Half of all permanent hair dyes contain potentially deadly toxins. Most products have safety directions and irritant warnings or are marked ?professional use only?. Potentially harmful ingredients can cause severe reactions. Allergic reactions to hair dyes include anything from localised itching, which is quite common, and burning of the scalp which lasts weeks. Experts recommend doing patch tests on customers to assess risk.

Treatment injuries are usually excluded from standard and require the business to hold separate treatment risk cover to protect the business against legal proceeding for compensation if such incidents were to occur.

Treatment risk covers against claims from customers for injuries or damages arising from some treatments. Dyeing, tinting, bleaching, permanents, straightening and cutting; as well as manicures, pedicures, facials and waxing are usually included. There can still be a number of exclusions , for example, electrolysis, lasers, using preparations made up to the hairdressers own formula and treatment of the eyes or eyelashes other than with makeup. For the cover to be valid there are also likely to be requirements that staff are suitably qualified and/or supervised.