Some hair salons and barber shops in Johannesburg CBD have invested in steriliser machines to clean their clippers‚ with a few customers preferring to supply their own machines for a haircut.
This was revealed to TimesLIVE after research by the University of Cape Town claimed 40% of the clippers used in township barbers were contaminated with blood and the hepatitis B virus.
Many salons and street barbers said they were very cautious and cleaned their machines after each client.
Tony from Tony’s Beauty Salon‚ who charges R30 for a German and English hair cut and R20 for a chiskop‚ said he had a sterilising machine where he placed clippers after use.
“To avoid any infections‚ I put the clipper in the machine after use. Before I even put it in the machine I clean it and all the brushes that I use. I use methylated spirits and a lighter or matches to burn any germs that might be left on the machine before I put it in the sterilising machine for 30 minutes to an hour before I can use it on another client‚” he said.