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Hair, Dander and Noise: Protecting Your Lungs and Ears
Grooming fills the air with hair and the room with noise. A few habits go a long way toward protecting your health for the long run.
Most conversations about groomer health focus on backs, wrists and shoulders. Two other risks get less attention: what you breathe in, and what you hear all day. Fine hair, dander, dust from dried coats and spray from shampoos and coolants hang in the air of a busy salon, while high velocity dryers and barking dogs make it loud. Neither hurts much on a single day. Both can add up over a career.
What is in the air
Drying and brushing release tiny hair fragments and dander that stay airborne longer than you might think. Clipping dirty or matted coats adds dust and debris. Sprays such as coolants, conditioners and some cleaning products add mist. Many groomers notice coughing, a scratchy throat or stuffy sinuses after long drying days, and some find allergies develop or worsen over time.
Cut down what you breathe
- Ventilation first. Good airflow and air filtration that moves hair away from where you stand help more than any single habit. If you are choosing between jobs, ask how the salon handles air quality; it belongs on any job offer checklist.
- Wear a well fitting mask during drying, deshedding and clipping dirty coats. A mask designed to filter fine particles does much more than a loose cloth one, and fit matters as much as type.
- Bathe before you clip when you can. Clean coats throw less dust and are easier on blades too, as covered in clipper blade care.
- Clean as you go. Sweeping or vacuuming hair through the day keeps it from being blown back into the air by the next dryer.
- Spray carefully. Aim sprays at the blade or coat, not into the air, and keep the room ventilated when using cleaning products.
Protect your hearing
High velocity dryers are among the loudest tools in a salon, and you often use them close to your head for long stretches. Add a room full of barking dogs and the noise can be constant. Hearing damage from noise tends to build slowly and is usually permanent, so prevention matters.
- Use ear protection while drying: foam earplugs, reusable plugs or over the ear muffs. Some groomers prefer earmuffs because they are easy to slip on and off between dogs.
- Give your ears breaks. Alternate loud tasks with quieter ones where you can.
- Watch for warning signs like ringing in the ears after work or needing the TV louder than before.
- Think about the dogs too. Many dogs dislike dryer noise; quieter settings and ear protection made for dogs can help anxious ones.
Small habits, long career
Grooming is physical work, and staying healthy is part of staying in the job. Masks, earplugs and filters are inexpensive next to the cost of a health problem that forces you to cut back. If you are self employed or rent a booth, budget for them like any other tool. For the rest of the physical side of the work, see the physical cost of grooming.
This article is general information, not medical advice. If you have breathing problems, allergy symptoms or hearing changes, talk to a doctor.