Manicurists and Pedicurists - Occupation Group at High Risk of Work-Related Dermatoses

Abstract

In recent years occupational skin and respiratory diseases have been more and more frequently diagnosed in small production and service enterprises. The awareness of occupational exposure and its possible health effects among their workers and employers is not sufficient. Beauty salons, in addition to hairdressers and beauticians, frequently employ manicurists and pedicurists. The workers often happen to perform various activities interchangeably. the health status of beauty salons workers has rarely been assessed. The most numerous reports concern hairdressers. In this occupational group, the occurrence of skin lesions induced by wet work and frequent allergy to metals, hair dyes and bleaches and perm solutions has been emphasized, while information about health hazards for being a manicurist or pedicurist in beauty salons is seldom reported. The aim of this paper is to present professional activities (manicure and pedicure, methods of nail stylization), occupational exposure and literature data on work-related adverse health effects in manicurists and pedicurists. Wet work and exposure to solvents, fragrances, resins, metals, gum, detergents may cause skin disorders (contact dermatitis, urticaria, angioedema, photodermatoses), conjunctivitis, anaphylaxis, respiratory tract diseases, including asthma. The discussed occupations are also associated with the increased incidence of bacterial (particularly purulent), viral and fungal infections and cancer.

Comparative Overall Health Status Assessment of Subjects with Allergic Contact Dermatitis to Formaldehyde and Glutaraldehyde

“…in this relation, of practical importance is the problem about possible coreactivity between formaldehyde and other aldehydes, which cannot be entirely attributed to simultaneous exposure (21,30). Among nurses, and especially dental nurses, an increased risk for occupational sensitization to glutaraldehyde as well as to glyoxal was established (15,18,31).…”

La manucure et la pédicure dans la ville de Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso): pratiques et risques

“…Les limites financières ne nous permettaient pas de faire le dépistage des infections à VIH et à VHC comme d'autres auteurs l'on fait pour évaluer ce risque [2–5]. …”

“…Ailleurs les cadres d'exercice étaient de vrais salons de manicure/pédicure [2–5]. Dans notre contexte, les clients et les praticiens sont donc exposés au risque d′inhalation de produits renfermant de l'acide thioglycolique ou ses sels, destinés à friser, défriser et onduler les cheveux [6].…”

“…Il existe donc un risque de transmission de micro-organismes. En effets plusieurs études font état du partage de matériel de manucure et de pédicure comme facteur de risque associé à l'infection par le virus de l'immunodéficience humaine (VIH) et le virus de l'hépatite C (VHC) [2–5]. Bien que beaucoup de clients fréquentent les établissements de beauté [2, 4], peu de données sont disponibles sur les pratiques et les risques dans ces établissements.…”

Amines, Aliphatic

“…Several reports in industry [379][380][381] suggest an association between HMTA exposure and the increased occurrence of irritative, allergic events among workers: This was often encountered with hot processing in the rubber and foundry industries. Sensitized persons frequently showed positive responses on patch testing, although the causative agent remained obscure [380,382]. They can suffer from asthmatic or asthmalike attacks on inhaling HMTA [383].…”