This document discusses contraindications for waxing treatments and how estheticians should handle clients that may have medical conditions. If a client has severe skin conditions, skin diseases, diabetes, or severe varicose veins, the esthetician must recommend they seek medical advice before treatment and obtain a doctor's note. Diabetic clients have reduced healing and waxing can cause trauma, so a doctor's referral is required. Varicose veins may be damaged by waxing, so a note is also needed. Certain conditions like sunburn, cuts, or hairy moles will restrict how the waxing is done or parts that can be waxed.

1. Waxing Introduction
BTEC Level 3 Beauty therapy Sciences

2. How to deal with a contra-indication
It is important that you do not diagnose any of these
conditions as it is unprofessional and may worry or upset
the client unnecessarily.
If you suspect that the client has a contra-indication you
should:
 Inform the client
 A doctors note
 Offer an alternative treatment
 Make a note on the record card

3. The contra-indications that
require medical referral are:
 Severe skin conditions
 Skin diseases
 Diabetes
 Severe varicose veins
If the client has any of the above conditions, you must
recommend that the client seeks medical advice and
treatment before proceeding with the waxing/sugaring
treatment. It is important that you do not just send the client
home, as they need to receive treatment from their doctor in
order to prevent the condition from worsening and to
alleviate the condition. If the client is already receiving
treatment then a doctors note is required.

4. Diabetes
You will not be able to tell by looking at the client if they are diabetic,
they will have to inform you during the consultation.
If a client is diabetic they have a reduced healing rate, waxing can
therefore cause unnecessary trauma and bruising to the area.
For this reason, seek GP referral before you proceed with the treatment.

5. Varicose veins
Varicose veins appear as blue/purple swollen, knotted and enlarged
veins on the legs.
The treatment may cause discomfort or even damage to the veins and for
this reason a doctors note must be obtained before the client can have
their legs waxed.

6. Steroids
 This medication can thin the skin, therefore prevent the
treatment

7. The contra-indications that restrict
are:
 Sun burn or recent exposure to sun / heat
 Cuts or abrasions
 Bruising
 Warts or hairy moles
 Self tan
 Heat rash
 Abnormal hair growth
 Skin tag
These will restrict your application and should be
avoided when proceeding with the treatment.

8. Hairy moles
A raised lump on the skin that is usually brown/black or skin coloured.
They will have hairs growing from them, which can be trimmed with
scissors but must not be waxed. This is because the treatment may
stimulate cancerous cells to grow. Simply apply petroleum jelly and
work around the area.