Hair salon syndrome: here is the link between stroke and shampoo tray

When a pleasant moment turns into life-threatening danger. At the hairdresser or beauty salon, going to the shampoo dispenser is often synonymous with calm and pleasure, helped by the expert hands of a hair care professional. This moment of relaxation, however, exposes you to an increased risk of suffering from a stroke, as Dr. Arun L. Naik, an Indian neurosurgeon, points out in a post that has gone viral on his Instagram account.

The specialist explains that a stroke can be caused when “the neck is overstretched or positioned uncomfortably when fitting into the shampoo basin“. Bad posture “compresses and damages the arteries of the neck, especially the vertebral artery. This can then lead to reduced blood flow to the brain and potentially trigger a stroke.“

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Can poor neck position cause a stroke?

Is there a risk for the cervical arteries from adopting a bad posture when sleeping or driving for example? According to Professor Sonia Alamowitch, head of the cerebrovascular emergency department at the Pitié-Salpêtrière hospital in Paris, “vascular complications linked to prolonged compression of the cervical arteries are very rare“. “Not everyone will suffer a stroke following poor cervical posture, even if prolonged.“, specifies the doctor.

“This type of event generally occurs in more complex pathological circumstances.“, points out the Professor of Neurology. “A stroke can, for example, occur when a patient suffers from osteoarthritis and the discs in the neck wear down, forming bony growths that come directly into contact with the vertebral artery.”

Cervical microtrauma can also cause a partial tear of the arterial wall, but these occur more in a context of “cervical manipulation, especially when cracking the neck“, signaled Pre Sonia Alamowitch.

What are the symptoms of barbershop syndrome?

The first mentions of “barbershop syndrome” date back to the 1990s, when neurologists reported cases of patients experiencing symptoms such as dizziness, headaches or loss of balance after spending some time in the neck bent back in a hair salon. In the most severe cases, patients suffered a stroke resulting in “quasi-permanent disability“, we learn in a systematic review published in 2024 about this syndrome. If a stroke is noted, we then speak”vertebrobasilar insufficiency“, specifies the author of the study.

In another study, published in 2016 in the journal International Journal of Strokea team of Swiss researchers identified more than ten cases of stroke linked to a visit to the hairdressing salon, reported in the international scientific literature between 2002 and 2013. The victims were mainly women and the phenomenon tends to take of magnitude over the years, according to scientists, in particular because health professionals now make the link between the uncomfortable position and the risk of stroke.

Although rare, hair salon syndrome should still encourage you to take precautions when going to the hairdresser. In his Instagram video, Dr. Arun L. Naik gives some tips to limit the risk of stroke:

• Ensuring adequate neck support. Make sure your neck is well supported while washing your hair. Ask for a towel or cushion to place under your neck to prevent hyperextension.
• Adjust the tray position. If possible, adjust the salon chair or ask the hairdresser to lower the height of the tray so that your neck is not stretched too far back.
• Take breaks. If you are in an uncomfortable position for a long time, take breaks or change positions to relieve neck tension.
• Pay attention to symptoms. If you begin to experience dizziness, lightheadedness, or any unusual symptoms during or after shampooing, talk to your stylist and seek medical attention immediately.
• If you suffer frommedical history, particularly vascular or cervical pathologies, warn your hairdresser and consider alternatives to the tray for washing your hair.