Hand eczema, hair dyes and hand protection in the hairdressing industry in Malta

Abstract

A recognised problem that combines long periods of wet and chemical exposure with the involvement of manual work is Hand Eczema. The Hairdressing industry is the most effected occupation that suffers from Hand Eczema; this occupation involves a number of dermal exposures to skin damaging substances. The use of skin damaging products such as hair dyes and bleaches are the main cause of contact allergy, with the combination of prolonged wet work and hair products this can also cause irritant contact dermatitis. The study was aimed to see how hand eczema could be avoided or minimised, if possible. The implementation of person to person interviews with a porously developed questionnaire was used to collect information from the participants. Information about the causes and symptoms of hand eczema was acquired by the author, from extensive research from books, articles from different international hairdressing organisations and from several online sources.