Hairdressers Watch Out !

A study carried out by doctors in Sweden has found that hairdressers are over 30% more likely to develop asthma than the rest of the population, after taking into account things known to aggravate the situation including smoking, hayfever and where you live. The risk was even higher for hairdressers using hair spray and bleaching agents, suggesting that heavy exposure to these substances could cause chest problems. We should stress that this is only a preliminary result. (Occupational and Environmental Medicine 2002; 59:119-123)