Respiratory disease prevalence in cosmetologists and its relationship to aerosol sprays

Abstract

A randomized, cross-sectional epidemiologic study of the prevalence of respiratory disease from exposure to hair spray in cosmetologists was conducted in the state of Utah in all but the sparsely populated western regions of the state. The sample selected for survey consisted of 262 student cosmetologists, 213 graduate practicing beauticians, and 569 females not exposed to hair sprays as part of their occupation (except that of housewife), matched for age, smoking history, and geographic location. Study methods included a modified British Medical Research Council respiratory symptom questionnaire, chest X-ray, forced expiratory spirogram, and measurements of individual and environmental hair spray particulate exposure concentrations. Additionally, for a subgroup in the study population closing volume, slope of phase III and closing capacity of the lung and carbon monoxide diffusing capacity were measured, and sputum cytology was studied. Study findings indicated that, in comparison to the control population, cosmetologists have an increased prevalence of chronic respiratory disease symptoms, small airway obstruction, and atypical sputum cytology and that these increases were significantly related to duration of occupational exposure. The findings with regard to thesaurosis, although suggestive of a positive relationship with hair spray exposure of long duration, were not conclusive.