Warning after huge number of young men infected with ringworm from barbers

The UK has reportedly seen a large spike in the cases of ringworm among men visiting barbers believed to be down to a trend for skin fade haircuts and it has led to a warning

A huge rise in cases of ringworm from men visiting barbers has led to a warning over hygiene.

The trend for skin fade haircuts is believed to be behind the increase along with the use of “cheap, dirty unqualified barbershops” which are now claimed to be “littering” the UK streets.

Mike Taylor, who runs a barbering training academy in Poole, Dorset reportedly said that between 70% and 80% of clients are now asking for skin fades which use a foil clipper and he said it “needs to be thoroughly cleaned”.

It can take up to 10 minutes to properly clean the foil razors and disinfect them which he doesn’t believe is happening. Mr Taylor would like to see new rules put in place but the Government has reportedly said it has “no plans” to regulate the hairdressing sector.

Ringworm is a common fungal infection which is not actually caused by worms and you can usually buy medicine from a pharmacy to treat it, says the NHS.

It states: “The main symptom of ringworm is a rash. It may look red or darker than the surrounding skin, depending on your skin tone. The rash may be scaly, dry, swollen or itchy. Ringworm can appear anywhere on the body, including the scalp (tinea capitis) and groin (jock itch).”

How ringworm is passed on

Ringworm is caused by a type of fungi. It can be passed on through close contact with:

• an infected person or animal
• infected objects, such as bedsheets, combs or towels
• infected soil, although this is less common

Mr Taylor told the BBC: "The high street is depleting, it's dying and then suddenly there's 12 barber shops on the same street and they're all trying to go a little bit cheaper than each other. If the prices have to be knocked down then something else has to go and maybe it is all the time spent cleaning the equipment or the time spent getting the proper knowledge. Sometimes the cheapest price isn't always the best price."

Gareth Penn, the registrar at the Hair and Barber Council, also wants to see a "mandatory register for those who wish to trade as hairdressers or barbers". The council, based in Hampshire, is a statutory authority for hairdressing in the UK but it is only a voluntary register. "This opens up hairdressing and barbering to those that are not trained, or qualified, or worse, those who wish to use our industry as a front for illegal activity," said Mr Penn.

A government spokesperson told The Mirror: "We have no plans to regulate the hairdressing sector, however we will always seriously consider evidence when it's provided. We work closely with the industry to address skills and training needs, and HMRC is also working to tackle tax fraud in the sector."