FL Barber cheat sheet

Hair is roughly 90 percent keratin protein by weight; the cortex holds the melanin and the bonds that determine strength, curl, and color.

Growth cycle: anagen (active growth, about 2–7 years), catagen (transition, a few weeks), telogen (resting, about 3 months, then shedding).

Scalp hair grows about 1/2 inch (1.25 cm) per month; shedding 50–100 hairs per day is normal.

Three side bonds: disulfide (strongest; broken by perms and relaxers), hydrogen (broken by water and heat), salt (broken by pH shifts).

Healthy hair and scalp pH is about 4.5–5.5; alkaline products swell the shaft and raise the cuticle, acids smooth and close it.

Skin has three layers - epidermis, dermis, subcutaneous - with sebaceous (oil) and sudoriferous (sweat) glands located in the dermis.

Straight-razor shaving: blade held at about a 30-degree angle, skin stretched taut, first pass with the grain; the facial nerve (VII) is at risk near the jaw and cheek.

Hair analysis terms: porosity (ability to absorb moisture), elasticity (stretch and return), density (hairs per square inch), texture (individual hair diameter).

Barbering is regulated by Chapter 476, Florida Statutes, and Rule Chapter 61G3, Florida Administrative Code, administered by DBPR's Board of Barbering.

A current barbershop license is required at every location where barbering is performed for compensation; shops are subject to DBPR inspection.

Only licensed individuals may perform barbering for pay; unlicensed practice is a criminal offense and grounds for denying a future license.

Licenses must be renewed on the DBPR renewal cycle; practicing on an expired or delinquent license exposes the licensee to fines and discipline.

Changes of shop location or ownership must be reported to DBPR; a new location requires its own barbershop license.

Board penalties include reprimand, administrative fine, probation, suspension, and revocation of the license.

Shops must supply hot and cold running water, adequate lighting and ventilation, and surfaces that are cleanable and nonabsorbent.

Standard precautions: treat all blood and body fluids as infectious and use gloves and barriers with every client.

Disinfection sequence: wash with soap and water, dry, then fully immerse in an EPA-registered hospital-grade tuberculocidal disinfectant for the label contact time (commonly 10 minutes).

Blood spill: stop the service, put on gloves, absorb, clean with soap and water, disinfect with a tuberculocidal product or 1:10 bleach, and dispose as biohazard waste.

Single-use items - razor blades, neck strips, cotton, wooden sticks - are discarded after one client; blades go into a rigid, puncture-resistant sharps container.

A new neck strip and a clean cape are used for each client, and the cape must never contact the client's skin.

Wash hands with soap and warm running water for at least 20 seconds before and after every client and after removing gloves.

Clean and soiled implements are stored separately; disinfected tools are kept in a closed, labeled container.

OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens Standard: written exposure control plan, hepatitis B vaccination offered, PPE provided, employee training, and SDSs on file for all chemicals.

Electrical clippers: unplug before cleaning, never immerse the housing in water or disinfectant, and disinfect the blade and housing per manufacturer instructions.

Three common compensation models: booth rental (fixed chair fee, self-employed), commission (percentage of service revenue), and hourly or salary.

Cost per service = (supplies + labor + overhead) / services performed; the price charged must exceed this figure to produce a profit.

Gross profit = revenue minus cost of goods sold; net profit = gross profit minus operating expenses.

Inventory control: set par levels, rotate stock first in first out, and count stock on a fixed schedule.

Client record cards document service history, formulations, allergies, and skin conditions, and are treated as confidential.

Common coverage types: general liability, property, professional liability (malpractice), and workers' compensation where employees exist.

Track retention and rebooking rates; keeping an existing client generally costs less than acquiring a new one.

Record retention: IRS guidance calls for keeping employment tax records at least 4 years and most other supporting records about 3 years.