A client had a bad reaction to a peel I've done a hundred times

I was at my studio in Tacoma doing a standard 30% glycolic peel on a regular client. About five minutes in, she started complaining of a sharp, burning pain, not the usual mild tingle. I stopped immediately and saw her skin was turning bright red in patches. I neutralized the peel with a cool water compress and applied a calming serum with centella asiatica. It took over an hour for the redness to go down, and she was pretty shaken up. We figured out she had started a new prescription retinoid three days prior and didn't think to tell me. Has anyone else had a reaction pop up from a client's new medication they didn't mention?

3 comments

3 Comments

michaelcoleman1mo ago

My dentist asks about new meds every single time.

logansullivan9d ago

Must be nice to have a dentist with that kind of time. Mine barely remembers my name from one visit to the next, let alone asking about my medication history. I figure if I die in the chair from some drug interaction, that's between me and my primary care doctor, not the guy holding the drill. People get so worked up about covering every possible angle, but sometimes you just gotta trust that if it was gonna kill you, you'd probably already know.

jake_mason301mo ago

Honestly, that's why I always ask about any changes in routine, even if they seem small. People just don't connect their new face cream or pill with our services. It's a constant battle to stay ahead of it.