Hairstylists serving Black and Latina clients exposed to high concentrations of airborne toxins
Credit score: Journal of Environmental Publicity Evaluation (2024). DOI: 10.20517/jeea.2024.13

Hairstylists, particularly these offering companies to Black and Latina ladies, are uncovered to excessive concentrations of dangerous airborne chemical substances of their office, a workforce of Johns Hopkins researchers has discovered.

The research, revealed within the Journal of Environmental Publicity Evaluation, is the primary to report indoor air concentrations of a number of risky natural compounds or VOCs in U.S. hair salons serving this group of girls. This builds on earlier Johns Hopkins analysis that discovered Black and Hispanic hairdressers had increased ranges of chemical substances from hair relaxers, dyes, and different salon merchandise of their our bodies in comparison with workplace employees however didn’t particularly measure air concentrations of the chemical substances.

The researchers carried out air monitoring to measure 14 VOCs in three salons serving Black ladies, three Dominican salons predominantly serving Latina and Black ladies, and 10 workplace areas not linked to salons to function a comparability group. Many of the areas examined had some stage of the VOCs the researchers have been on the lookout for. Nevertheless, median VOC concentrations have been two to 175 instances increased in salons than in places of work.

“On the root of the issue are the merchandise used on shoppers’ hair,” says Lesliam Quirós-Alcalá, research senior creator and affiliate professor within the Division of Environmental Well being and Engineering. “Producers of hair care merchandise must deal with creating safer choices that do not put hairstylists or shoppers in hurt’s method.”

Feminine hairstylists are weak as a result of they are usually of reproductive age and work throughout essential intervals earlier than and through being pregnant. Many additionally have a tendency to make use of merchandise like chemical relaxers, straighteners, and smoothing merchandise, which can pose specific well being dangers.

A number of of the VOCs in these merchandise have been linked in animal research to neurodevelopmental and reproductive results, doubtlessly posing well being dangers for these ladies and their unborn kids. The compounds have additionally been linked to respiratory and cardiovascular results, pores and skin irritation, and most cancers.

In accordance with Quirós-Alcalá, Black and Latina hairstylists make up about 30% of this predominantly feminine, low-wage workforce. Many ladies on this career face a number of challenges, together with publicity to each chemical and non-chemical stressors, resembling restricted entry to well being care and medical health insurance, which may exacerbate their potential well being dangers. This mix of things can contribute to environmental well being disparities amongst this demographic.

“Whereas limiting product use may assist, it could not all the time be sensible as a result of consumer calls for and a scarcity of safer alternate options,” says Quirós-Alcalá. “To scale back VOC exposures in hair salons, it is usually essential to prioritize ample air flow.”

Opening doorways and home windows when accessible throughout chemical-intensive companies can enhance the indoor air high quality in salons. Producers advocate that salons use followers and air purifiers, masks, and gloves when offering chemical-intensive companies to scale back publicity.

“These easy measures have the potential to considerably lower exposures to VOCs and different chemical substances in salon environments,” she mentioned.

Extra data:
Lucy Ok. Kavi et al, Airborne concentrations of risky natural compounds (VOCs) in hair salons primarily serving ladies of coloration, Journal of Environmental Publicity Evaluation (2024). DOI: 10.20517/jeea.2024.13

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Hairstylists serving Black and Latina shoppers uncovered to excessive concentrations of airborne toxins (2025, January 17)
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