Indoor Air Quality in spa and beauty salons has been a concern since the dawn of their opening. For hair salons, cancer-causing formaldehyde was enemy number one due to the toxic fumes emitted from perms, dyes, and hair straightening treatments. For nail salons, it was the VOCs (volatile organic compounds) present in lacquers, adhesives, and polish removers that presented the most serious occupational health risk.
Most business owners take seriously this responsibility for creating a safe and healthy workplace. They uphold OSHA compliance by keeping their factories, studios, and manufacturing floors clean by maintaining their machines and equipment. But to truly protect employees from the risk of illness and other hazards, the air must be free of pollutants or all their other efforts will fall short of real protection.
Some of the most common chemicals found in salons include:
- Toluene: Found in nail polish, nail glue, hair dye, and wig glue/hairpiece bonding
- Formaldehyde: Found in hair dyes, hair extensions, and hair sprays
- Ammonia: Found in permanent hair color and permanent wave preparations
- Dibutyl Phthalate: Found in nail polish
- Ethyl Acetate: Found in nail polish, nail polish remover, and nail glue
- Methyl Methacrylate (MMA): Found in artificial nails
- Cyclopentasiloxane & Cyclomethicone: Found in flat iron sprays and thermal protection sprays
- Styrene: Found in hair extension glue; lace wig glue
For clients, short-term exposure to salon chemicals can induce acute symptoms like headaches, dizziness and nausea, as well as skin, eye and respiratory irritation. For salon staff, however, the outlook can be even worse. Long-term exposure can result in chronic health issues including: liver damage, respiratory illness, skin conditions, reproductive problems, and even cancer. Formaldehyde is a proven carcinogen.
The bottom line? Airborne pollutants create poor indoor air quality. Experts agree that in most cases, the most effective way to keep air clean and healthy is to eliminate pollution at the source. This proven method of indoor air cleaning is known as source capture. At its most basic, source capture may be defined as the process of removing smoke, dust, and fumes from where they originate. This process prevents pollutants from dispersing into the surrounding air, substantially lowering, or ideally, completely eliminating staff and client exposure.
Salon Pure Air includes a selection of fume extractor systems designed with specific beauty salon applications in mind. These systems are not only beneficial for hair salons, but also nail salons and estheticians. Common salon procedures such as acrylic nail application, nail polish removal, hair straightening, keratin treatments, and many other hair, nail, and skin procedures fill the air with harmful chemicals and particulate. By combining source-capture technology and high-efficiency multi-stage filtration, Salon Pure Air systems protect salon employees and patrons alike. This is done by removing fumes, vapors, odors, dust, and other harmful chemicals before they enter the surrounding air.
Discover how our salon air cleaners can make a difference in your workplace. To learn more about our offerings, explore the Salon Pure Air page on our website, or contact us directly for personalized guidance. Your clean air journey starts here and we’ll to assist you every step of the way. Feel free to reach out, and let’s make the air cleaner together.