INTERNATIONAL DRAFT DECLARATION ON INDOOR AIR QUALITY IN HAIR AND BEAUTY SALONS

(Based on indoor air quality research conducted in hair and beauty salons in the USA, the UK, France and Switzerland)

In recent years, indoor air quality studies conducted in hair and beauty salons in the United States, the United Kingdom, France and Switzerland have shown that such enclosed spaces constitute critical “micro-climates” not only in terms of chemical exposure but also biological risk.[1][2][6][7][8] These venues, characterized by high occupant density, intensive use of cosmetic and cleaning products, often insufficient ventilation and variable humidity, require special attention as enclosed environments with significant implications for respiratory health and infection transmission.[1][2][9][3][4]

Under conditions of high absolute humidity, respiratory aerosols containing pathogens such as SARS‑CoV‑2 can co-exist in the same aqueous droplet phase with gaseous pollutants, particularly ammonia (NH₃) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), forming complex droplets.[2][3][4][10] These mixed droplets have been shown to contribute to measurable increases in indoor air pollution indicators, especially NH₃, PM2.5/PM10 and total VOC levels.[1][2][9][11][12] Even though standard sensors cannot directly detect the virus itself, rising concentrations of chemical species that share the same airspace and droplet phase with virus‑carrying respiratory particles provide an important indirect signal that the indoor environment in hair and beauty salons has become more hazardous both chemically and biologically.[2][9][3][4][5]

In light of this emerging scientific evidence, and taking into account data from hair and beauty salons in the USA, the UK, France and Switzerland, the following measures are recommended to the global public and decision makers:[1][2][3][4][5]

1. Hair and beauty salons should be designated as high‑priority enclosed spaces for indoor air quality management; minimum monitoring and reporting standards covering CO₂, PM2.5/PM10, NH₃ and VOC levels should be established for such businesses.[1][2][9][3][5]
2. VENTILATION, FILTRATION AND HUMIDITY CONTROL MUST BE RECOGNISED AS AN INTEGRAL PART OF ENGINEERING CONTROL MEASURES DESIGNED TO REDUCE DROPLET/AEROSOL TRANSMISSION OF SARS‑COV‑2 AND OTHER RESPIRATORY VIRUSES; GUIDANCE DOCUMENTS ON THESE ISSUES SHOULD BE UPDATED BY PROFESSIONAL BODIES AND NATIONAL HEALTH AUTHORITIES.[2][9][3][4][13]
3. THE FACT THAT CHEMICAL EXPOSURES IN ENCLOSED SPACES (ESPECIALLY AMMONIA, VOCS AND DISINFECTANT VAPOURS) CAN COMBINE WITH VIRAL AEROSOLS WITHIN THE SAME DROPLET PHASE MUST BE REGARDED AS A CRITICAL WARNING FOR BOTH HAIR AND BEAUTY SALON WORKERS AND CLIENTS, IN TERMS OF CHEMICAL AS WELL AS INFECTION RISK; PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT, WORKING HOURS AND WORKPLACE STANDARDS SHOULD BE PLANNED WITH THIS REALITY IN MIND.[1][2][9][3][11]
4. Indoor air quality data (CO₂, PM, NH₃, VOC) should be shared with the public at regular intervals in a way that does not compromise personal privacy; this will help position hair and beauty salons as transparent and trustworthy “healthy service environments” at the urban scale, both in terms of environmental sustainability and preparedness for future epidemics.[14][3][7][8][5]

In conclusion, findings from studies conducted in hair and beauty salons demonstrate that, even when viruses cannot be directly detected by sensors, it is possible to infer the risk profile of enclosed spaces by monitoring the chemical pollutants and particles that share the same indoor air and, in many cases, the same droplet phase with viral aerosols.[1][2][9][3][4] This indirect “indoor air quality signature” should be treated as a powerful early‑warning tool and incorporated into international standards and policies on preparedness for future epidemics, healthy building design and protection of worker health.[3][4][12][5][10]

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