Air quality in beauty centers
Health risks in beauty salons
The aesthetician's job is to perform treatments on customers, they are very diverse and numerous :
- Beauty and wellness treatments for face and body ;
- Manicure and hand beauty ;
- World massages and SPA treatments ;
- Pedicure and beauty ;
- Nail and eye embellishment ;
- Waxing, threading, sugaring, pulsed light hair removal ;
- Tanning treatments in cabin.
These treatments are mostly performed in beauty salons, spas, wellness centers, specialized centers, tanning booths, but also in thalassotherapy centers, thermal baths, thermoludism, vacation centers, retirement homes, medical centers and even at home.
Allergy and respiratory problems are very common in beauty salons.
Status report
The French National Health Safety Agency has identified 606 substances used or found in the atmosphere of beauty salons : 60 are in the highest hazard class, classified as CMR, i.e. Carcinogenic, Mutagenic, toxic for Reproduction. 90 others are considered to be of concern.
The set of products used cover a wide spectrum. They are varnishes, nail polish removers, essential oils, perfumes. But also rosin which is an irritant and allergenic for the skin and respiratory tract. These products are very volatile and their vapors remain suspended in the air for a long time.
All this can trigger allergies in the respiratory tract : rhinitis, asthma etc. as well as eye irritation (stinging of the eyes) and worsen into persistent conjunctivitis, but also headaches, memory loss, dizziness.
An allergy can be very disabling, even leading to professional incapacity and requiring retraining!
Good ventilation and general circulation allow for a renewal of the air which reduces the density of pollutants in the premises, in particular that of the volatile products which are often used, and in confined spaces.
Air inlets must be compensated by forced outlets.
According to ANSES in October 2017:
To preserve your health, that of your employees, customers and improve your well-being, here are 5 tips to help beauty salons improve the quality of indoor air on a daily basis, to evacuate pollutants.
It is necessary to eliminate the gases or volatile organic compounds (VOC) which can be produced by solvents, aerosols, varnishes.
It is advised to not expose yourself to fine particles like PM2.5 from resin dust, squams, hairs etc.
1. Ventilate daily
Many chemical based products are used in beauty and wellness institutes: nail polish and nail polish remover, essential oils, perfumes, etc. including rosin which is an irritant and allergen for the skin and respiratory tract. They are very volatile, and their vapors remain suspended in the air for a long time.
2. Install a VMC in your buildings
This solution is effective in ensuring that polluted air is extracted and replaced by healthy air. The extractor sucks the polluted indoor air and by creating a depression allows healthier outdoor air to enter your premises.
3. Close the jars and bottle tightly after use
The products you use every day contain harmful VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds). Making a habit of closing the bottles after use prevents them from being dispersed too widely in your environment.
4. Wear a mask during treatments
Nearly 60 substances used daily in your profession are highly dangerous ( cancerous).
In addition, the particles released during nail filing end up in the lungs. Wearing a mask during nail manicure and care allows you to avoid inhaling these substances.7
5. Use an air purifier
Equipped with a HEPA 13 or 14 filter and activated carbon filter, they vacuum, filter and eliminate all the fine particles and harmful Volatile Organic Compounds that surround you. Ensuring good health at work for professionals and customers is a priority for AIR ET SANTÉ.
A purifier renews your indoor air 2 to 3 times per hour and its filter is changed every 6 months or even 1 year.
But in what other professional fields are air purifiers used?
