Hairdressers already face a higher-than-average risk of hand eczema, and a new study suggests their own tools may be making things worse. Researchers visiting 58 Danish salons tested 266 hairdressing tools — scissors, clippers, and razors — for nickel and cobalt release using color-changing spot tests. The results revealed that metal exposure from everyday salon equipment is far from rare.

Over a third of salons (37.9%) had at least one tool that tested positive for nickel, and about one in five (20.7%) had at least one tool positive for cobalt. The authors are urging the industry to take a closer look at what's in hairdressers' hands every day.

By the Numbers:

• 13.9% of tools tested positive for nickel; 6.8% tested positive for cobalt
• 15.6% of scissors and 10.5% of hair clippers were nickel-positive
• 6.6% of scissors and 6.3% of clippers were cobalt-positive
• 22 out of 58 salons had at least one nickel-positive tool; 12 had at least one cobalt-positive tool

Why it matters: Hairdressers are already among the occupational groups most vulnerable to contact dermatitis. These findings highlight that the tools of the trade themselves may be a hidden driver of skin disease — pointing to an urgent need for tighter material regulations and better awareness during professional training.