Hairdressers are exposed to lots of harmful airborne chemicals in the products they and others use in hair salons. And it's every day they work, all day. A recent study found that the chemical exposure is especially high for hair stylists serving Black and Latina clients.
The airborne chemicals from the products hairdressers use (e.g., straighteners, relaxers, chemicals in permanents, hair dyes, sprays) are called volatile organic compounds (VOCs). They are air pollutants. These chemicals can pose health risks, such as reproductive effects, respiratory problems, cardiovascular effects, cancer, and skin and respiratory irritation. One common VOC hairdressers are exposed to is formaldehyde.
The study found that the level of VOCs in the air was much, much lower in office spaces not connected to the hair salons. Of course.
From Medical Xpress: Hairstylists serving Black and Latina clients exposed to high concentrations of airborne toxins
Hairstylists, especially those providing services to Black and Latina women, are exposed to high concentrations of harmful airborne chemicals in their workplace, a team of Johns Hopkins researchers has found.
The study, published in the Journal of Environmental Exposure Assessment, is the first to report indoor air concentrations of several volatile organic compounds or VOCs in U.S. hair salons serving this group of women. This builds on previous Johns Hopkins research that found Black and Hispanic hairdressers had higher levels of chemicals from hair relaxers, dyes, and other salon products in their bodies compared to office workers but did not specifically measure air concentrations of the chemicals. ...continue reading "Hair Stylists Are Exposed to High Levels of Harmful Airborne Chemicals"