Avoiding Cutting Pain: Risks and Hair Shear Selection

Hair stylists are considering several variables when choosing their hair shears, from the types of cuts they most often perform to the materials they prefer for blade edges, handles and more. One particularly important factor for many stylists, particularly those who have had such issues in the past: Avoiding any pain or overuse symptoms that come with the job, a pursuit that includes choosing the proper hair shears and also several other factors.

At Scissor Mall, we're here to help. Not only do we advise our clients on our wide range of hair shear options, from edgy hair shears like the Mirage Reaper to thinning shears, dry cutting shears and many others, but we're also here to help those who have had pain or discomfort issues related to their shears or cut profile in the past. Based on your technique and any such prior concerns, we're happy to recommend ideal products that will keep you comfortable and free of pain while on the job. This two-part blog series will go over some of the most common such pain issues some stylists deal with, plus tips on choosing the right shears plus other expertise on how to avoid these concerns.

Tendonitis Concerns

One of the most common issues hair stylists tend to deal with is wrist tendonitis, also known as tenosynovitis. This is a repetitive stress disorder, which means that it's caused by making the same kinds of uncomfortable movements over and over.

With wrist tendonitis, you'll generally feel pain inside the hand, wrist and arm. Pain will often be particularly severe if pressure is applied up and down the arm, or when you perform the initial action that caused the tendonitis to show up in the first place.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Carpal tunnel syndrome is another that can impact hair stylists, bringing a feeling of numbness and tingling to the hands and fingers. Carpal tunnel is often more comprehensive than tendonitis – pain will exist even when you aren't engaging in the same kinds of repetitive motions.

In addition, the hands may feel very hot or cold at strange times, or you may feel like you need to shake your hand out throughout the day. Furthermore, however, those with carpal tunnel may lose dexterity and even grip strength, both of which are concerns for stylists.

Hair Shear Selection

One of the top themes for avoiding the above risks is selecting the proper hair shears. Not only should the handle and grips be the proper size for your fingers and hand, you should choose the alignment and style that keeps your wrist, arm and even shoulder most comfortable. Our team will be happy to point you in the right direction and make recommendations based on your needs.

For more on how to avoid pain and discomfort for hair stylists, or to learn about any of our hair shears, speak to the staff at Scissor Mall today.