A haircare appliance includes a pressure sensor for generating a pressure signal indicative of air pressure within an airflow path, the pressure sensor being upstream of an airflow generator. A controller is configured to estimate, based at least partly on the pressure signal, a blockage factor corresponding to an amount by which the airflow path is blocked. When the estimated blockage factor exceeds a blockage warning threshold, a warning indicative of a partial blockage is output. When the estimated blockage factor exceeds a critical threshold, the critical threshold being higher than the blockage warning threshold, a power output of at least one component of the haircare appliance is turned off or reduced.