Subtle warning signs that YOUR hairdresser is dirty…after a wave of ringworm linked to unsanitary haircuts

Britons were today warned about the key signs of a dirty barbershop, amid a spate of young men contracting ringworm from haircuts.

Some hairdressers claim that cases of the contagious skin fungus that can cause disfigurement have increased significantly in just a few months.

They believe this is because more and more men are opting for popular skin-fade haircuts – where the sides are shaved short and the length is left on top – from ‘cheap, dirty, unqualified’ shops ‘on the high street’.

Transmitted through skin-to-skin contact, despite the name, ringworm is not caused by a worm.

Instead, the disease is spread through poorly cleaned combs or towels, hairdressers say. In severe cases, it can even lead to permanent scarring and hair loss.

Now experts have warned Brits about the five signs that their hairdresser may not be as hygienic as they first thought.

In one TikTok video Viewed more than 58,000 times, Mississippi-based professional hairdresser Thomas White said: “Did they wash or sanitize their hands before you got a haircut?

‘I know a lot of hairdressers like to wear gloves, but even when you wear gloves, the hair can easily be transferred from person to person because loose hairs stick to the gloves.

Cases of the contagious, disfiguring skin fungus have increased significantly in just a handful of months, they claim. Pictured: A 2022 case in Australia of a boy who contracted ringworm after a visit to the hairdresser

Hairdressers think this is because more and more men are opting for skin-fading haircuts. Pictured: A 2022 case in Australia of a boy who contracted ringworm after a visit to the hairdresser

In a TikTok video that has been viewed more than 58,000 times, Mississippi-based professional hairdresser Thomas White said, “Did they wash or sanitize their hands before your haircut?”

‘Hairdressers may not put on a new pair of gloves for every haircut.’

A lack of cleaning products visible in the salon may indicate that grooming tools such as combs and cutting scissors are not disinfected between clients.

A popular product called Barbicide takes just 15 minutes to remove disease-carrying insects embedded in dirty tools such as clipper guards and shears.

‘It should be so a large, cylindrical jar of blue liquid,” Mr White said.

‘The liquid is a hospital-grade disinfectant that kills bacteria and viruses.’

He added: “Have they also disinfected their clippers?

“You should see some kind of disinfectant sprayed into an aerosol can, or maybe they dipped the blades in a solution.”

Opting for new blades for each client and cleaning the barber’s chair — especially the headrest — are among the other two important signs, Mr. White said.

A popular product, Barbicide, takes just 15 minutes to remove disease-carrying insects embedded in dirty tools such as clipper guards and shears

Other TikTok hairdressing accounts have shared images of similar cleaning products that professionals should use to ensure their equipment is clean between each client

Using disposable plastic headrest covers can also prevent the spread of infection.

According to the British Master Barbers Alliance, a voluntary organisation, barbers should always follow the ‘one man, one knife’ rule.

‘It is so important to always use one blade per client, no matter how much or how little you use the blade. Always throw away the finished knife after use,” the association advises.

‘You should always place your blades in a properly labeled sharps box and disinfect the razor after use.’

Dr. Noman Mohamed, a London-based expert in cosmetic dermatology, urged his 410,000 TikTok followers to ensure their hairdresser ‘washes their hands’ before cutting hair and ‘disinfects their equipment’.

After the haircut, he also advised viewers to “use an anti-dandruff shampoo immediately afterwards” to help prevent ringworm.

Cases of ringworm are usually treated with prescription antifungal medications such as gels and creams.

But sometimes oral antifungal medications are also necessary.

According to the British Master Barbers Alliance, a voluntary organisation, barbers should always follow the ‘one man, one blade’ rule.

The photo shows an illustration of Trichophyton mentagrophytes, the cause of ringworm on the scalp

Common symptoms of the fungal infection include itching, a scaly ring-shaped area, and scattered bumps that range in color from red on white skin to reddish, brown, or gray on black skin.

Slightly raised, expanding rings or a round, flat spot of itchy skin are other key symptoms, according to the NHS.

Dr. James O’Donovan, a member of an NHS medical and technical advisory group at the World Health Organisation, also advises people to avoid sharing ‘combs, hats, hairbrushes, towels and pillowcases with other people’.

This is ‘because fungi can live for a long time’, he said.

If a child is affected, it is crucial that teachers and parents of classmates are notified, he added.

‘Other family members should be examined and treated by a doctor.

‘Sometimes it is best to treat the whole family with a medicated antifungal shampoo twice a week for four weeks, regardless of whether there is a fungal infection.’

Industry experts have long called for a mandatory barbers and barbers register to ensure Britons are only seen by qualified professionals.

Hairdresser Mike Taylor, who raised the alarm last week about the worrying rise in ringworm cases, has also shared images of clients affected by the condition.

But the government says it still has ‘no plans to regulate the hairdressing sector’.

Last week a government spokesperson said: ‘We have no plans to regulate the hairdressing sector.

‘However, we will always take evidence into serious consideration when it is presented.

‘We are working closely with the sector to meet skills and training needs, and HMRC is also working to tackle tax fraud in the sector.’