should have already asked your client if they were aware of any issues when you did your consultation. You could find that the treatment makes the problem worse. If you are at all unsure, you should suggest that the client visits his/her GP to have the matter checked before you provide the treatment.
Restrictive contraindications:
If a condition is noted as a restrictive contraindication, this means that the treatment may be performed in certain circumstances – for instance, if the condition is minor rather than severe. A client may suffer with a restrictive contraindication that may only be temporary, once the condition has been treated, they may be able to undergo treatment.