Hairdresser’s contact dermatitis, especially on the hands, is a notorious problem. It has been shown that around 70% of hairdressers suffer from work-rated dermatitis at some point in their career. Signs and symptoms of dermatitis include dryness, rash patches, itching, flaking or scaling, split skin – especially on the fingertips – and increased sensitivity. Dermatitis, if not addressed, can also be very painful. What a lot of hairdresser employees don’t realise is that dermatitis is preventable.

It is particularly important to know that dermatitis is not catching, so it can’t be passed around. Nevertheless, dermatitis can flare up at any time during your career. Some people can be seriously affected by it, others in the industry might spend their entire career without suffering any symptoms whatsoever. Each person employed in the hairdressing profession is different.

Generally speaking, contact dermatitis is separated into two distinct classes – irritant-based and allergic-based. Each type is different, so it is vital to identify your dermatitis so you know how to handle it appropriately.

Irritant-based contact dermatitis can occur if you’ve been in skin contact with chemical based products such as bleach. Because those employed in the hairdressing trade are very often working with mild chemicals, such as shampoo, it is very common for it to develop gradually.

Allergic contact dermatitis may develop quite quickly following even minimal contact with products such as strong hair shampoos or colouring agents. It is not infrequent for this type of allergy to take many weeks or sometimes years to fully develop after the first contact. Once the allergy has developed, it is probable that the allergy will stay with you for the remainder of your life. Even without prior problems in your career, allergic contact dermatitis can afflict you at any time. If you display symptoms that indicate that you have become susceptible to a product whilst working, it often follows that frequently used household products such as washing powders, shampoos, bleaches etc. will also worsen your allergic skin condition.

Dry, cracked skin often goes in tandem with the symptoms in most cases of dermatitis.

Dermatitis can be avoided by taking precautionary measures.

Most importantly, take full use of any recommended personal protective equipment (PPE) such as latex-free gloves whenever shampooing, colouring or rinsing hair. This will afford protection to your skin, but be aware that you need to change gloves between customers.

Make sure that you dry your hands completely every time you come into contact with water. For this, a soft paper or cotton towel is best. Ensure that all the moisture is dried from your skin.

It is also of utmost importance that you employ a top quality combined barrier cream for the hands and moisturiser. Make sure that the product that you use is water resistant and is suitable to be used in tandem with gloves. If possible, use the same cream out of work as well as during your normal working day and use it according to the manufacturer’s recommendations which will typically advise using it before bed.

In the vast majority of incidences, it is surprisingly easy to prevent dermatitis from occurring if you are a hairdresser. To you, it may seem that these tips are just too basic to be effective. But, 74% of hairdressers asked, responded that they found that they could still manipulate their clients hair as required, and that they would observe a combination of these tips for water-based tasks in the future. Hence, if you have experienced symptoms of dermatitis, make sure that you take the appropriate steps to treat the condition and prevent it from reoccurring.

Disclaimer: This posting is based on information freely available in the popular press and medical journals that deal with dermatitis. Nothing herein is intended to be or should be construed to be any sort of medical advice. For medical advice the reader should consult with his or her physician or other medical specialist.