Yahoo News NHS symptoms as skin fade craze sees young men with horrible infections
Young men are being infected with nasty infections because of the crazy for ‘skin fade’ haircuts coupled with poor hygiene standards in rogue barbers. A hairdresser has urged for improved standards in the hair industry after witnessing numerous instances of young men contracting ringworm from haircuts.
Mike Taylor, who operates a barbering training academy in Poole, Dorset, is calling on the government to take the currently unregulated profession more seriously, the BBC reported. He explained that customers have been approaching him with skin infections as “cheap, dirty, unqualified barbershops are littering the high streets”. The government, however, stated it had “no plans to regulate the hairdressing sector”.
With 34 years of experience in the industry, Mr Taylor believes infections like ringworm and folliculitis are spreading as more men opt for the popular skin fade style haircut. He revealed: “I’d say 70% to 80% of clients coming in ask for skin fades. To get that effect you’ve got to use the foil clipper, but the problem is it takes in hair and it needs to be thoroughly cleaned.”
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Mr Taylor suggested that it could take five to 10 minutes to properly clean and disinfect the foil razors after each haircut, but he doubts this is being done. Christian Reynolds, 22, from Bournemouth, contracted an infection after getting a skin fade at his local barber. “Almost immediately after I came out and met up with my partner she noticed this abrasion and raised mark at the back of my neck,” he recounted.
The NHS says ringworm is a common fungal infection and emphasises it's not caused by worms. People can usually buy medicine from a pharmacy to treat it.
NHS advice:
The main symptom of ringworm is a rash. It may look red, silver or darker than surrounding skin, depending on your skin tone.
The rash may be scaly, dry, swollen or itchy.
Ringworm can appear anywhere on the body, including the scalp (tinea capitis) and groin (jock itch).
The rash is usually ring-shaped, but it may look different on your face, neck or scalp.
The colour of the ringworm rash may be less noticeable on brown and black skin.
Sometimes the rash grows, spreads or there's more than 1 rash.
Ringworm on the face or scalp may also cause patchy hair loss
For more NHS information click here
Mr Reynolds described the condition as “itchy” and “irritable”, and after consulting with his pharmacy, he discovered it was ringworm. “I felt annoyed because after doing research on it I realised it was due to improper practice and not cleaning. “Equipment properly,” stated Mr Reynolds, expressing his feeling of being “let down” by the barbershop. James Davis, a newly qualified barber from Poole, emphasised that cleanliness in the industry was “so important”.
The 21 year old revealed he contracted ringworm after a haircut in April but managed to halt its spread early with treatment. “You shouldn’t have to worry about sanitary stuff but it’s quite a big factor in where I get my haircut,” he said. According to NHS, ringworm is a common fungal infection treatable with anti-fungal creams, but if left untreated, it can lead to hair loss. It can be transmitted through close contact with an infected person or objects like bedsheets, combs, or towels. Reflecting on the industry’s changes since his apprenticeship in the 90s, Mr Taylor observed: “The high street is depleting, it’s dying and then suddenly there’s 12 barber shops on the same street and they’re all trying to go a little bit cheaper than each other.
Mr Reynolds added that he felt “If the prices have to be knocked down then something else has to go and maybe it is all the time spent cleaning the equipment or the time spent getting the proper knowledge. “ Mr Taylor is calling for government regulation of the industry and urges the public to exercise caution when getting a haircut. “Sometimes the cheapest price isn’t always the best price,” he warned. Gareth Penn, the registrar at the hair and barber council, concurred with Mr Taylor in calling for a mandatory register.
The council, based in Hampshire, is a statutory authority for hairdressing in the UK. Currently it is only a voluntary register and Mr Penn believes this could lead to more than just dirty haircuts. “This opens up hairdressing and barbering to those that are not trained, or qualified, or worse, those who wish to use our industry as a front for illegal activity,” he said.
A government spokesperson said: “We have no plans to regulate the hairdressing sector, however we will always seriously consider evidence when it’s provided. “We work closely with the industry to address skills and training needs, and HMRC is also working to tackle tax fraud in the sector.”
