Section 3.1 – Occupationally specific advice
Hairdressers and beauty therapists
Hairdressers and beauty therapists come into contact with a large range of substances each day at work, such as shampoos and conditioners, dyes, hairdressing bleach, waxes, massage oils, skin products, nail glues and nail polishes. These products are made up of many different chemicals that can affect the skin and may lead to contact dermatitis.
Skin irritants are the most common cause of occupational contact dermatitis in hairdressers and beauty therapists. Irritant contact dermatitis (ICD) is particularly common in apprentices, junior and casual staff and those who often perform a lot of basin work. This condition tends to occur gradually and may slowly worsen over time.
In the hairdressing and beauty industry, the most common irritants are:
- Water from repetitive washing of clients’ hair and from handling wet hair
- Shampoo, conditioner and styling products
- Hairdressing bleach and perming solution
- Soaps and detergents
- Cleaning products
- Not drying hands properly
- Heat and sweating
Understanding the importance of skin care and use of personal protective equipment from the very beginning of a hairdressing or beauty therapist career will assist in the prevention of ICD.
This will be covered in Section 7.2 Skin Care
Allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) can occur at any time in a hairdresser’s or beauty therapist’s career and often happens after ICD has already damaged the skin.
Common allergens in the hair and beauty industry include:
- Hair dyes – paraphenylenediamine (PPD)
- Hairdresssing bleach (ammonium persulfate)
- Perming solution
- Chemicals used in rubber gloves
- Acrylates used for artificial nails including shellac
- Fragrances in hair and cosmetic products
- Colophony (contained in depilatory waxes). Those allergic to sticking plasters may also be allergic to depilatory waxes.
Contact Urticaria
Hairdressers are also at risk of developing contact urticaria. In hairdressing and beauty therapy, causes of contact urticaria may include:
- Natural rubber latex e.g. powdered disposable latex gloves
- Hairdressing bleach (dust free bleach can lessen the likelihood of developing this type of allergy)
Testing is performed by a serum (blood) test or skin prick test at a specialised allergy centre.
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Special Note: Temporary tattoos Hair dye has become an important cause of allergy to so-called ‘henna’ tattoos. Pure henna (a plant extract) does not cause allergy, however temporary henna tattoos often have hair dye added to them to make the tattoo darker and last longer. Cases of ACD have been reported from people who have had a temporary ‘tattoo’ applied when they have been on holiday in Bali and other overseas destinations. This allergy can be extremely severe as the dye may be applied in much stronger concentrations than when it is applied to the hair. In some cases it may be mixed with a solvent, which aids skin penetration. This tattoo may cause allergy to develop and usually doesn’t cause a rash straight away, however may occur several days later, even after returning home. Subsequently, when the person is exposed to hair dye, eyebrow or eyelash tint, an extreme reaction may develop. This allergy to hair dye is permanent and would almost certainly ruin a hairdressers’ career. |
Important advice to give hairdressers and beauty therapists:
When someone from the hair and beauty industry attends for patch testing, it is important that firstly, have a diagnosis of thier skin condition. They should receive information about how to manage their dermatitis and prevent further recurrences in the future. Consideration should be given to both the home and work environment.
If the patient is unable to avoid hair dye chemicals such as PPD at their work, cutting the hair before dyeing, reduces exposure to PPD in hair dye.
A few key points this occupational group should be educated about are:
To prevent work-related contact dermatitis occurring or recurring, it is imperative that hairdressers and beauty therapists use gloves for the task being performed. It is not uncommon for them to begin to wear gloves only when the skin on their hands is already damaged. The long-term outcomes for hairdressers and beauty therapists with occupational contact dermatitis are generally poor and many sadly end up leaving the profession. Appropriate education and use of preventative measures may reduce the chances of this occurring and preserve their careers.
It is important to wear gloves when:
- Mixing and applying hair colours
- Mixing and applying bleach
- Perming
- Rinsing out chemicals
- Shampooing
- Using chemicals for artificial nails
- Handling wax (especially if you have a history of problems with sticking plaster)
- Cleaning the salon, therapy beds and equipment
In addition to recommending gloves, glove education is also needed. Some important glove tips that hairdressers and beauty therapists need to know include:
- To change gloves between clients and at least hourly if still dealing with the same client to reduce sweating, which may also irritate the skin
- Disposable gloves must be thrown away after each use. They are not designed to be washed and re-used; this poor work practice allows the chemicals to pass through the glove and onto the skin
- Always keep the contaminated surface of the reuseable gloves on the outside. Even after washing, some of the chemicals remain on the surface and are still active
- Wear gloves from the start of your career (not only after dermatitis has started)
- When wearing gloves for a long period of time, wear cotton gloves underneath to minimise sweating (these can be purchased from the supermarket or chemist)
- Do not wear powdered latex gloves
- When handling acrylic nails, it is suggested that a person “double gloves” with two pairs of nitrile gloves for better protection
This will be covered further in Section 7.3: Glove Selection
Patch testing hairdressers and beauty therapists
Key allergens and series to consider when patch testing someone from the hair and beauty industry:
| Series | Key allergens | Additional notes |
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