After six weeks, during which the hair has grown more or less uncontrollably, hairdressers and hairdressers will ensure that your head is tidy again from next Monday. Intercoiffure Marti in Saanen is delighted to be able to get back to work.

Association made recommendations
Once the Federal Council had announced its decision, the hairdressers' shops were waiting for a concept or an ordinance that would make the operations uniform. In the end, it was Coiffure Swiss, the Association of Swiss Hairdressers, which issued key data for setting up the shops in accordance with the protective measures. In terms of implementation, the hairdressing businesses are left to their own devices.

The main points are sufficient distance between customers and staff and the wearing of masks by the hairdresser as well as the customer. The salon in Saanen informs customers accordingly when appointments are made by telephone. "An astonishing number of customers tell us that they bring their own masks," says Begoña Garcia, hairdressing manager at Intercoiffure Marti in Saanen. She is pleased about this sense of responsibility.

Since the beginning of this week, employees at many hairdresser’s shops have been making sure that the facilities comply with the rules, that the first appointments are made and that the protective material is available for Monday morning.

Appointment allocation via list
The demand for appointments rose sharply with the announcement of the Federal Council. In Saanen, Heinz Marti and his team decided that the first thing to do was to contact customers who were unable to keep their appointment shortly after the lockdown. "And for the growing demand since Monday, we have drawn up a list." The situation is similar in the other salons, so the appointment books for next week are very full. "We hope we don't have to put off too many clients looking for a date next week."

Cutting hair with gloves
The safety measures include, first and foremost, reducing the number of people in the salons in order to comply with the rules of distance. In the salon in the centre of Saanen, some chairs were removed for this purpose.

"Working with gloves becomes a challenge from the moment your hair is finished washing," the employees agree. It is a big change to be able to use the scissors and comb without feeling the hair in your fingers. "But that will also work."

A disinfectant has been placed at each location. The beloved magazines for passing the time were also removed since they are ideal for the virus to go from one person to another. Everything will be ready on Monday.

Based on AvS/Jenny Sterch