Ditching blow drys and reviving short haircuts including the “hygienic-yet-trendy” bob could be the key to saving the hairdressing sector, industry leaders have said.
The precision bob cut will provide a “safe” alternative to “lengthy” blow drys for long hair during the Covid-19 pandemic, according to Tim Hartley, a former director at Vidal Sassoon.
The world-renowned hairdresser fears that the coronavirus is more likely to spread in long, wavy hair, WalesOnline reports.
Mr Hartley said: “We have to think about maximising hygiene. The sooner the long tresses of yesterday are dispensed with, the more hygienic it will be for us all.
"The hour-long blow dries in the salon are no longer safe for the stylist or the client.
"Research suggests the Covid-19 virus is transmitted much easier through a swift airflow.”
He thinks the shorter cuts, popularised by his former boss Vidal Sassoon, are the solution to the stricter hygiene required during the Covid-19 crisis.
Tim said: “With the bob cut you can wash your hair everyday and not worry about it. It becomes part of your routine. It’s the glamour without the fuss.”
In a bid to lead the bob cut revival, Tim has teamed up with other industry leaders also backing the resurgence.
Guildford salon owner John Carne has opted to scrap the hour-long blow drys when he reopens his salon Monday July 6.
John, the former vice president at the Fellowship For British Hairdressing, thinks the “high speed air flow streams” that blow drys require could increase the spread of the virus.
He said: “My view is simple. I cannot expose my stylists or clients to a possible increased risk of Covid-19 transmission by undertaking lengthy blow drys in the salon. So for the foreseeable future they are off our service menu.”
Hair salons across the UK have been closed since lockdown began on March 23 in a bid to help prevent the spread of coronavirus.
Salons are expected to reopen on July 4, and while government safety guidelines for salons are yet to be announced, hairdressers are expecting to have to use personal protective equipment when they are unable to remain two metres apart.
The National Hair & Beauty Federation (NHBF), the UK’s largest hairdressing trade association is urging salons to limit treatment times to control the spread of Covid-19.
An NHBF spokesperson said: "In line with the current two-metre social distancing regulation we are recommending that hair and beauty salons and barbershops alter their lay-out to meet these to protect staff and clients. This will mean that most salons will not be able to accommodate as many clients as they normally would.
They added: "Treatment times should be kept to a minimum and so we are encouraging consultations to take place online before a client visits."
Given the restrictions, some hairdressers see the “wash and go” precision cut as the economical choice moving forward.
John, a L’Oreal Colour Trophy winner, said: “In our salon we will only be able to operate eight of our usual 20 stylists chairs at any given time. Shorter cuts are much quicker than lengthy blow drys, so they will allow us to keep a high turnover and make a profit. Otherwise reopening just won’t be worthwhile.”
The hairdresser strongly opposes the dominant “blow dry culture” which he blames for damaging hair.
