Beauty treatments and epilepsy

Should I mention my epilepsy before I have a beauty treatment?

Some people are told they can’t have a particular beauty treatment because of their epilepsy. But a lot of the time there’s no reason for this and you should have access to the same treatments as anyone else.

You don’t have to tell the salon about your epilepsy if you don’t think it’s relevant. But if you think you might have a seizure during the treatment, it’s a good idea to let the therapist know.

You could discuss any possible risks of the treatment and let the therapist know how to help you if you have a seizure.

Can beauty treatments trigger seizures?

There is often little evidence that specific treatments will trigger a seizure. There are lots of different types of beauty treatments, and new ones appear all the time.

Think about your own seizure triggers and whether the treatment might cause one of these. Could the treatment make you feel stressed, anxious or tired? If it does, then consider how you might avoid this. Also think about what the risks might be if you did have a seizure during a treatment.

For example:

• If you have photosensitive epilepsy, a faulty flashing light may trigger a seizure. You could ask staff at the tanning salon to check that the lights are working properly. If your treatment involves a laser, you could wear goggles which block out all light
• Some treatments can last for a long time and can be uncomfortable or painful. It’s important to consider if stress or pain can be a trigger for you. Think about whether you’re tired or already stressed, or if you have taken your epilepsy medicine
• If you have a seizure alone in a sauna or steam room at a spa, it could be dangerous because of the heat. Go with someone who would know how to help you

Massage

Massage may be a beneficial complementary treatment for some people with epilepsy. Essential oils are often in massage oils. The evidence around using essential oils if you have epilepsy is unclear. This is because there aren’t many studies in large groups of people. A lot of the studies have been done in animals. It’s not known if the same things will also happen in humans.

There have been some cases of people having a seizure after coming into contact with essential oils. This is mostly when people have swallowed them. There are a few cases where people have had seizures after using essential oils on their skin.  It’s thought that essential oils containing camphor or eucalyptus might be more likely to trigger a seizure. Camphor is found in different essential oils, like rosemary oil.

The evidence around essential oils and seizures is mixed, and often comes from case studies. Some people report that essential oils may have beneficial effects. They can help to reduce stress and anxiety.

You could let your massage therapist know how to help you if you do have a seizure.

There is no other evidence that massages would trigger a seizure in people with epilepsy.

Massage guns

Some product guidelines might recommend that people with epilepsy should not use massage guns. There isn’t much evidence about whether these could trigger seizures. If you are worried, other types of massage may be an option.

What beauty treatments are safe for people with epilepsy?

There is currently no evidence that these treatments would trigger a seizure:

• Waxing
• Body piercings
• Tattoos
• Treatments that involve electricity. For example, foot spas, epilators, electric nail files
• Botox
• Manicures
• Microblading

But it is important to think about whether any of these treatments may involve your own triggers. Think about what might happen if you did have a seizure during a treatment and if it could cause you any harm. For some treatments, you could bring along someone that you trust. They could help you if you did have a seizure.

Can a therapist or salon refuse to treat me because of my epilepsy?

The equality laws in the UK protect you from being treated unfairly because of your epilepsy. This includes access to goods and services.

Refusing to treat you because of your epilepsy could be discrimination under the equality laws.

What can I do if I feel I’ve been treated unfairly?

If a salon or therapist refuses to treat you, ask them why. They might have been taught that a treatment is unsuitable for people with epilepsy. But often this is down to not understanding the condition.

For example, a therapist may believe treatments involving light are unsuitable for all people with epilepsy. Many people believe that flashing lights trigger seizures in anyone with epilepsy. In reality, this is only a trigger for 3 to 5 people in every 100 people with epilepsy.  If you don’t have photosensitive epilepsy, you could explain this to the therapist. And if you do, you may be able to reduce the risk of a seizure by wearing black-out goggles.

The therapist might have concerns about what to do if you have a seizure during the treatment. If this is the case, you could explain how they can help you. It might help to show them our first aid information.

Guidelines can differ between beauty salons as there is no set governing body in the UK. You might want to check that they have public liability and treatment insurance. This should mean they are covered if you have a seizure or an accident. You can also check if they are registered with a professional body. This means they will be qualified and insured. Examples include the British Association of Beauty Therapy & Cosmetology (BABTAC) or the Beauty Guild.

Sometimes instructions for a product being used might say it’s not suitable for someone with epilepsy. In this case, it could mean that a beauty therapist’s insurance is not valid if they gave you the treatment.

If you’ve talked to the salon and they still refuse to treat you, this could be unlawful discrimination under the equality laws. Find out more about your rights concerning epilepsy and beauty treatments on our webpage.

Useful contacts

Equality Advisory and Support Service (England, Scotland and Wales)
The Equality Advisory Support service gives free advice, information and guidance to individuals on equality, discrimination and human rights issues.
Tel. 0808 800 0082

The Equality Commission (Northern Ireland)
The Equality Commission provides advice and information about the Disability Discrimination Act in Northern Ireland.
Tel: 028 90 500 600