To wear a mask at hairdresser?

[Lucy98769]

I’ve got a hair app this week. I’ve also got a 5 week old baby. I am a little concerned about all this flu news circulating in the media. Considering wearing an n95 style mask at my appointment. Is anyone else wearing one for activities like this right now? How effective are they ACTUALLY against the flu?

I got my flu vaccine two weeks ago, but not sure how effective that is either against this strain!

Makes sense. Even an ear loop mask that you unhook from your ear briefly when you need to will reduce your risk - not to zero but down a lot.

You don't need anyone's permission to try to avoid flu, especially in the lead up to Christmas of all times! It's common sense to want to do that.

masks reduce risk when you have a short exposure to lots of people (e.g. a crowded tube train for 5 mins). but if you have a long exposure or take the mask off at any point, there is much less benefit. you are all still breathing the same air, you just get the hot sticky version in the mask.

so I wouldn't bother.

I imagine this would be super annoying for the hairdresser.
If you’re really that worried stay at home!

If only we could refer back to a time when everyone had to wear masks and we were getting almost daily messages from medical
professionals about the benefits of mask wearing to prevent the spread of a virus. Preferably in the years 2020-2023 so it was recent and to mind.

No? Okay well never mind then.

They don't reduce risk of catching flu/covid even the N95 it was in the news this week.

I’m in remission from cancer and work on a supermarket checkout. I wouldn’t dream of wearing a mask to work, you’re being completely over the top.

You would have to wear a mask for eight hours a day for it to make a meaningful difference, so obviously your situation is different and I can understand you not wanting to and hoping for the best instead.

Someone deciding whether or not to wear one for an hour or two in a hairdresser might well decide differently though.

The only masks that I know that were described on the news this week as not working that well to protect the wearer were I think the loose blue surgical ones, but N95 ones are different, and absolutely can make a difference (even if the fit isn't perfect, even with imperfect doffing and donning).

I have FFP3 masks and they do help prevent flu, though of course nothing will definitely stop it - other than maybe a hazmat suit. I wore one earlier to the GP and the supermarket, but I was the only one. I didn't notice it once it was on though, and as I'm pretty high-risk I decided I'd much rather look silly than get seriously ill with flu. And thought everyone else looked sillier needlessly exposing themselves tbh, I find it strange we've so completely abandoned masks in this country. They're commonplace elsewhere.

I would wear the mask. I would do anything I could to protect my newborn infant and wearing a mask for a hair appointment is such an incredibly minor thing but it could mean so much. Think how many people that hairdresser has been right up in their face with in the course of a average day or week, during flu season.

If they are worn correctly then they definitely reduce the odds of catching viruses, you're not unreasonable atall to want to avoid infections.

If it’s a cut and blow dry fine. However if you’re doing highlights / longer apt and going to be drinking a cup of tea (taking the mask off) then don’t bother wearing the mask at all.

Or maybe get a mobile hairdresser less risk / less chance of catching bugs if you are concerned as exposed to less people.

Stay at home instead

Hairdresser was the one who suggested it as she knew I had a baby at home and was a bit worried.

She is symptom free but will have exposure to others.

Yes it’s the ear loop n95 style one I’ve got! Chat gbt tells me they are pretty effective!

This is my thinking. It’s so easy to just throw the mask on and I think they can work if I don’t take it off. I’ve got 3 inch grey roots which are depressing so it would give me a mental boost to have them done. But I want to reduce risk as much as possible.

It’s entirely up to you. I couldn’t sit through an appointment looking at myself in the mirror in a silly mask. But that’s just me and I hated every minute of mask wearing back in the Covid days.

If you would like to and it sounds like your hairdresser is very happy with the idea, why wouldn't you?

Yes I’m definitely not excited at the prospect. I ordered a box of the black ones so hopefully looks a bit less silly. My logic is it’s an hour or two and next appointment back to normal!

I’d wear the mask. The thought of catching flu right now isn’t appealing, especially when you’ve a young baby to look after.

Don't worry about what people think, if someone judges you for wanting to stay healthy then their opinions aren't worth anything.

Personally I think they’re a total waste of time, but if it makes you feel better, go for it.

I have worn a mask to the hairdressers when it was needed, you hold the mask to your face and they just unloop it from your ear, cut/colour then loop it back over. Hardly gymnastics. I don't need a drink every 5 minutes so don't drink at the hairdressers anyway.

I wore one last year as I had a slight cough and didn't want to take my hairdresser down with it especially as it was close to Christmas and there were other people booked in with her. Illnesses seems to sort of glance off me, I am hardly affected but I can pass it on and it can wipe someone else out. I don't take chances.

You could pick anything up and pass it onto your baby, I would wear the mask.

In the past couple of months I’ve visited both my GP surgery and two dental practices. All the medical staff have been wearing masks.

My flu vaccine isn’t until the end of this week. I have a large pack of FFP3 masks and wore one in shops over the weekend.

I’ve postponed a long return train journey because everyone at the moment is coughing and spluttering unabashedly and I don’t see why I should carry their nasty viruses as a gift to my nonagenarian relatives.