Is it safe to get a haircut as salons and barbershops reopen? Here’s what experts say

If your coronavirus hairdo has gotten way out of control, you may be chomping at the bit for a trip to your barber or stylist. But is it safe?

During the pandemic, salons and barbershops have made national news in a big way.

A salon owner in Texas was sentenced to a week in jail after refusing to close her business in accordance with cease-and-desist letters from Dallas County, McClatchy News reported.

In Michigan, the state court of appeals ordered that barber Karl Manke had to immediately close his shop after he vowed to keep it open “until Jesus comes,” despite state orders demanding otherwise, according to WEYI.

Restrictions had already been loosened in Missouri when two stylists exposed a total of 140 clients to coronavirus while working with symptoms at a Springfield Great Clips, McClatchy reported. Both women later tested positive for COVID-19.

With stories like these swirling around as many salons and barbershops are allowed to reopen, you may be wondering if it’s safe for you to get your hair cut.

Here’s guidance from health experts:

What do experts say?

Salons may be open, but that doesn’t mean you have to go, experts say.

“Just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should,” Dr. Catherine Troisi, an infectious disease epidemiologist at University of Texas School of Public Health, told Healthline. “I have not gotten my hair cut, and believe me it needs it, and my feet could sure use a pedicure, but I just don’t think it’s worth the risk right now.”

The big concern is that getting your hair cut is an up-close-and-personal process.

The coronavirus is believed to spread person-to-person when someone breathes in the respiratory droplets of an infected person, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This means coming in close contact with an infected stylist or colorist could increase your chances of catching the virus, Health reported.

Salons and barbershops also feature a number of shared surfaces including chairs and hair tools. While less likely, the virus could also be transmitted through particles stuck to those surfaces, Health reported.

Dr. Sandra Kesh, an infectious disease specialist in New York, suggests waiting to visit the salon, especially if there are still a number of active coronavirus cases in your area, Healthline reported.

If you do go, be sure to call your salon and ask about their safety measures, she told the outlet. And don’t be afraid to take precautions of your own.

“I would recommend you wear a proper face mask and maybe even goggles to reduce the risk of respiratory droplets reaching your eyes,” Kesh told the outlet.

Dr. Jason Newland, an infectious disease expert in Missouri, agrees, KTVI reported.

“I would definitely be walking out the door if I didn’t see masks being worn by the people in a hair salon, barbershop, any of these places,” he told the outlet.

Others, however, say that visiting the salon isn’t as risky as going to other public establishments.

Joseph Allen, assistant professor of exposure assessment science at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, told Boston Magazine that salons don’t pose the same risks as bars or offices that are regularly packed with people.

“From a population standpoint, if one shop didn’t get everything right and one or two people got infected, it shouldn’t set off a super spreader event, like the Biogen conference or the cruise ships,” Allen told the magazine.

He said people need to consider the risks for themselves, asking the question: “Is it necessary?” the magazine reported. For those hungry for social interaction, the answer may be yes, he said.

What precautions are salons taking?

Salons and barbershops say they are adapting their procedures to help protect employees and customers.

Eric Vaughn, a hairstylist in Texas, told Popsugar the waiting room at his salon is closed and that clients must call from the parking lot to announce their arrival. Vaughn added that face shields are available for staff members and that guests — including children — are not allowed to tag along with customers, according to the outlet.

No mask? Clients will be given disposable ones that won’t interfere with the haircut, Popsugar reported, and gloves are worn when possible, with hand sanitizer available at all styling stations.

Michelle O’Connor is a stylist in Florida and said her salon is using disposable capes and towels, Popsugar reported.

“I feel that any extra measure of adding an element that ensures that something is not being used on multiple people brings peace of mind,” she told the outlet.

Connor’s salon is also “wiping down” chairs, counters, tools and products between every appointment, according to Popsugar.

At Strands salon in Missouri, co-owner Kevin Govero said the business spent $2,500 to make improvements, including 10 ultraviolet lights placed throughout the shop — some in air ducts — “to purify and to kill any viral or bacterial found in the system,” KTVI reported.

The salon has also removed some styling and shampooing stations and placed partitions in the area where stylists color customers’ hair, the outlet reported.

“We’re selling a space that’s healthy and secure and safe to come in,” Govero told the outlet.

This story was originally published May 28, 2020 at 1:07 PM with the headline "Is it safe to get a haircut as salons and barbershops reopen? Here’s what experts say."