Hairdressing clients ‘are being exposed to personal injury risk’

Posted 01/12/2009

A lack of regulation in the hairdressing sector is causing many customers to be exposed to the risk of suffering a life-changing personal injury.

This is the view of the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL), which has expressed concern that too many hairdressers are going into business without appropriate preparation as a result of lax regulation.

A spokeswoman from the body said: “Anyone can pick up a pair of scissors and call themselves a hairdresser, with or without training and qualifications.”

Currently, standards in the sector are monitored by the Hairdressing Council, but its jurisdiction is limited by the fact that registration as a qualified professional in this industry is not mandatory.

APIL suggested that this has led a number of hairdressers to hold a “careless attitude” towards safety, which is particularly dangerous due to the number of potentially harmful chemicals used in hair care.

It said that this state of affairs is “absolutely shocking”, especially given that allergic reactions to dyes and other compounds can lead to “severe pain, scarring, depression and anxiety”.