When a treatment goes wrong: your rights, refunds and who to contact, country by country

Quick answer: If a treatment goes wrong, look after your health first, take clear photos and contact the salon calmly within a few days. In most countries the law says a service must be carried out with reasonable care and skill. If it was not, you can usually ask for the work to be put right free of charge, and if that is not possible, a partial or full refund. If you cannot agree, your national consumer body, a small claims court or the relevant licensing board can help.

You leave the salon, catch your reflection in a shop window, and your heart sinks. Maybe the fringe is far shorter than you asked for. Maybe your nails feel hot and sore under the gel, or the skin around your brows has started to itch by the next morning.

It is a horrible feeling, and it is completely natural to feel upset. The good news is that most problems are put right quickly. Professionals care deeply about their work and their reputation, and the vast majority would far rather hear from you and fix it than have you walk away unhappy. A calm, friendly message is usually all it takes.

This guide explains what to do first, the rights you have, and who to contact in the UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand and the US if you cannot sort it out together. Laws vary and change, so always check the latest guidance where you live.

What to do straight away

1. Look after your health. A burn, blisters, swelling, spreading redness or pain after waxing, a peel, laser, colour or injectables needs advice from a pharmacist, doctor or urgent care service. With hair colour, the NHS notes that symptoms can take up to 72 hours to appear, and says to call emergency services if your lips, mouth, throat or tongue suddenly swell or you struggle to breathe.
2. Take photos and keep records. Photograph the area in good daylight from a few angles, on the day and again as it changes. Keep your receipt, booking confirmation, messages, aftercare sheet and the names of any products used.
3. Give the professional the first chance to help. Unless your health is at risk, contact the person who did the treatment before booking someone else. In many countries the law expects you to offer the business a chance to put things right first, and it is often the quickest fix.
4. Get in touch calmly. Phone or message within a few days. Say what happened, share your photos and say what you would like: a redo, a correction, or a partial refund.

Something as simple as this works well: "Hi, I wanted to let you know my nails have lifted on three fingers since Saturday. I have attached photos. Could I come back in so you can take a look?"

The principle behind your rights: reasonable care and skill

When you pay for a treatment, you have a contract with the business, even if you never sign anything. Ireland's Competition and Consumer Protection Commission makes this point clearly: paying, or agreeing to pay, is enough.

Across most countries, consumer law shares one simple idea. A service must be carried out with reasonable care and skill, and it should match what was agreed and any claims the business made. That is not a promise that you will love every result. A style cut exactly as you asked, which you later decide is not quite you, is different from one done carelessly.

A reaction can also happen even when everything was done with great care. Allergies are not common, but they are real. In a European study that patch tested 2,739 people across five countries, 0.8% were allergic to PPD, a common ingredient in permanent hair colour. A study across 15 UK and Irish dermatology departments found that 102 of 5,920 patients tested, about 1.7%, reacted to HEMA, an ingredient found in many gel and acrylic nail products. This is why a good consultation, patch tests and telling your professional about any past reaction matter so much. You can read more in our guide to nail allergies and safe nail services.

Your rights, country by country

United Kingdom

Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, services must be provided with reasonable care and skill. If they were not, Citizens Advice explains that you can ask the business to redo the service, known as repeat performance, within a reasonable time. If a redo is not possible, would take too long or would cause you real inconvenience, you can ask for a price reduction instead, which you agree with the business.

Citizens Advice also notes that if you told the business at the time that you were happy, you may lose the right to a redo or discount. So if something feels off before you leave, say so kindly there and then. Problems you notice later still count: you can raise them for up to six years in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, or five years in Scotland. If you cannot agree, alternative dispute resolution, the Citizens Advice consumer service and the small claims court are the next steps.

Ireland

The CCPC sets out similar rights under the Consumer Rights Act 2022. A business must have the skills needed and do the work with reasonable care. If it falls short, you can ask for the problem to be fixed free of charge within a reasonable time. If that does not happen, you can ask for a fair price reduction, or cancel and seek a full or partial refund. If you paid by card, your bank may be able to help with a chargeback, and claims of €2,000 or less can go through the small claims procedure.

Australia

Under the Australian Consumer Law, services come with automatic consumer guarantees. NSW Fair Trading explains that beauty and cosmetic services must be delivered with acceptable care and skill, be fit for their purpose and match their description. Remedies depend on whether the problem is minor or major, and can include a further service to fix it, a refund, cancellation or, in some cases, compensation.

Contact the business first, in writing if the issue is complex. If it is not resolved, you can lodge a complaint with your state or territory consumer agency, such as NSW Fair Trading. After any complication from a cosmetic procedure, seek medical advice straight away.

New Zealand

The Consumer Guarantees Act names haircuts as one of its examples. Consumer Protection explains that services must be done with reasonable care and skill. If a fault can be fixed, you can ask the business to fix it within a reasonable time. If they refuse or do not do it, you can have it fixed elsewhere and claim back the cost, or cancel. For a serious failure, you can cancel and ask for a refund. If you cannot agree, the Disputes Tribunal can make a final decision.

United States

There is no single national law for services, so your rights depend on your state. Your state consumer protection office, usually part of the state attorney general's office, is a good first stop, and small claims court can settle money disputes, with limits that vary by state.

Separately, state boards of cosmetology license hair, beauty and nail professionals and take complaints about standards and safety. California's Board of Barbering and Cosmetology, for example, looks at complaints about negligence, unsanitary conditions, unlicensed practice and false advertising, and asks for photos, medical records and your receipt. A board complaint is about standards. To get money back, you would usually work with the business, your card provider or small claims.

Everywhere else

In Canada, the EU, the UAE and beyond, look for your national, provincial or state consumer protection office.

When aesthetics are involved

Injectables, peels and laser are different from a haircut, because your health comes first. Contact the practitioner straight away so they can assess you, and if you have severe pain, changes to your skin colour, problems with your vision or any breathing difficulty, seek urgent medical care.

Where the practitioner is a registered healthcare professional, their regulator can look at their conduct. In the UK that means the GMC for doctors, the NMC for nurses and the GDC for dentists. Save Face, an accredited register for aesthetic practitioners, also takes concerns, and it reported a record 2,824 complaints about unregistered practitioners in 2022, up from 2,083 in 2020, with dermal fillers making up 69%. In Australia, Ahpra regulates registered practitioners, and in New South Wales the Health Care Complaints Commission handles complaints about clinical care. In Ireland, the Medical Council and the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland play this role, and in the US it is your state medical or nursing board.

How most problems get fixed

A little kindness on both sides goes a long way, and most professionals will thank you for telling them. These steps keep things moving:

• Be specific. "The colour is warmer than the photo we agreed on" helps far more than "I hate it".
• Say what would make it right. A redo, a toner, a soak off and reapply, or a partial refund.
• Agree a time. Book the correction appointment there and then.
• Follow up in writing only if a conversation has not worked, keeping it short and factual.

FAQs

Can I get a refund for a bad haircut?

Often, but usually after the salon has had a chance to fix it. In the UK, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand, the first step is normally a redo or correction. If that is not possible or does not work, you can ask for a price reduction or refund.

Do I have to let the salon fix it?

In many countries the law expects you to offer the business a reasonable chance to put things right first. If your health or safety is at risk, get medical help and do not go back for more treatment until you have been advised.

How long do I have to complain?

As soon as you can is best, while photos and memories are fresh. Legal time limits are longer: up to six years in England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Ireland, and five years in Scotland.

Who do I report a beauty salon to?

Start with the salon. If that does not work, contact your national or state consumer body. For licensing or hygiene concerns, contact your state board in the US or your local council or health authority elsewhere, and for registered healthcare professionals, their regulator.

What should I do if I react to hair colour or nail products?

Seek medical advice, and call emergency services for any swelling of the face, mouth or throat or difficulty breathing. Then let your professional know, so they can note it on your record and plan a safer option for next time.

Book with confidence

The best way to avoid problems is to choose someone whose training and insurance you can trust. Every verified professional on The Hair and Beauty Directory has had their qualifications and insurance checked. Find a verified professional near you, and for more tips on choosing well, read our guide to finding the right beauty professional.