Abstract
Background: Hairdressers are exposed to various chemicals responsible for health risks. Very few studies are conducted on hairdressers to evaluate the occupational hazards among them. Different hair products such as bleach or sprays contain various chemicals such as ammonia, hydrogen peroxide, or persulfate which may cause respiratory diseases.

Aims and Objectives: This study was conducted to see the deleterious effect of cosmetic products used in hairdressing on lung functions of hairdressers.

Materials and Methods: The present study was conducted on 90 hairdressers (study group) from different salons of Azamgarh city. Controls (n = 90) were selected randomly from general population. Pulmonary function tests were performed in both the groups; the parameter chosen was forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1), FVC/FEV1, and peak expiratory flow rate.

Results: All the lung functions were significantly lower in hairdressers compare to their counterparts.

Conclusion: The study group was exposed to various noxious substances which render them to be vulnerable for respiratory disease, for example, occupational asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Key words: Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease; Hairdressers; Occupational Asthma; Pulmonary Function Test