Dermatitis in hairdressers.

Occupational contact dermatitis in hairdressers is a common clinical dermatologic problem. Apparently often secondary to irritant contact dermatitis caused by shampooing in Europe, in North America, allergic contact dermatitis related to the chemicals handled, especially oxidation dyes and permanent waving components, is not infrequently the problem. The preponderance of women in the clinical populations reported may well explain the relation noted between a positive patch-test response to nickel and the presence of contact dermatitis in hairdressers rather than nickel allergy predisposing to the disease. There is at present no convincing evidence for excluding persons with a medical or family history of atopy with the proviso that those with a history of hand eczema or atopic dermatitis would be wise to avoid the trade. Improved worker education about the cutaneous risks of the occupation and appropriate simple cutaneous industrial hygiene measures may offer some hope of modifying the risk of developing skin disease.