Hair and Scalp Analysis
What you are assessing
Before any service, evaluate the hair's texture, density, porosity, elasticity, and growth pattern, and the scalp's condition and oiliness. These observations drive product choice, service timing, and whether the service should proceed at all.
Key concepts
- Texture: diameter of the individual hair - fine, medium, or coarse.
- Density: number of hairs per square inch (thin, medium, thick) - density is not the same as texture.
- Porosity: the hair's ability to absorb moisture, tied to cuticle condition. Low porosity resists moisture; high porosity absorbs fast and loses it fast (often over-porous from chemical or heat damage).
- Elasticity: wet hair stretched and released should return to length; poor elasticity signals damage and contraindicates chemical services.
- Growth patterns: cowlicks, whorls, and nape growth direction affect cutting and styling.
- Scalp types: normal, oily, dry, and combinations; note scaling, redness, or lesions.
Traps
- Confusing texture with density - a question may describe "many fine hairs," which is high density and fine texture.
- Assuming high porosity means healthy; it usually means damage.
- Skipping the elasticity test before relaxing or lightening.
- Ignoring scalp lesions - refer out rather than service over them.
Rule of thumb
Test before you treat. If wet hair snaps instead of stretching, do not apply a chemical service.
Worked example
A client with coarse, high-density hair that feels rough and absorbs water instantly, snapping when stretched wet, requests a relaxer. The snap indicates poor elasticity; the correct answer is to recommend conditioning and defer the relaxer, not to proceed with a stronger formula.