On arrival some spas ask you to fill out questionnaires and others don’t – please can you tell me why this is the case, do I have to fill it out and is it really necessary to answer all the questions? Jayne Hexham, Cardiff

Times Online spa expert, Miranda Allard responds: A consultation with the therapist should take place before all treatments to ensure the client has chosen an appropriate treatment and that the maximum benefit will be achieved. By filling out a questionnaire on arrival many of the key questions are covered and much time is saved by the therapist who is able to check it through while turning around between treatments – time costs money so it is better for all to make this consultation as brief but effective as possible. The questions range from allergies, pregnancy, blood pressure and other medical conditions and medication to skin types, non surgical treatment history, specific aches and pains and any problem areas wishing to be treated.

As you have discovered not all spas have questionnaires. It does take time and money to set up and run this service so it tends to be those with more expensive treatment menus who build into the cost extra time between treatments for the therapist to pick out and discuss any concerning issues with their next client. Those spas who do not bother with questionnaires will argue that their therapists ask questions in person before a treatment commences and that it is only necessary to ask questions specific to the chosen treatment – for example, if they are having a facial they really need to know if you have recently had botox or another non-surgical treatment. However, I have had many good treatments from therapists who have not asked questions and bad treatments from those with extensive questionnaires.

On the whole, I would say that should you have an adverse reaction to a treatment for any reason, those spas with questionnaires have helped to cover themselves legally by giving the opportunity to show they have done their best to ensure this doesn’t happen and by doing so one has to assume that unfortunate experiences are less likely to occur. It only takes a couple of minutes to fill out these questionnaires, it does help to focus the mind away from life outside and may well prompt a question for the therapist or a condition which you may not have previously thought necessary – especially if the treatment contains essential oils which can have a powerful effect.

It really is in the client’s interest to fill out the questionnaire and it may well be that a spa refuses to treat anyone who refuses. Data protection is of course where the line is drawn and occasionally one feels that your information could be used for further marketing. There is no need to supply your address or any other personal details except your name.

Miranda Allard runs SpaContacts.com which features a limited selection of spas invited by her to join

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