Have been going to the same barber for years now. Really like the guy, but can't say I've ever been overly impressed with the hygiene standards in his small hole-in-the-wall shop.

My main concern is that I've never seen him disinfect any of the clippers, scissors or combs he uses. There's a large glass canister filled with aqua blue fluid that could well be disinfectant, but it looks like it's mainly for show. Never had a problem in the past, so up until now haven't given it much thought.

But about a week ago I noticed I had this rash on the back of my neck right at the hair line. I think I might have spread it from there to another patch on my upper chest. When I checked on-line, the rash it looks closest to is poison ivy or poison sumac.

Anybody else ever suspect they caught a scalp or skin ailment from their barber here? Any ideas on what I should do?

Change barbers , see if it goes away.

could also be ingrown hairs....better buy your own clippers and take to barbers if ur so worried.

Its scabby dog syndrome! You have been cursed!

I just got back from the doctor. Both the nurse and the doctor immediately diagnosed my rash as herpes zoster.

While my rash is nowhere near as severe, its characteristics are very similar to the below downloaded image of herpes zoster.

According to both my doctor and the website http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1132465-overview#a3 it is entirely possible for this virus to be transmitted through barbering tools.

I can't say for sure whether I picked this virus up at the barber but going forward I am definitely going to pay more attention to this and plan to discuss this with him on my next visit. I'm also giving serious consideration to buying a pair of clippers and having my wife cut my hair.

I just got back from the doctor. Both the nurse and the doctor immediately diagnosed my rash as herpes zoster.

While my rash is nowhere near as severe, its characteristics are very similar to the below downloaded image of herpes zoster.

29533tn.jpg

According to both my doctor and the website http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1132465-overview#a3 it is entirely possible for this virus to be transmitted through barbering tools.

I can't say for sure whether I picked this virus up at the barber but going forward I am definitely going to pay more attention to this and plan to discuss this with him on my next visit. I'm also giving serious consideration to buying a pair of clippers and having my wife cut my hair.

Good idea to discuss this with him, especially telling him that you got the herpes from his infected tools, he may stab you with one of them.

That looks nasty….

Expecting high hygiene standards at Thai barber shops is unrealistic. I wish I could say paying a lot more guarantees better, but it doesn't.

It's similar to what goes on in most restaurants here. The awareness and concern is just very low.

I had a small shingle outbreak. Pretty minor. It was on my chest. My Ex came in contact with it and got chickenpox.......

Expecting high hygiene standards at Thai barber shops is unrealistic. I wish I could say paying a lot more guarantees better, but it doesn't.

It's similar to what goes on in most restaurants here. The awareness and concern is just very low.

I'm afraid I have to agree with you on this.

Stay away from mani and pedicures as well.

Contracted a form of psoriasis on my scalp, never went there again, bought my own clippers and the wife now takes care of everything.

Straight over the top and wipe with a rag for shine, job done !

Psoriasis was cleared with a steriod cream.

Stay away from mani and pedicures as well.

I learned that lesson the hard way. Happily I didn't get an infection but rather the way it was being cut directly caused ingrown toenails.

People that let barbers clean their ears with a big stick in their head, I think need their heads examined!

I just got back from the doctor. Both the nurse and the doctor immediately diagnosed my rash as herpes zoster.

While my rash is nowhere near as severe, its characteristics are very similar to the below downloaded image of herpes zoster.

29533tn.jpg

According to both my doctor and the website http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1132465-overview#a3 it is entirely possible for this virus to be transmitted through barbering tools.

I can't say for sure whether I picked this virus up at the barber but going forward I am definitely going to pay more attention to this and plan to discuss this with him on my next visit. I'm also giving serious consideration to buying a pair of clippers and having my wife cut my hair.

Unlikely you have herpes zoster. You would be in agony from the pain.

I had it , it f....g hurts !

I just got back from the doctor. Both the nurse and the doctor immediately diagnosed my rash as herpes zoster.

While my rash is nowhere near as severe, its characteristics are very similar to the below downloaded image of herpes zoster.

Unlikely you have herpes zoster. You would be in agony from the pain.

I had it , it f....g hurts !

My understanding is that It's the same virus which causes the common cold sore.

Contracted a form of psoriasis on my scalp, never went there again, bought my own clippers and the wife now takes care of everything.

Straight over the top and wipe with a rag for shine, job done !

Psoriasis was cleared with a steriod cream.

I have no idea who diagnosed psoriasis for you, but they were wrong. Psoriasis is an autoimmune system disease which cannot be contracted through any form of contact whatsoever.

Seems the barber was spreading gossip afterall

I just got back from the doctor. Both the nurse and the doctor immediately diagnosed my rash as herpes zoster.

While my rash is nowhere near as severe, its characteristics are very similar to the below downloaded image of herpes zoster.

29533tn.jpg

According to both my doctor and the website http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1132465-overview#a3 it is entirely possible for this virus to be transmitted through barbering tools.

I can't say for sure whether I picked this virus up at the barber but going forward I am definitely going to pay more attention to this and plan to discuss this with him on my next visit. I'm also giving serious consideration to buying a pair of clippers and having my wife cut my hair.

Good idea to discuss this with him, especially telling him that you got the herpes from his infected tools, he may stab you with one of them.

This.

If I were you I'd avoid the barber, you won't achieve anything by telling him he's dirty and spreads diseases (that's how he'll see it no matter how you frame it). You won't be saving humanity from anything because it won't change a thing.

Take care of yourself and move on.

If I were you I'd avoid the barber, you won't achieve anything by telling him he's dirty and spreads diseases (that's how he'll see it no matter how you frame it). You won't be saving humanity from anything because it won't change a thing.

Take care of yourself and move on.

It really is a dilemma.

On the one hand I have no proof that I got this from his shop, and certainly can't accuse him of anything. I'm also concerned that if I bring my rash to his attention I'll become persona non grata in his shop.

I hear what you're saying about maybe nothing will change, but if I stay silent for sure nothing's gonna change.

The other problem is move on to where? I don't know anywhere in town where hygiene standards are any higher.

You can't catch shingles from a hair clipper.

It's something lying dormant in your body for years.

Activated by old age .......

50% of men between 65 and 85 can expect to suffer at least once.

25% of all men over 50 will get it.

yeah.

Not to mention cooties in the combs...or at least eggs stuck to hair follicles from the last kid's hair he cut.

If I were you I'd avoid the barber, you won't achieve anything by telling him he's dirty and spreads diseases (that's how he'll see it no matter how you frame it). You won't be saving humanity from anything because it won't change a thing.

Take care of yourself and move on.

It really is a dilemma.

On the one hand I have no proof that I got this from his shop, and certainly can't accuse him of anything. I'm also concerned that if I bring my rash to his attention I'll become persona non grata in his shop.

I hear what you're saying about maybe nothing will change, but if I stay silent for sure nothing's gonna change.

The other problem is move on to where? I don't know anywhere in town where hygiene standards are any higher.

I hear what you're saying about maybe nothing will change, but if I stay silent for sure nothing's gonna change.

I think you've been here for a while. Have you ever noticed that anything changed when you advised a Thai something for his own improvement?

.

If I were you I'd avoid the barber, you won't achieve anything by telling him he's dirty and spreads diseases (that's how he'll see it no matter how you frame it). You won't be saving humanity from anything because it won't change a thing.

Take care of yourself and move on.

It really is a dilemma.

On the one hand I have no proof that I got this from his shop, and certainly can't accuse him of anything. I'm also concerned that if I bring my rash to his attention I'll become persona non grata in his shop.

I hear what you're saying about maybe nothing will change, but if I stay silent for sure nothing's gonna change.

The other problem is move on to where? I don't know anywhere in town where hygiene standards are any higher.

I hear what you're saying about maybe nothing will change, but if I stay silent for sure nothing's gonna change.

I think you've been here for a while. Have you ever noticed that anything changed when you advised a Thai something for his own improvement?

Agree 100% even if you proved conclusively the barber was at fault its 99% certain he would ignore it.............

Just get the tools you need and have the wife, extended family member or neighbour do it.

You'll definitely be persona non grata if you attempt to change anything (to his mind: accuse him of being dirty and giving you a disease). Then the whole neighbourhood will be aware the foreigner has a dirty disease, and aware that the foreigner blames his dirty diseases on Thais. Now you've got the whole village talking about you and probably ready to spit on your corpse when you're down.

You gotta move on, mate, it's the only solution other than to suck it up and explore the possibility that he didn't actually give you anything at all, or else others would be suffering too. Since those others would be local Thais it would be dealt with Thai on Thai in their own mysterious ways, but I dare say you have zero chance of anything you say being taken in a way you hoped it would.

Contracted a form of psoriasis on my scalp, never went there again, bought my own clippers and the wife now takes care of everything.

Psoriasis is NOT contagious.

http://www.everydayhealth.com/psoriasis/is-psoriasis-contagious-putting-peoples-fears-to-rest.aspx

http://www.psoriasismyths.com/is-psoriasis-contagious.html/

http://psoriasisvseczema.com/is-psoriasis-contagious/

I hear what you're saying about maybe nothing will change, but if I stay silent for sure nothing's gonna change.

I think you've been here for a while. Have you ever noticed that anything changed when you advised a Thai something for his own improvement?

Seat belt awareness, sun damage awareness, hazards of drinking lao khao, unhealthiness of palm oil, importance of saving for a rainy day and having goals, importance of education, hazards of drinking rain water, importance of wearing protective equipment when applying pesticides & herbicides, conserving plastic bags, turning off engine at long traffic lights, reducing litter would be examples I can cite from personal observation and experience.

I hear what you're saying about maybe nothing will change, but if I stay silent for sure nothing's gonna change.

I think you've been here for a while. Have you ever noticed that anything changed when you advised a Thai something for his own improvement?

Seat belt awareness, sun damage awareness, hazards of drinking lao khao, unhealthiness of palm oil, importance of saving for a rainy day and having goals, importance of education, hazards of drinking rain water, importance of wearing protective equipment when applying pesticides & herbicides, conserving plastic bags, turning off engine at long traffic lights, reducing litter would be examples I can cite from personal observation and experience.

WOW! Talk about effective education and retention... these things took decades in North America. Any idea on the techniques used? Could you implore those who were able to raise awareness so effectively to consider volunteering for the UN - they need help all over Asia, Africa and South/Central America in bringing these messages to the people!! Truly remarkable.

I hear what you're saying about maybe nothing will change, but if I stay silent for sure nothing's gonna change.

I think you've been here for a while. Have you ever noticed that anything changed when you advised a Thai something for his own improvement?

Seat belt awareness, sun damage awareness, hazards of drinking lao khao, unhealthiness of palm oil, importance of saving for a rainy day and having goals, importance of education, hazards of drinking rain water, importance of wearing protective equipment when applying pesticides & herbicides, conserving plastic bags, turning off engine at long traffic lights, reducing litter would be examples I can cite from personal observation and experience.

WOW! Talk about effective education and retention... these things took decades in North America. Any idea on the techniques used? Could you implore those who were able to raise awareness so effectively to consider volunteering for the UN - they need help all over Asia, Africa and South/Central America in bringing these messages to the people!! Truly remarkable.

Learning the language would be a good place to start.

...start shaving....

If had chicken pox as a child you have the virus for life.

wow scary. I also go to a "hole in the wall" barber near my home. Never had a problem, but the barber seem to clean his tools with some white gel stuff between customers.

I always cut my hair very short so he uses the machine 100%, i noticed he cleans the machine also occasionally during the cutting of my hair.

I will say this, If I stumble in someday and there is a leper sitting there i will turn at the door.