GA Barber II cheat sheet

Sterilization destroys all microbial life including spores; disinfection destroys most harmful microorganisms on nonporous surfaces; sanitizing reduces bacteria to safe levels.

Implements that contact skin or blood require an EPA-registered hospital-grade disinfectant labeled tuberculocidal, used at the label's dilution and contact time.

Nonporous tools: wash with soap and water, dry thoroughly, then fully immerse in disinfectant (quaternary ammonium products commonly list 10 minutes).

Porous items such as wooden sticks, foam wedges, and emery boards absorb liquid and cannot be disinfected, so they are single-use and discarded.

Wet disinfectant containers must be labeled, covered, and changed at least daily or whenever the solution is cloudy or contains debris.

Blood or body-fluid spill: stop service, don gloves, absorb with a disposable towel, double-bag and discard, disinfect the surface with a tuberculocidal product, then wash hands.

Common pathogens in the shop: bacteria (staphylococci, streptococci), viruses (hepatitis B, HIV, herpes), fungi (tinea), and parasites (lice).

Wash hands with soap and warm water for about 20 seconds before and after every client and after restroom use or glove removal.

Elevation is the angle at which hair is held away from the head: 0 degrees produces a blunt one-length line, 45 degrees graduation, 90 degrees uniform layers, 180 degrees long layers.

A stationary guide stays in one place while other sections are cut to its length and builds weight; a traveling guide moves with each section and preserves the overall shape.

A blunt cut is executed at 0-degree elevation with the cut parallel to the section parting.

Tapering shortens hair progressively toward the nape and sideburns; primary methods are clipper-over-comb and shear-over-comb.

Shear-over-comb requires the comb teeth tilted slightly and the blades cutting just above the comb, never into it.

Cross-checking means combing hair perpendicular to the original partings to confirm the cut is even on both sides and the crown blends.

Texturizing tools and techniques include thinning shears, razors, point cutting, notching, and slide cutting; they reduce bulk without changing overall length.

Wet cutting gives maximum control on straight hair, while dry cutting is used to verify the blend and the hair's natural fall.

A straight razor is held at approximately 30 degrees to the skin (spine slightly off the skin) with short strokes and the skin held taut by the free hand.

A warm towel and lather soften the beard and relax the follicles; a cool towel or cool rinse after the shave closes pores and reduces irritation.

The first pass is shaved with the grain, the direction of hair growth, to limit razor burn; re-lather before any second pass.

Never shave over moles, raised lesions, inflamed, broken, or infected skin; decline the service and refer the client.

Stropping straightens and polishes the razor edge on leather; honing grinds and sharpens the edge on a stone.

Beard neckline is placed just above the Adam's apple, roughly one to two finger widths up, or along the natural jaw curve.

Outline the beard following the natural growth pattern and facial symmetry; the cheek line follows the natural hairline rather than an arbitrary straight line.

Finish a shave or beard service with after-shave or moisturizer; alcohol-based products may sting and are used only as the client tolerates.

Hair and scalp pH is about 4.5 to 5.5; relaxers are strongly alkaline (about pH 11 to 13) and permanent color and lighteners are alkaline as well.

Cold waves use ammonium thioglycolate to reduce disulfide bonds; the neutralizer (sodium bromate or hydrogen peroxide) re-forms those bonds in the new shape.

Lye relaxers contain sodium hydroxide; no-lye relaxers use calcium hydroxide with guanidine carbonate; both are strong alkalis requiring gloves, timing, and a base or protectant.

Permanent color lifts and deposits through oxidation with hydrogen peroxide developer; demi-permanent deposits with little or no lift; semi-permanent deposits without lift; temporary color coats the cuticle.

Developer volumes: 10 volume equals 3 percent, 20 volume equals 6 percent, 30 volume equals 9 percent, 40 volume equals 12 percent peroxide.

Patch test aniline-derivative tints 24 to 48 hours before the service, and perform a strand test to determine processing time and predicted result.

Complementary colors neutralize unwanted tones: blue cancels orange, violet cancels yellow, and green cancels red.

Do not apply chemical services when the scalp shows abrasions, sores, or a positive patch test, or when the hair is in a damaged, overprocessed state.

Brush hair before shampooing to loosen debris and stimulate circulation, but skip brushing when the scalp is irritated or broken.

Use warm water for shampooing and a cooler final rinse to help close the cuticle and add shine.

Shampoo surfactants lift oil and debris from the hair and scalp so water can rinse them away; concentrate the massage at the scalp, not the ends.

Conditioners are acidic and cationic: they bond to negatively charged hair, smooth the cuticle, reduce friction, and restore pH.

Basic scalp massage movements are effleurage, petrissage, friction, tapotement, and vibration.

Clarifying shampoo removes product buildup and is used occasionally; medicated shampoo addresses flaking, but persistent scalp disease is referred.

Proper draping uses a towel and shampoo cape, protects the client's clothing, keeps water out of eyes and ears, and directs the nozzle away from the face.

Skin types are normal, dry, oily, combination, and sensitive; type is determined by observation plus client history, not by a single feature.

Standard facial sequence: cleanse, exfoliate, steam, massage, mask, tone, moisturize, and protect.

Massage movements include effleurage (gliding), petrissage (kneading), tapotement (tapping), vibration, and friction.

Facial massage strokes move upward and outward, following muscle fiber direction and lymph drainage, generally from the center of the face outward.

Contraindications include contagious skin disease, open lesions, sunburn, recent surgery or chemical peels, and known product allergies.

Clay and mud masks absorb oil for oily and combination skin; cream and gel masks hydrate dry or mature skin.

Steam softens sebum and opens follicles; keep the steamer at a safe distance and limit time to avoid burns and capillary damage.

Hair has three layers: cuticle (protective outer scales), cortex (bulk, strength, and pigment), and medulla (central core, sometimes absent).

Follicle structures include the bulb, papilla (blood and nutrient supply), sebaceous gland, and arrector pili muscle.

Growth cycle: anagen (active growth, roughly 2 to 6 years), catagen (transition, weeks), telogen (rest, about 3 months), then shedding.

Melanin types: eumelanin produces brown and black, pheomelanin produces red and blonde tones.

Skin layers are the epidermis (outer), dermis (nerves, vessels, glands, follicles), and subcutaneous layer (fat).

Androgenetic alopecia is inherited pattern loss; alopecia areata is sudden patchy autoimmune loss; both are referred, not treated, by the barber.

Tinea capitis (fungal infection), pediculosis (lice), and furuncles (boils) are contagious; do not service and refer to a physician.

Seborrheic dermatitis is an oily scalp with flaking; medicated shampoo may help, but persistent or severe cases require medical referral.

Barbering in Georgia is regulated by the Georgia State Board of Cosmetology and Barbers; individual and shop licenses must be current and posted for inspection.

Georgia barber licensure requires completion of an approved barber program (commonly cited as 1,500 hours) plus examinations; confirm the current hour requirement in the Board rules.

Board sanitation rules require a wet sanitizer at each station using an EPA-registered hospital-grade disinfectant in a labeled, covered container.

Implements must be cleaned and disinfected after each client, and single-use items must be discarded after one use.

Scope of practice: a barber may not diagnose or treat disease, prescribe medication, or perform services outside the licensed scope.

Ethics include client confidentiality, informed consent before services, honest pricing and advertising, and no solicitation that violates shop policy.

License renewal and continuing education requirements are set by Board rule; verify the current cycle and CE hours directly with the Board.