Beauty Salon Hazards
Women and men alike have a wide variety of beauty products and beauty therapies available today. Beauty products used for these procedures can be organic or natural herbal care products. These can range from foot care, hair care, skin care to nail care products. There maybe a combination of oils, aromatic extracts and botanical substances in these mixtures. Problems may arise with the use of these products or during treatments.
Beauty Salon Dermatoses
These are dermatoses that appear during or following a visit to a beauty salon. Conditions that arise are often common and frequently diagnosed. These maybe trivial or sometimes severe.
Causes
Inappropriate judgement – of the clients skin type or type of product needed.
Lack of care, expertise and hygiene on the part of the handlers.
Overzealous efforts of handlers
Unpredictable – Allergies to straightening or permanent wave occur commonly in hairdressers. PPD in hair dyes may also cause allergic reactions.
Accidental – hot wax burns or bruises may occur following waxing. Cuts and abrasions may occur after threading.
Coincidental/ Freak episode – Steam scald during a facial, hair iron burn and hot water burn while washing hair.
What is commonly seen?
- Acne and acne like eruptions
- Folliculitis (hair follicle infection)
- Pigmentation following procedures
- Burns or scalds
- Allergic rashes, redness and skin sensitivity
- Viral warts
- Molluscum contagiosum (viral infection causing pearly white lesions)
- Milia (whitehead like eruptions)
Facial skin
Hair
Eyelid and skin around eyes
Hands and feet
Body treatments
How to go about to treat it?
Things to remember
- Make sure disposable materials and instruments are used in the salon as far as possible
- Instruments and appliances are adequately sterilized
- The staff at the salon is trained
- Basic hygiene standards are adhered to
- Good reference
- Avoid excess handling of the skin
- Inform the staff if you have existing allergies, sensitive skin or past experiences.
- Learn from others experiences
- Avoid treatments during active infections on the areas to be treated.