[Respiratory pathology induced by inhalation of hair lacquer]

Abstract

On the basis of a critical analysis of the literature, the authors review the various respiratory lesions imputed to the inhalation of hair lacquers. Pulmonary thesaurismosis is alleged to result from accumulation in the pulmonary parenchyma of non-biodegradable macro-molecules, such as PVP. Only isolated cases have been published and the true existence of this disease remains to be confirmed, in the absence of convincing epidemiological data as well as the lack of experimental reproducibility. Chronic inhalation of hair lacquers may, however, be responsible for bronchial irritative manifestations and obstruction of the small airways, in particular in hairdressers. Increase in the relative risk of bronchopulmonary carcinoma has not been proven.