Barbershops and Better Health

Community members can now do one stop shopping when it comes to their grooming and health. Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC) School of Medicine students will launch the fourth Barbershop Health Check on March 10.  The project gives the community the opportunity to check their blood pressure and Body Mass Index (BMI).

Students will promote awareness of the importance of healthy blood pressure and BMI and provide information to Lubbock community members. The Barbershop Health Check was the creation of two School of Medicine students Kweku Hazel and Soheil Daftarian.

"Barbershop Health Check is an amazing way to increase awareness in our community, with one of the most important components of medicine – prevention," said Chinelo Ikpeama, second- year medical student and project co-chief. "By holding these health checks at barbershops and beauty salons, we adjust to the convenience of community members. We can check blood pressure and BMI levels while they get a haircut. It takes no time out of their day to learn if they are at risk so they can seek appropriate health care."

Ikpeama said holding these events at barber shops is a way to help the community be more informed about their health.

"High blood pressure and obesity are health issues that can escalate to larger, potentially fatal problems if they are left unchecked," Ikpeama said. "Giving people the ability to check their blood pressure and BMI at beauty salons and barber shops is a good way to help the community stay constantly informed as to the status of their health."

The barbershops and beauty salons listed will participate in the free Barbershop Health Check between 9 a.m. to noon:

• Cut the Chase: Beauty and the Barber, 1819 Parkway Drive
• Bronze Lady Salon, 1716 East Broadway
• Gipson's Barber Shop, 1802 East Broadway
• Lubbock Hair Academy, 2844 34^th St.
• Paul's Barber Shop, 815 Main St.
• E's Barber Shop, 508 East 23^rd St.
• CNJ's Barber Shop, 2803 Slide Road
• Da Barber Shop, 1704 East Fourth St.
• Garza's Hair Cutters, 108 University Ave.
• Talk of the Town Beauty Shop, 510 E. 23^rd St.
• Indiana Gardens Barber Shop, 3414 34^th St.
• Navarrette's Barber Shop, 1928 19^th St.
• Artistic Hair @ 1901 W. Loop 289
• Linda's  2526 Auburn St.

For more information, email BarbershopBP@gmail.com.