Before the salons reopen from Monday, May 4, after weeks of a corona inflicted shutdown, a number of conditions must be met in the salons. In addition to strict hygiene standards, a bigger distance must be kept between workstations. "Of course, this means that we cannot serve as many customers as usual," explains Master stylist Robert Fuhs. There are around 800 independent hairdressers in his district.

For the customers this means that it will not be easy to get an appointment on short notice. And the hairdressers will not offer their entire pampering services. All facial treatments are still prohibited. This includes beard or mustache trimming as well as eyelash and eyebrow tinting.

"I can't wait to see what happens on Monday. I don't know whether to be happy or afraid," says Jürgen Blumenschein from the Salon Slamanig in the city center of Bonn. He had already introduced strict hygiene measures before the shop was closed. "These include the use of disposable gloves and a disposable cape and regular disinfection of all items used daily," he adds. However, even hair stylists with many years of professional experience will have to adjust to some new challenges. These include, for example, working out the exact contours of short hairstyles in the area of the ears when the customer wears a face mask.

For Hugo Soares, who attaches great importance to sustainability in his store on Breite Strasse, the requirement to use disposable products poses a particular challenge. "We would produce a huge mountain of plastic waste with this, which is not in our interest," he says. So he has ordered a large delivery of new cotton capes for their customers. They are replaced after each use, washed and reused the next day. "And my grandma sewed face masks," he adds. As an exception, he will open his salon on Monday - but only for special customers. "All those who have worked in essential jobs in the past few weeks can have their hair cut on Monday free of charge at our salon."

Marlene Suharkat in Röttgen has a similar experience. "We've been getting enquiries from our customers for weeks now," she says to GA. “Many have called and asked when it will finally start again." Everything is ready in her salon. "We have implemented all the regulations," she says.

Master stylist Fuhs assumes that his colleagues will now have to iron out many a mishap. "Some customers have been waiting for us to reopen. Others have started to work on their hair at home. If something went wrong with the hair coloring, we will probably have to fix it now," he knows all too well.

And another challenge awaits the teams. Before they can reach for their comb and scissors, they have to pick up a pen. "We now have a documentation obligation. Before we serve a customer, we have to make a note of their name, address, date and time," Fuhs continues: "Even if some kind of normality returns to the industry at the beginning of the week, he fears that "there will be a major market shakeout.” Not every company would survive the crisis. "Our expenses have continued and not everything can be covered by the money from the bailout.”

The authorities have drawn up a list of protective measures: Both customers and employees must wear masks. Hair must be washed in the salon. There must be sufficient distance between workstations. No waiting areas are allowed in the salons. Customers must wait outside the door. There are neither drinks nor magazines. Working materials such as scissors and combs must be disinfected before each use.

(Orig. text: Gabriele Immenkeppel; Translation: ck)