but they are becoming more popular throughout the United States. There is an emerging field within the funeral industry that should be considered and explained a little better as part of the restorative art process. Mortuary cosmetology, referred to as desairology, is a growing specialty in the funeral profession. Noella C. Charest-Papagno and other cosmetology and funeral professionals recognized that many people spend a great deal of time and effort devoted to their appearance in life. They argued that the same quality of services should be available to them after death. ● I will uphold the confidentiality of the business of the funeral home and the working environments concerning preparation, embalming, and desairology services for the deceased. ● I will uphold the laws and the board of cosmetology in the state in which I am practicing cosmetology- desairology. Source: Developmental Desairology, 2016 Usually, the career of desairology begins with cosmetology school. Some programs teach only desairology, though cosmetology schools are adding training and certification programs for licensed graduates. There are also home school and distance learning programs available for education and certification. Desairology study includes the following areas: ● Shampooing of the deceased client’s hair. ● Haircutting in ergonomically challenging conditions. ● Color restoration. ● Wig care and hair replacements. ● Identifying hairstyles and parting. ● Anatomy and physiology of the deceased. ● Chemical makeup of hair, skin, and nails after death and the embalming process. ● HIV/AIDS. ● Universal precautions. ● Bacteriology. ● Sanitation and disposal of biohazardous waste. ● Observation of electrical safety. ● OSHA standards for the funeral home industry including required PPE. The desairology student will complete supervised, hands-on practicum exams to test practical knowledge. Mannequin heads may be used as practice, and licensed cosmetologists, certified desairologists, or licensed funeral home staff will develop hypothetical cases for study and practice. Any student interested in the field should take classes in mortuary science to be familiar with the basics of embalming and to help them deal with the unique challenges of working with deceased clients. Coping strategies are needed to support a career in desairology to avoid stress and manage emotional issues related to this challenging and important work. In the past, funeral directors or embalmers would provide these services and their studies in mortuary science provided basic training in make-up application, hair styling, and nail grooming. In most cases where no trauma had occurred, basic make-up application was sufficient, and families would provide a picture to assist in hair styling and make-up.
a jazz musician standing with instruments at his funeral and a young man dressed in leather and posed riding his motorcycle. One embalmer told ABC that in doing these types of “extreme embalming,” as ABC put it, they would have to use different mixtures of fluid so the body would stay stiff in a more upright position (ibid.). This type of personalization in funeral presentation rejects the traditional way of displaying the body, peacefully resting in the casket, dressed in their Sunday best. Further investigation shows that these highly customized funeral presentations have been practiced for years in some sections of the country,
Desairology law and legal definition As defined by U.S. Legal:
“The art of desairology involves caring for the hair, skin, and nails of the deceased in a funeral home preparation room. The specialty is performed by a desairologist licensed in cosmetology under state law. State regulations typically require the funeral home preparation room be of approved size, properly equipped, and must provide a well-ventilated work environment for the personnel” (U.S. Legal, 2016). These professionals are state-licensed cosmetologists and barber stylists, with additional certification that qualifies them to perform specialized techniques for hair, nail, skin care, and make-up services in a funeral setting. They provide services upon request by the family or by prior arrangement with the deceased. Desairologists may work as full-time staff for one director, though most maintain a private practice and work as independent contractors on call to assist funeral directors or embalmers throughout the community. Desairologists must follow all OSHA, cosmetology, desairology, state, and local funeral laws and regulations, as well as adhere to the code of ethics for their licensing and certifying organizations. The Desairology Code of Ethics ● I will practice cosmetology-desairology on the deceased under a licensed funeral director, funeral home, or mortuary. ● I will continue to explore the developmental education of desairology. Assessing risk Nellie Brown, western regional director of the Chemical Hazard Information Program at Cornell University, discusses the chemical and disease exposure risks involved in working as a desairologist and provides the following guidelines (Brown & Platner, 2008): ● Exposure to disease should not be a threat. Make sure immunizations are up to date, particularly tetanus. Disease and decay organisms are not uncommon, so besides being immunized for tetanus, having a hepatitis B series of vaccinations and a tuberculosis vaccination is a good preventative measure. ● Wearing gloves and an apron or lab coat while working in the prep room, the area of the mortuary where the body is prepared for the funeral service and interment, is recommended. ● Cover street clothes, preferably something that can be bleached, to prevent them from being contaminated. Place the clothes worn during the service separately in a plastic bag until they are washed in a separate load. ● Be as cautious working on a corpse as you would a living body.
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