What to Do If Your Client Is Allergic to Eyepatches

Many believe that if you’re not allergic to Lash Glue, that you’re ready for a beautiful set of lashes and a relaxing lash extensions treatment. However, for a very small minority, that might not be the case, especially if you use Eyepatches. Yes, an unseen and unfortunately not often talked about allergy. While clients may be completely fine when you use Pretreatment Products, Eyelash Glue and even Superbonder, they may be totally unaware of an allergy to eyepatches, which could lead to a severe allergic reaction and swelling around the eyes. It is important for your clients to disclose any allergies if they’re aware of them and for you to perform patch tests too.

What Ingredients in the Eyepatches Are They Allergic To?

The underneath of both Nano-Hydrogel Eyepatches and Teflon Gel Eyepatches are coated in a gel-like substance that acts like an adhesive to keep the eyepatches in place during lash extension application. Our London Lash Eyepatches are Gluten Free, Latex Free, Lint Free, Formaldehyde Free and Paraben Free. They also help with hydrating the under eye skin and creating a relaxing lash treatment for your clients. While we do recommend using under eye patches to secure those pesky bottom lashes, as do many other Lash Techs who have left five star reviews on our website, unfortunately they’re not always suitable for all lash extension enthusiasts.

A small minority of your customers may experience irritation, redness and swelling due to the gel coating of the Eyepatches. Their skin may be very sensitive or allergic to the formula of the gel. It’s also important to note that reactions to Eyepatches are not always immediate, in some cases a reaction may occur after a prolonged period of time, usually 3 - 4 hours after application. 

What Precautions Can You Take?

As a Lash Technician it is important to perform a patch test for lash extensions and following the guidelines in your local jurisdiction for taking on new customers. We advise that you not only patch test your new clients for lash extensions, but also for Eyepatches too.

The easiest way to do this is to take an Eyepatch from a Sample pack, cut a small strip out of it, and place it behind the client’s ear, as a hair stylist would with bleach. If the client experiences any discomfort, redness, irritation or swelling, then they may be allergic to the Eyepatch gel. 

Remember, if you place an Eyepatch too close to your client’s eye that could also cause severe irritation. Learning the correct way to place Eyepatches is important as you do not want your clients to have chemical burns from the patches irritating their eyes. While that may not be an allergic reaction, it is still a precaution you should take.

Are There Any Alternatives to Using Eyepatches?

Yes, absolutely. As a Lash Artist your Lash Extensions Kit may be jam packed with products you’ve purchased over time. It’s ideal actually, because a lot of London Lash products are quite versatile in their uses and can help you in all sorts of tricky situations.

In this case, if you are stocked up on your favourite Foam Tape then you’re already one step closer to solving the problem. Foam Tape is perfect for not only if you have ran out of Eyepatches, but also as an alternative to using them all together. If your client is allergic to the gel patches, then Foam Tape will definitely come in handy. Simply cut out a shape that fits your client’s eye, and place it on your client’s under eye. 

Foam Tape is ideal for clients with sensitive skin, watery eyes, and oily skin. Its benefits are endless. But most importantly, Foam Tape is hypoallergenic, latex free and lint free, so no allergic reactions here!

So there you have it, a quick and easy solution for clients with an allergy and or sensitivity to Eyepatches. While we love our Eyepatches, we understand that they’re not for every client, so we hope you enjoy using Foam Tape as a great alternative so you can keep your clients safe and happy during their eyelash extension treatments.