Your job as a lash technician or artist is a fun and exciting career. You get to help your clients look and feel beautiful, work in a great environment—whether it’s at a lash studio, salon or the comfort of your own home—and you’re able to unleash your creativity.
Along with the benefits of your work, there are various hazards that are present because you work closely with people and their eyes. Even the most experienced and highly-trained lash technician is exposed.
We’ve compiled a few real examples of complaints against eyelash technicians that have been featured recently in the news and included tips, such as purchasing eyelash technician insurance, on mitigating your risks of a malpractice lawsuit.
A woman’s eyelids were swollen shut for days following her lash extension appointment. According to Fox News’ website, the woman has had her eyelashes done every few weeks for about a year, but when she attended her latest appointment her eyes began to swell, she couldn’t see, and she experienced difficulty breathing after she got home from the session. The lash artist found out the hard way that her client had developed an allergy to one of the main ingredients in the adhesive.
An Indianapolis woman experienced severe itching on and around her eye as well as on the eye itself after having extensions applied. Not only can the adhesive cause allergic reactions, some of them even contain formaldehyde in its ingredients. According to this Fox 59 article, some of the ingredients that are in the lash glue can also cause even more serious injuries such as plugged-up or damaged tear ducts, corneal abrasions, and in extreme cases—blindness.
A Canadian teenager went in for her new lashes and found out that the lash technician hadn’t completed her certification. The teen was left with swollen eyes and an infection requiring medical attention and treatment. According to the CBC News article, the glue used in the botched procedure couldn’t be removed at the hospital.
How Can you Lessen Your Risks of an Injury or Lawsuit?
Carry different types of lash adhesives. This article by bellalash.com offers several tips on how to handle an allergic reaction should you ever find yourself in that situation. There are brands of adhesive that produce glue for your clients that show signs of sensitivities to stronger glues.
It’s a good idea to perform an allergy test prior to beginning treatments to see how your adhesive will affect your clients.
Educate yourself so that you know the difference between allergic reactions and irritations.
Create a comprehensive client intake form asking your clients to disclose any allergies they may have. Also, create transparency by explaining the risks of the procedure up front and have them sign a waiver.
Related: Limiting Malpractice Risks
Keep up on your continuing education and training certifications to ensure that you are current with the latest information in the industry. Display your credentials to build trust between you and your clientele.
Purchase eyelash extension insurance to safeguard your business. Whether a mistake is made during your session or your client has an unexpected allergic reaction to lash adhesive, unfortunately, these mishaps do happen and they have serious health implications for your clients. While you may complete an intake form, it may not be enough to protect your business from a lawsuit. Luckily, eyelash extension insurance may back you up if you find yourself in a less-than-favorable situation.
