Hand dermatitis is an important cause of morbidity in hairdressers. We conducted a questionnaire survey of 121 trainee hairdressers from 2 hairdressing colleges in Burnley (UK). The questionnaire concerned the number and types of hairdressing procedures performed, previous and current medical history, awareness of risks to the skin from hairdressing, and knowledge of hand dermatitis prevention. 17% of the trainees suffered currently from hand dermatitis. This is likely to be due to the large amount of wet work done by apprentice hairdressers, particularly those who worked in salons. 2/3 of trainees were not aware that atopic eczema predisposed to hand dermatitis. Formal pre-school and pre-employment counselling was limited. Knowledge on hand care among trainees was not often translated into practice, with gloves being worn by only 9% when shampooing and 58% when perming. Prevention of hand dermatitis by education and pre-employment counselling is of fundamental importance.