IPL hair removal consultation form: what UK therapists should ask and record
An IPL hair removal consultation form should record health and medication, allergies to products used on the skin, skin type and any tan, a test patch result, the device settings used and signed consent to the risks. The MHRA publishes safety guidance for IPL in aesthetic practices but states that it has no legal status, so also check your insurer, manufacturer and local council.
Is there a legal form for IPL hair removal?
No law sets the wording of an IPL consultation form. The main UK safety document is the MHRA's guidance on lasers, intense light source systems and LEDs. It lists beauty therapists in clinics, salons and mobile services among its readers, and it states plainly that it is a guidance document and so has no legal status.
The rules that bite are usually local. The MHRA says it is good practice to consult a laser protection adviser where IPL is operated, that this is not mandatory across all of England, and that some English local authorities require it. It adds that a local authority special treatment licence applies to salons using IPL in London boroughs and some English cities. For Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland it describes different arrangements. Ask your council, your insurer and your device manufacturer what they require before you buy or lease equipment.
Allergies and IPL: what to ask
Therapists searching for this are usually asking what to do when a client reports an allergy and is booked for IPL. IPL itself is a light treatment, so the allergy questions that matter are about what touches the skin and what the client takes: cooling gels, numbing creams, aftercare products, fragrance, latex gloves and any medication or cream that your manufacturer says increases light sensitivity.
Put these on the form as yes or no questions with a space for details, and follow your manufacturer's protocol on which medications and skin products rule treatment out. If you are unsure, do not treat on the day: ask the client to check with their GP or pharmacist. An NHS trust leaflet on laser hair removal also tells patients to arrive with the area free of make-up, perfume and anaesthetic creams, so record whether the skin was clean when you started.
Skin tone, tan and the test patch
The NHS trust leaflet says darkening of the skin is the most common change in colour after laser hair removal and is more likely in people who have darker skin or who tan easily, and that lightening of the skin can happen and can be permanent. It also says treatment starts with a small test patch, and that the client should check the area over the following week for blistering, scab formation or a loss or increase of pigment. That leaflet is about laser, so follow your own IPL manufacturer's guidance for your device.
Record the skin type, whether the client has a tan or has used sunbeds or fake tan, where the test patch was done, the settings used, and the result on the day and at the next visit. Our guide to patch testing and how to record it covers the record in more detail.
What to record at every treatment
The MHRA guidance says the local rules should be specific to each device and treatment, that staff should be trained and that training records should be kept, and it describes eye protection for the operator and the client. It also says a scratched IPL filter can cause a burn, so cleaning and checking the device is part of safe practice.
Your treatment record should therefore name the device and handpiece, the settings, the area treated, whether eye protection was worn by you and the client, the skin reaction during and after, and who carried out the treatment. This is what turns a consent form into usable evidence.
Aftercare and sun
The NHS trust leaflet advises sunscreen of at least SPF 30 on the treated areas daily during treatment and for at least 6 weeks after the last session, and strongly advises against sunbathing, sunbeds and tanning products while having treatment. It also lists blistering, scab formation and loss or increase of pigment as reactions the patient should report.
Give this to the client in writing and ask them to sign that they received it. If a reaction does happen, our guide to documenting a reaction explains what to write down.
What an IPL hair removal consultation form should ask
A preview of our free IPL and Laser Hair Reduction Consent Form. The complete, print-ready version is sent to you by email.
Client details
- Full name
- Date of birthDate
- + 2 more in the full form
Medical history
- Are you pregnant or breastfeeding?Yes / No
- Are you taking any medication, or using any cream, that makes your skin sensitive to light?Yes / NoIf yes, list the product
- + 5 more in the full form
Allergies
- Are you allergic to any gel, cream, fragrance, latex or aftercare product?Yes / NoIf yes, list what and the reaction
- Have you had a reaction to any previous hair removal treatment?Yes / No
Sun exposure and hair removal history
- Have you had sun exposure, a tan, sunbed use or fake tan in the last 4 weeks?Yes / No
- Have you waxed, threaded, plucked or bleached the area in the last 2 weeks?Yes / No
- + 1 more in the full form
Skin and treatment record (completed by your therapist)
- Skin type (Fitzpatrick scale)I · II · III · IV · V · VI
- Hair colour and thickness
- + 4 more in the full form
Your understanding and consent
- The treatment, the number of sessions and likely results have been explained to me, and I understand results cannot be promisedYes / No
- I understand the risks, including redness, blistering, scarring and darker or lighter patches of skin that may be long lastingYes / No
- + 3 more in the full form
The full form has 27 questions in 6 sections, a signed declaration and space for your business details. Get it free below.
Free template
Get the print-ready IPL and Laser Hair Reduction Consent Form
The complete form, print-ready, with space for your business details, an allergy and medication check, test patch and settings record, tick boxes and signatures. Free, and yours to adapt.
Frequently asked questions
Is an IPL consultation form a legal requirement?
No specific law sets one, and the MHRA guidance on IPL says it has no legal status. Insurers and manufacturers usually require a written consultation and consent, so check your policy and device terms.
Do I need a patch test before every IPL session?
A test patch is normally done at the start of a course. Whether you repeat it after a change in skin tone, tan, medication or device settings is a decision for your manufacturer's protocol, so follow that and record what you did.
What if a client says they have an allergy?
Record exactly what they are allergic to and what the reaction was. If it could involve a product you use, or you are unsure whether medication affects light sensitivity, do not treat that day and ask them to check with their GP or pharmacist.
Do I need a licence to offer IPL?
It depends on where you work. The MHRA says some English local authorities, including London boroughs, require a special treatment licence for IPL. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland differ, so check with your local council.
Sources
- Lasers, intense light source systems and LEDs: guidance for safe use in medical, surgical, dental and aesthetic practices, MHRA, GOV.UK
- Lasers, intense light source systems and LEDs (full guidance, PDF), MHRA, GOV.UK
- Laser hair removal: information and advice for patients, Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust
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See the form packs, from £29 →These articles are general guidance for UK beauty therapists, not legal or medical advice. Our forms are editable templates: adapt them to your specific treatments, your product manufacturer's protocol and your insurer's terms.