I frequently go to the hairdressers to get my hair dyed.  During my last appointment however I began to consider the health implications of such treatment, and the effects that a substandard beauty treatment can have.

At my last appointment, the receptionist at the salon approached me half way through the treatment with a form in her hand.  She placed it on my lap and said, ‘can you fill this in when you can?’  She did not provide me with an explanation as to what I was signing but when I read the form I realised that it was a Consent Form.  In signing the form, I was confirming that I understood that all beauty procedures at the salon involved risks.  I was slightly unnerved by being presented with this form half way through my appointment, especially as this had not been mentioned to me when I first attended the salon.   Furthermore, the risks had not been explained to me but surely it was too late; the dye had already been applied.

It was only in the evening when I started to feel a warm sensation on the back of my head.  When I went to touch the area, I was in agony.  It felt as though I had suffered sunburn on my scalp.  The pain when I brushed my hair was unbearable; so much so that I decided to take a painkiller and wash my hair immediately.

Luckily after 2 days my symptoms had disappeared.  After reviewing the advice provided on the NHS website I believed that I had suffered a chemical burn due to the application of the hair dye.  I had not been asked to do a patch test prior to the appointment.  Had I done so, I do not believe that I would have suffered these symptoms as the patch test would have flagged up any reaction and I would have avoided using the dye.  I am however not a doctor therefore without being  assessed by a medical professional I could not be certain of my diagnosis, or that a patch test would have brought any reactions to the dye to my attention.

The Consent Form was correct in that most beauty procedures carry some risks, and I think we should all be aware of this.  Customer demand for new beauty treatments such as LVL eyelashes, HD brows and hair dye, continues to rise.  I do believe that my reaction could have been prevented however I was lucky that my injuries were not serious.  In some cases injuries or allergic reactions caused as a result of having a beauty treatment can be severe.

My advice would be that you should always ask a beauty treatment provider for the list of risks involved for each particular beauty treatment that you wish to have prior to commencing such treatment so that you can make an informed decision as to whether to proceed.

The treatment provider should also ensure that a patch test is carried out prior to the treatment if it involves the application of dye or any other chemical.

If it can be proven that the salon has breached their duty of care towards you and this breach has caused you to suffer an injury, you may be entitled to compensation.

If you have suffered a serious injury as a result of undergoing a beauty treatment please contact one of our experienced personal injury solicitors to ascertain whether you have a claim for compensation on 0845 287 0939 or submit your enquiry online.