WEDNESDAY, Nov. 9, 2005 (HealthDay News) -- Hair stylists can develop occupational asthma and rhinitis (chronic runny nose) from exposure to chemicals called persulphate salts in hair bleaching agents, researchers say.
Italian researchers performed allergy tests, lung function tests, and specific inhalation challenge on 47 hair stylists suspected of having occupational asthma. They had been exposed to persulphate salts in bleaching products for an average of seven years.
As reported in the November issue of the journal Chest, the study found that over half (51 percent) of the hair stylists were diagnosed with occupational asthma and 87.5 percent of those cases were attributed to exposure to persulphate salts. The other cases were attributed to permanent hair dyes (8.3 percent) and latex (4.2 percent).
Rhinitis was diagnosed in over 54 percent of the hair stylists and close to 85 percent of those cases were attributed to persulphate salts. The study also said that 36 percent of the hair stylists were diagnosed with occupational dermatitis.
Hair stylists diagnosed with occupational asthma attributed to persulphate salts had a long period of exposure to bleaching agents and a long period between the start of exposure to bleaching agents and the onset of asthma symptoms, the study authors said.
More information
The American Lung Association has more about occupational lung disease.
