Hair Care
What this domain covers
This domain tests hair and scalp typing, shampoo and conditioner chemistry, treatment selection, head massage and home-care advice.
Shampoo and conditioner
Shampoos use surfactants to lift sebum; a pH near 4.5-5.5 respects the hair's acid mantle. Apply to the scalp, massage with fingertips, rinse fully, then apply conditioner from mid-length to ends, avoiding the scalp on oily scalps.
Diagnosis by feel
- Porosity: high-porosity hair absorbs and loses water fast and feels rough; low-porosity hair repels water and product.
- Elasticity: stretch a wet strand. If it snaps without stretching the hair is brittle; if it stretches and stays stretched it is over-processed.
- Protein versus moisture: gummy, limp hair after bleaching needs protein; dry, stiff hair needs moisture.
Scalp and treatments
Dandruff and seborrhoeic dermatitis are linked to Malassezia; mild flaking responds to an anti-dandruff shampoo, but thick scales, bleeding or patches need referral. A hair spa follows cleanse, scalp exfoliation, steam, massage, mask, rinse.
Head massage
Use rhythmic pressure from the hairline to the crown and nape. Contraindications include recent head or neck injury, uncontrolled hypertension, and broken scalp skin.
Worked example
A client who bleached twice says her wet hair feels like chewing gum and snaps. Recommendation: a protein reconstructor, no further chemical service for six weeks, and a trim of fragile ends. Reasoning: the cortex has lost protein bonds, so adding moisture alone makes hair softer, not stronger.
Traps
- Applying conditioner to the scalp to nourish an oily scalp.
- Recommending oil for dandruff, which feeds the yeast.
- Treating a scalp wound as ordinary dandruff.