Every year, thousands of hairdressers suffer from the career threatening condition of dermatitis, and inflammatory condition of the skin that most commonly affects the hands.  It can result in dryness, itching, redness, flaking, swelling and blistering.   There are two types of dermatitis that can affect hairdressers:

Irritant contact dermatitis, a local inflammation of the skin that can develop after single or prolonged exposure to chemicals or water - about 50 per cent of sufferers have irritant dermatitis.  

Allergic contact dermatitis, caused by sensitising agents such as as paraphenylenediamine (PPD) in hair dyes.  Once sensitised, sufferers may have the condition for life.  About 50 per cent of sufferers have allergic dermatitis.  

As part of their everyday work, hairdressers hands are frequently in contact with water and chemicals.  Many hairdressers believe the myth that customers will not react well to them wearing gloves to protect their hands.  Trials have shown this is simply not the case.

It is estimated that over 80 per cent of the UK's 180,000 hairdressers will suffer from work related dermatitis at some point in their career.  It is also one of the main causes of health related absence in the hairdressing industry.