Going to the salon isn't just about your hair… and your stylist is much more than just a stylist.

"The majority of my clients are more like family members because I've been doing them for so long and I'm kind of like their therapist," Seattle area Beautician Teresa Carter told Ivanhoe.

Now Carter has another role -- she is trained to help her African American clients fight heart disease and stroke. More African Americans die from heart disease and stroke than any other race. High blood pressure is a big reason. And checking it at a hair salon makes perfect sense.

"It's just a natural when you think about it because African Americans regularly go to barber shops and beauticians," Maxine Hayes, M.D., Washington State Department of Health in Seattle, Wash., told Ivanhoe.

The power to live smart program is through the American Heart Association and state health departments. If a client's blood pressure is too high, salons refer them to get the medical help they need.

"I don't have to drive extra to get it done and when I leave I'll know I'm healthy and gorgeous," Carter's client Bonnie Washington said.

If you would like more information, please contact:

Francesca Fabile
American Heart Association
Francesca.Fabil@heart.org