Yesterday marked the launch of a “Bad Hand Day” campaign aimed at encouraging the 130,000 + hairdressers in the United Kingdom to don latex-free gloves to protect their hands.  An astounding 50% are at risk from a painful, inflammatory condition of the skin called dermatitis.

The campaign was initiated jointly by UK’s Health and Safety Executive (HSE) with Habia (The Hair and Beauty Industry Authority) and the National Hair Federation.  The goal is to educate hairdressers about work-related dermatitis which is exacerbated by exposure to products like shampoo, chemicals and repeated periods of wet-work.

Wearing latex-free gloves can prevent dermatitis but a majority of hairdressers believe their clients are put-off by the gloves.