Spa Intake Form Template

Key Takeaways

A spa intake form template collects personal details, medical history, allergies, and treatment preferences before the first visit

Including skin type and lifestyle questions helps therapists personalise every treatment safely

Digital intake forms reduce check-in time and automatically populate client records

GDPR-compliant consent and declaration sections protect your spa legally

Download our free spa intake form template below and customise it for your clinic in minutes

Download Your Free Spa Intake Form Template

A professionally designed, printable intake form covering personal details, medical history, skin concerns, treatment preferences, and consent. Ready to use or customise for your spa.

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What Is a Spa Intake Form?

A spa intake form is a document that new clients complete before their first treatment. It collects essential information about the client's health, skin type, allergies, and treatment goals. In turn, this helps therapists deliver safe and personalised services from the very first appointment.

Unlike a consent form, which focuses on agreeing to specific treatment risks, a spa intake form template gathers the broader picture. For example, it captures personal contact details, medical history, current medications, and lifestyle habits. Consequently, your team can identify contraindications, tailor recommendations, and build a complete client profile before the session begins.

Most spas use intake forms for every new client. However, returning clients should also update their forms periodically to reflect any changes in health or medication. As a result, your records stay accurate and your treatments remain safe.

Why Every Spa Needs an Intake Form

Without a proper intake process, your spa risks delivering treatments that could harm a client. For instance, a client with a latex allergy receiving a body wrap with latex gloves could experience a serious reaction. Similarly, performing a chemical peel on someone using retinoids could cause burns or scarring.

A well-designed spa intake form template protects your business in several ways. First, it identifies allergies and medical conditions that may contraindicate certain treatments. In addition, it documents informed consent and data processing permissions, which is essential for GDPR compliance.

Furthermore, intake forms create a professional first impression. Clients appreciate when a spa takes their health seriously. This builds trust and encourages repeat visits. Meanwhile, your front desk team benefits from a streamlined check-in process rather than scrambling to collect details on the day.

From a legal standpoint, having documented client information protects your spa if a complaint arises. Therefore, every spa, whether a day spa, destination spa, or medical spa, should have a standardised intake form.

What to Include in a Spa Intake Form

A comprehensive spa intake form template covers eight key sections. Each one serves a specific purpose in protecting your clients and improving their experience.

Personal Information

Start with the basics: full name, date of birth, phone number, email address, and home address. This section also includes gender and referral source. These details help you contact the client, verify their identity, and track your marketing channels.

Emergency Contact

Always collect the name, relationship, and phone number of an emergency contact. In the event of an adverse reaction or medical emergency during treatment, your team needs someone to call immediately.

Medical History

This section is arguably the most important. Include a checklist of common conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, epilepsy, blood clotting disorders, and autoimmune conditions. Additionally, ask whether the client is pregnant or breastfeeding, as many spa treatments are contraindicated during pregnancy.

Allergies and Sensitivities

Ask clients to list all known allergies, including latex, fragrances, essential oils, nuts, and plasters. For example, many massage oils contain nut-based ingredients. As a result, missing this information could trigger a dangerous allergic reaction.

Skin Type and Concerns

For facial and body treatments, understanding the client's skin type is essential. Include options for normal, dry, oily, combination, and sensitive skin. In addition, add checkboxes for common concerns like acne, rosacea, hyperpigmentation, fine lines, and sun damage. This section also helps you determine whether the client has used retinoids or chemical peels recently.

Treatment Preferences and Goals

Allow clients to select which services interest them, from facials and massage to laser treatments and body wraps. Furthermore, include a textarea for them to describe their goals in their own words. This gives therapists valuable context before the appointment.

Lifestyle Questions

Questions about water intake, smoking habits, sun exposure, and stress levels provide a holistic view of the client's wellbeing. Consequently, your therapists can make more informed product and treatment recommendations.

Consent and Declaration

Every spa intake form template should end with a clear declaration. Include checkboxes for confirming the accuracy of information, consenting to data storage under data protection regulations, and acknowledging the responsibility to report health changes before future visits.

How to Use This Spa Intake Form Template

Our free downloadable spa intake form template is designed for immediate use. However, you should customise it to match your specific services and branding. Here is a step-by-step guide to getting started.

Step 1: Download and Review

Download the PDF template using the link above. Read through every section and field to familiarise yourself with the structure. In particular, check that the medical history checklist covers conditions relevant to your treatments.

Step 2: Customise for Your Services

If your spa specialises in specific treatments, adjust the form accordingly. For instance, a spa focused on facial treatments might expand the skin concerns section. Similarly, a spa offering laser services should add questions about recent sun exposure and photosensitivity.

Step 3: Choose Your Distribution Method

You can print the form for in-clinic completion or convert it to a digital format. Digital forms are increasingly preferred because clients can complete them at home before their appointment. As a result, check-in becomes faster and your team spends less time on paperwork.

Step 4: Train Your Team

Ensure every receptionist and therapist understands the form's purpose. They should know which fields are mandatory and how to handle sensitive medical disclosures. For example, if a client discloses a serious condition, your team needs a clear escalation protocol.

Step 5: Store Completed Forms Securely

Whether you use paper or digital forms, client data must be stored securely. Under GDPR, you need appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data. Patient data security tools can help you meet these requirements without manual effort.

Step 6: Review and Update Regularly

Medical guidelines and treatment offerings evolve. Therefore, review your spa intake form template at least once a year. Update the medical conditions checklist, add new treatment options, and ensure your consent language reflects current regulations.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Even with a good template, some spas make avoidable errors in their intake process. Here are the most common pitfalls.

First, asking too many questions creates form fatigue. Clients abandon overly long forms, especially on mobile devices. In most cases, two to three pages is the ideal length for a spa intake form template.

Second, some spas omit the allergy and medication fields entirely. This is a serious safety risk. Always include these sections, even for low-risk treatments like manicures.

Third, skipping the consent and declaration section leaves your spa legally exposed. Without documented consent, you have no proof that the client agreed to data processing or acknowledged treatment risks.

Fourth, relying solely on paper forms creates storage and retrieval challenges. Over time, paper files become difficult to search and are vulnerable to damage or loss. Transitioning to digital forms solves these issues.

Finally, failing to update forms after adding new services means your intake process falls out of sync with your treatment menu. Consequently, therapists may miss important screening questions for newer offerings.

Going Digital With Your Spa Intake Forms

Paper intake forms served spas well for decades, but digital alternatives now offer significant advantages. For example, digital intake forms can be sent automatically when a client books an appointment. Clients complete them on their phone or laptop, and responses flow directly into their client record.

This eliminates manual data entry, reduces transcription errors, and frees your front desk team to focus on welcoming clients rather than processing paperwork. Furthermore, digital forms support conditional logic. If a client selects "Yes" for a medical condition, the form can reveal follow-up questions automatically.

With practice management software like Pabau, you can create custom digital intake forms linked to specific services. For instance, your IV therapy intake form can differ from your facial intake form. Each form auto-populates the client card, giving practitioners instant access to relevant information during the consultation.

Digital forms also simplify compliance. Audit trails, encrypted storage, and automatic retention policies ensure you meet GDPR requirements without manual record-keeping. As a result, transitioning from paper to digital is one of the most impactful operational improvements a spa can make.

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