You can learn a lot by looking at a client's skin. You learn more from what they tell you about it: the products they've used, the treatments they've tried, and the reactions they've had.
Skin Type Is Only the Start
Two clients with oily, acne-prone skin may need different approaches if one has used retinoids for a year and the other has never treated their skin. History tells you what's worked, what hasn't, and what to try next.
Reactions Leave No Trace
A severe reaction to a salicylic peel three years ago probably isn't visible today. Use a similar formula without knowing, and you risk a repeat. Ask directly about:
- Products or ingredients that caused irritation, redness, or breakouts
- Treatments they stopped, and why
- Known sensitivities or allergies to skincare ingredients
Clients won't volunteer this unless asked.
Medical Context Changes the Plan
- Isotretinoin (Accutane), even if stopped months ago, affects healing and rules out many treatments
- Blood thinners increase bruising during extractions
- Pregnancy limits which actives are safe
- Autoimmune conditions can cause unpredictable reactions
- Cancer treatment often leaves skin very sensitive
Dedicated fields for medications and conditions catch these. A generic "anything else we should know?" box misses them.
Realistic Expectations
If a client has tried three retinol products without improvement, a stronger retinol probably isn't the answer, and saying so builds trust. History also helps explain timelines: years of sun damage won't fade after one facial.
How to Collect It
Structure the section instead of one big text box:
- Current routine: morning and evening products
- Past treatments: professional treatments in the last 12 months (peels, laser, microneedling)
- Reactions: products or treatments that caused problems, and which
- Goals: the concerns they want addressed
- Photos: let clients upload pictures of their concerns or goals
Use conditional logic: no professional treatments means no follow-up questions about them.
Update It Every Visit
Clients change products, start medications, and develop new sensitivities. A short "has anything changed since your last appointment?" form before each visit keeps your records current without repeating the full intake.
Related: patient intake software | intake form templates
Get every patient ready before they walk in.
- Forms, consents, and signatures before the visit
- Your paper forms converted by AI
- BAA included