Beauty Parlor Syndrome: A Clinical-Anatomical Analysis of Vertebral Artery Biomechanics

Background: Beauty Parlor Syndrome (BPS) describes vertebrobasilar insufficiency precipitated by sustained cervical hyperextension, most commonly during salon hair washing [7, 8]. Although clinically recognized as posture-induced ischemia, the condition is fundamentally rooted in the biomechanical behavior of the vertebral artery within a constrained osteoligamentous corridor [1, 3, 4].

Objective: To provide a clinical–anatomical analysis of vertebral artery biomechanics underlying BPS, emphasizing structural vulnerability at the atlanto-axial region.

Methods: This narrative review integrates gross vertebral artery anatomy [1, 3], cervical spine biomechanics [4-6], vascular microstructure [10, 19], degenerative remodeling [9, 16], and hemodynamic variation [13, 18].

Results: The transition from the constrained V2 segment to the mobile V3 segment creates a biomechanical inflection point characterized by curvature-dependent stress concentration [3, 14, 20]. Sustained hyperextension reduces arterial redundancy, increases longitudinal tensile strain, and may generate focal intimal shear stress [4-6, 10]. Degenerative cervical changes [9, 16], vertebral artery dominance [13, 18], and reduced hemodynamic reserve further amplify ischemic susceptibility.

Conclusion: BPS represents a structurally mediated vascular event in which arterial wall mechanics, cervical joint kinematics, and anatomical variation converge to produce posterior circulation compromise.