Working safely with chemicals Because maintaining a chemical balance in our bodies is so important, cosmetologists must also protect their clients (and themselves) from excessive chemical exposure. Working with chemicals in the salon requires special safety measures that vary according to the particular chemical or combination of chemicals. Protecting your client and your own body from contact with certain chemical substances or processes is absolutely necessary to maintain good health and safety in the workplace. Chemicals can enter the body in three main ways: ● As inhaled vapors, ● Absorbed through the skin, and ● Ingested (eaten) . Fortunately, blocking these routes lowers the risk of exposure to toxic chemicals. In the salon setting, all chemical products are required to come with product and hazard information on Safety Data Sheets. These provide warnings regarding chemicals and hazardous materials and information including possible routes of entry for each product, short-term (acute) and long-term (chronic) effects of overexposure, and warning signs or symptoms to be concerned about. These symptoms may include sleepiness or fatigue, headaches, nausea, nosebleeds, tingling of the extremities, scratchiness, or swelling, among other symptoms. Lower your risk of injury by knowing which products emit toxic fumes that are dangerous to breathe, or which should not come in contact with the skin. Wear gloves when mixing or preparing formulas and when recommended by Safety Data Sheets. In most cases, the dosage is the most critical factor determining whether a chemical will be an acute or a chronic toxicant. Almost all chemicals can be acute toxicants if taken in sufficiently large doses. The way the toxicity is expressed, as well as the organs it targets, is often different for acute and chronic toxicity. A range of toxic effects may occur, which are typically categorized according to the location of the toxic effect. If it occurs in only one location, the site is referred to as the target organ. When toxic effects occur at multiple sites, this is referred to as systemic toxicity. Systemic toxicities include: ● Acute toxicity occurs almost immediately (hours/days) after an exposure.
● Subchronic toxicity results from repeated exposure for several weeks or months. ● Chronic toxicity represents cumulative damage to specific organ systems and takes many months or years before the damage is recognized . ● Carcinogenicity is a complex multistage process of abnormal cell growth and differentiation that can lead to cancer. ● Developmental toxicity pertains to adverse toxic effects to a developing embryo or fetus, resulting from exposure to the parent. ● Genetic toxicity (somatic cells) results from damage to DNA (known asmutagenesis). Many salon chemicals are xenobiotics (chemicals foreign to the body), which can cause toxicity by multiple mechanisms. Some compounds are toxic on their own; others must be metabolized (changed chemically within the body) before they cause harm to the body. Many xenobiotics harm specific target organs. Other chemicals damage any tissue with which they come into contact. The target organs affected vary depending on dosage and type of exposure. The form of a chemical is closely associated with its toxicity. Exposure route is also important in determining toxicity. Some chemicals are highly toxic by one route but not by another, varying due to differences in absorption and distribution throughout the body. Additionally, some chemicals are easily absorbed, and others are not. A major factor determining whether a toxicant will damage cells is its degree of lipid solubility. Lipid-soluble chemicals easily penetrate cell membranes. Once toxicants enter the body, they may be stored in the body or distributed throughout the body through the circulatory system. Two types of metabolism (also known as “biotransformation”), called detoxification and bioactivation, also influence toxicity. In detoxification, a xenobiotic is converted to a less toxic form but may damage an organ in the process; in bioactivation, a xenobiotic is converted to a more toxic form. The location of the toxic chemicals and the process of metabolism determine where toxicity occurs in the body. Xenobiotics may target organs, blood, or other body tissues, damaging them and affecting their function.
The following list provides tips for keeping clients and staff safe from chemical exposure in the salon setting: Keep product containers closed so they cannot release vapors into the air you’re breathing. Use covered wastebaskets or garbage cans and avoid mixing waste materials. Empty the waste container frequently.
Keep areas well-ventilated and avoid inhaling dangerous fumes. Odors do not indicate degree of safety or danger of a vapor but can help alert you to the existence of a vapor. Hazardous chemicals do not always smell bad. Eating and drinking in the workplace too often leads to the ingestion of salon chemicals. Drinks in cups easily attract dust and powdery substances. Hot liquids will even absorb vapors from the air. Always keep food and drinks away from salon products and wash hands between work periods and breaks. Wearing contact lenses in a salon can be dangerous because vapors collect on the surface of soft contact lenses, which can injure the eye.
Dust masks are unable to protect against vapor molecules, which are many times smaller than dust particles. Some masks can protect against mists. Dust masks lose effectiveness with increased time used and should be thrown away at the end of the day. Protect the eyes. Many common salon chemicals can cause severe and permanent eye damage. Wear safety glasses and provide them for your client when there is any possibility that a chemical may get in the eyes. Protect your client’s eyes during facial treatments and scalp treatments. Spraying chemicals from aerosol containers produces a fine mist—tiny droplets of the chemical that evaporate into the air and can be inhaled. The longer mists stay in the air, the more likely they are to be hazardous. Pump sprayers produce larger droplets, which cannot be inhaled as easily.
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Book Code: CFL1025
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