A patch test is a bit like a doctor testing for allergies. A small amount of a substance that may be potentially used on your skin or on a hair treatment is placed on the skin just behind your ear. 
At The Hideout in Coventry we perform a patch test at least 48 hours before any complete chemical treatment is carried out, this gives us plenty of time to see if your body might react negatively towards the treatment.
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​It may sound a bit dramatic but with the rising influence of social media, more people are turning to hair and beauty treatments as a necessity rather than a luxury. Similarly and possibly due to its growing presence in the market, Paraphenylenediamine (PPD) allergies are also on the increase. Luckily there is a growing awareness of the potential dangers of chemical treatments but you can never be too cautious where your own health is at risk.

​No patch test no treatment
It is a common occurrence at the Hideout, Coventry to be told by clients that "It will be ok, I have my hair coloured all the time" or "I`ve had it done elsewhere and they didn't need to do this". ​We always reply "no patch test no treatment". It's not that at The Hideout we are big headed or don't value the business, it's because we value our clients old and new too much to risk their health and safety.

​What we do to perform the test:
For hair colourants, semi-permanent or permanent, we mix up a base colour which contains the most PPD. This is then put on the skin behind the ear and the client signs a record card stating the date and what has been used and whether its hair colour, lash glue, perm, lash lift serum, coloured mousse, eyebrow/lash tint etc. The client is then advised to look out for any itching, burning, redness on the skin. If any symptoms arise we do tend to try the other side just to make sure it wasn't a one off sensitivity, but under absolutely no circumstance will a chemical treatment take place until we are certain the client is ok with the chemical. Absolutely nothing gets done at The Hideout Coventry unless the patch test is performed and after 48 hours if the client hasn't reacted.

​Are these treatments safe?
​You may well be considering a hair or beauty treatment and are somewhat concerned about the potential dangers, especially after seeing some dramatic pictures readily available on the Internet. You are right to be cautious and as such you should ensure your salon asks you the right questions, do the right pre-treatment tests and allow you to ask any questions you have regarding the treatment.

I hope that gives you some information and advice on the issue of patch tests. Any further questions please drop us a line.

​Hope to see you all soon.
​Haylee