AbstractBackground: Hairdressing is a widespread occupation. Hairdressers are typically exposed to a cocktail of chemicals. Workplace exposure to various chemicals, which may be absorbed or inhaled, can affect airways directly or cause bronchial mucosal inflammation. Aims and Objectives: To assess prevalence of respiratory symptoms among hairdressers and to compare with matched control group. Materials and Methods: This study was based on a questionnaire. The questionnaire sought information about respiratory symptoms. We interviewed 100 male hairdressers and 100 office workers who served as matched controls drawn from a random sample of the general population. We used a validated questionnaire for occupational respiratory disease and compared the prevalence of workrelated respiratory symptoms in both groups. Results: Almost half of the hair dressers reported work related respiratory symptoms. Cough (36%), breathlessness (31%) and wheezing (26%). The hairdressers reported signiûcantly more runny eyes and runny or blocked nose from exposure to hair dyes and other chemicals used in a hairdressing salon, compared with the office workers. Conclusion: Hairdressing work is associated with a high frequency of work related respiratory symptoms. The same trend was not found among the office workers. Prevalence of symptoms during exposure to other types of general pollutants was similar in the two groups.
Keywords: Hairdresser; Cough; Breathlessness; Wheezing; Occupational.