Current findings about the development of obstructive airway diseases in hairdressers (BK numbers : 4301/4302)

Abstract

In the past years, more than 300 hairdressers have been reported to the mandatory accident insurance carriers as being suspected of having developed hairdressers asthma. Between 2001 and 2003, only 68 to 85 cases were confirmed as being caused or worsened by working as a hairdresser. Our study of more than 100 hairdressers from 2001-2005 has shown two age peaks for suspected cases, The first one in mostly young atopic hairdressers lies between 18 and 22 years. The second peak was determined to be between 38 and 45. comprising almost exclusively smokers with chronic bronchitis. Our results, show that in most cases working in a salon does not cause asthma but that the inhalative exposure to numerous chemical substances increases symptoms and in a few cases leads to a progression of pre-existing bronchial hyperreactivity and asthma.