Occupational asthma in a hairdressing salon

Area of Science:

• Occupational medicine
• Pulmonary immunology
• Environmental health

Background:

• Occupational asthma is a known risk for hairdressers, particularly from hair bleaches and dyes.
• The prevalence and specific triggers of occupational asthma in hairdressers remain under-investigated.
• Persulphate salts in hair bleaches are suspected agents causing respiratory issues in this profession.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the extent of occupational asthma in a hairdressing salon specializing in bleaching and coloring.
• To identify the specific causative agents and assess diagnostic methods for occupational asthma in hairdressers.
• To explore the immunological mechanisms underlying occupational asthma induced by persulphate salts.

Main Methods:

• Conducted a study on 23 staff in a specialized hairdressing salon.
• Utilized personal history, specific and non-specific bronchial provocation testing (histamine), and skin prick tests.
• Performed detailed bronchial provocation tests with bleach powders on 14 salon members and controls, alongside pulmonary mechanics and neutrophil chemotactic activity measurements.

Main Results:

• Four out of 23 hairdressers were diagnosed with occupational asthma due to persulphate salts in hair bleaches.
• Non-specific bronchial reactivity tests to histamine were more sensitive for asthma diagnosis than standard lung function tests.
• Specific bronchial provocation tests confirmed the specificity of the response to bleach powders in affected individuals, linked to airway calibre changes.

Conclusions:

• Persulphate salts in hair bleaches are a specific cause of occupational asthma in hairdressers.
• Bronchial hyperreactivity testing is a sensitive diagnostic tool for occupational asthma in this group.
• Mast cell involvement is suggested in the pathogenesis of persulphate-induced occupational asthma.