AK Barber cheat sheet

Disinfection kills most microorganisms on surfaces; sterilization destroys all microbial life including bacterial spores.

Hospital-grade disinfectants must carry an EPA registration number and be used at the label's contact time (dilution and dwell time).

Blood and body-fluid spills are cleaned while wearing gloves, then the surface is disinfected with an EPA-registered tuberculocidal product.

Single-use items (razor blades, neck strips, cotton, wooden sticks) are discarded after one client; porous items cannot be effectively disinfected.

Implements that contact skin or blood (clippers, shears, combs) are cleaned of debris, then immersed or sprayed with disinfectant between clients.

Standard precautions treat all blood and body fluids as infectious regardless of a client's known health status.

Pathogens spread by direct contact, indirect contact (contaminated tools), airborne droplets, and vector/vehicle routes.

Bacteria are single-celled and reproduce rapidly; viruses require a host cell; fungi cause ringworm and tinea; parasites include lice and mites.

Scalp analysis precedes service: note oiliness, dryness, flaking, lesions, and elasticity before selecting a shampoo.

Shampoo surfactants lower surface tension so water lifts sebum and debris; the hydrophilic head bonds water, the lipophilic tail bonds oil.

Water hardness is measured by dissolved mineral content; hard water leaves soap scum and reduces lather.

pH scale runs 0-14; 7 is neutral, below 7 acidic, above 7 alkaline; the hair and scalp prefer slightly acidic products.

Conditioners work by smoothing the cuticle and reducing static; cationic conditioners bond to negatively charged hair.

A contraindication to shampooing is an active scalp infection, open wound, or recent chemical burn; refer out.

Massage movements for shampooing: effleurage (gliding), petrissage (kneading), tapotement (tapping), friction (rubbing).

Hair density, texture, porosity, and elasticity are recorded during consultation because they govern product choice and processing time.

Reference points: parietal ridge, occipital bone, apex, crown, nape, and four corners guide sectioning and balance.

Elevation (projection) is the angle at which hair is held from the head; 0 degrees builds weight, 90 degrees is uniform, 180 degrees removes weight.

A blunt or one-length cut is cut at 0 degrees elevation; graduation stacks weight between 0 and 90 degrees.

Distribution patterns: parallel, radial, and pivoting sections determine how much length is removed.

Cutting lines are horizontal, vertical, or diagonal; diagonal lines create forward or backward graduation.

Texturizing/thinning shears remove bulk without shortening the perimeter; they are used no closer than about 1 inch from the scalp.

Cross-checking the cut at 90 degrees from the opposite parting verifies balance and symmetry.

Shear tension, blade sharpness, and pivot adjustment affect control; dull shears push and bend hair rather than cut it.

Beard growth patterns: the mustache, chin, cheek line, neckline, and jawline determine the design; the neckline is set above the Adam's apple or at the jaw's natural line.

Shaving lather softens the hair, holds it upright, and provides glide; it is applied against the grain of the beard.

Shaving strokes go with the grain first (reduces irritation); a second pass across the grain may be used for closeness.

A straight razor uses a hollow-ground blade; the blade angle against the skin is roughly 30 degrees with light pressure and no scraping.

The free hand stretches the skin taut ahead of the blade to prevent nicks and ingrown hairs.

Hot towel before shaving opens pores and softens hair; a cool towel afterward closes pores and soothes.

Pseudofolliculitis barbae (razor bumps) is common in tightly curled hair; a shave-free or single-pass technique is preferred.

A nick is stopped with styptic powder or a cold compress; contaminated blades are discarded and never reused.

The hair color wheel: primary colors (red, yellow, blue) mix to form secondary colors (orange, green, violet); complementary colors neutralize.

Level system runs 1 (black) to 10 (lightest blonde); the natural level plus desired level determines the developer and formula.

Permanent color uses aniline derivatives plus developer (hydrogen peroxide) to lift melanin and deposit pigment inside the cortex.

Semi-permanent color deposits only and fades over several shampoos; temporary color coats the cuticle and washes out in one shampoo.

Developer volumes: 10 volume (3%) deposits, 20 (6%) lifts 1-2 levels, 30 (9%) lifts 2-3, 40 (12%) lifts 3-4; higher volume increases scalp irritation risk.

Lightening (bleach) removes pigment; it cannot be reversed, so strand tests and patch tests are required before service.

Patch test checks for allergic reaction, usually 24-48 hours before color service; strand test predicts timing and result.

Tone is corrected by selecting the color opposite on the wheel: violet cancels yellow, blue cancels orange, green cancels red.

Permanent wave changes hair shape by breaking disulfide bonds with a reducing agent, then reforming them with a neutralizer (oxidizer).

Relaxers use a strong alkaline (or thio) agent to break disulfide bonds and straighten; the hair is then neutralized or normalized.

Processing time depends on hair porosity, elasticity, density, and the strength of the solution; a test curl confirms the wave.

Rod size and wrapping direction control curl size and direction; smaller rods produce tighter curls.

The neutralizer restores disulfide bonds and lowers pH; it is left on the full processing time and not rinsed early.

A preliminary strand test predicts how the hair will respond and prevents overprocessing.

Contraindications: hair previously relaxed with a thio product, hair with metallic salts, or hair that is too damaged to process.

Thio relaxers have a pH around 10; hydroxide relaxers are around pH 12-14 and require a neutralizing shampoo and careful scalp protection.

Hair has three layers: medulla (innermost), cortex (middle, holds pigment and strength), and cuticle (outer, overlapping scales).

The hair follicle is a tube in the dermis; the bulb at its base contains the papilla, which supplies blood and nutrients.

The sebaceous gland secretes sebum into the follicle; the arrector pili muscle causes goosebumps.

The growth cycle has three phases: anagen (growth), catagen (transition), and telogen (resting/shedding).

The skin has three layers: epidermis (outer), dermis (middle, contains nerves and glands), and subcutaneous (fat).

The scalp contains five layers: skin, connective tissue, aponeurosis, loose areolar tissue, and pericranium (the 'SCALP' mnemonic).

The nail is composed of the nail plate, nail bed, matrix, and cuticle; the matrix produces new nail cells.

Sensory nerves in the skin detect touch, pressure, heat, cold, and pain; motor nerves control muscle movement.

pH measures hydrogen ion concentration: 0-6.9 acidic, 7 neutral, 7.1-14 alkaline; the scale is logarithmic (each unit is tenfold).

Solutions are mixtures; suspensions have undissolved particles; emulsions combine oil and water with an emulsifier.

Surfactants are molecules with a water-loving head and oil-loving tail; they form micelles that trap debris.

Oxidation is a chemical reaction that adds oxygen or removes electrons; reduction adds hydrogen or electrons.

Hydrogen peroxide is an oxidizer that releases oxygen; it lifts natural pigment and develops permanent color.

Ammonia raises the pH of color to swell the cuticle and allow pigment penetration; it also produces the characteristic odor.

Water is the universal solvent; its hardness comes from calcium and magnesium ions, which affect lather and color results.

Chemical burns and allergic reactions are reported as adverse events; stop service, rinse, and document.

Shears and clippers are held with the thumb and ring finger; the index finger rests on the pivot for control.

Electric clippers and edgers require regular oiling, blade cleaning, and disinfection between clients.

Straight razors are disassembled, cleaned, and disinfected; blades are single-use and discarded in a sharps container.

Combs and brushes are washed with soap and water, then immersed in an EPA-registered disinfectant for the label's contact time.

Electrical equipment must be grounded and inspected for frayed cords; never immerse electrical tools in water.

Shears are sharpened when they pull or bend hair; they are stored closed and oiled at the pivot.

Heat tools (curling irons, flat irons) are used on clean, dry hair and kept off the scalp to avoid burns.

A first-aid kit and a blood-exposure spill kit are kept stocked and accessible in the barbershop.

The Alaska Board of Barbers and Hairdressers regulates barbering and requires licensure to practice for compensation.

A barber license requires completion of an approved program (commonly 1,650 hours) and passing a written and practical examination.

Licenses must be renewed on the schedule set by the board; continuing education and renewal fees apply.

A shop license is required for the premises; the shop must meet sanitation, plumbing, and equipment standards.

Sanitation rules require disinfection of implements between clients and proper disposal of single-use items.

Scope of practice covers haircutting, shaving, beard trimming, shampooing, and chemical services within the barber's training.

Unlicensed practice and employing an unlicensed person are prohibited and subject to penalties.

Advertising and signage must display the shop's license; client records and safety documentation are retained as required.