Hair and Scalp Care, Shampooing, and Treatments
Hair and Scalp Care, Shampooing, and Treatments
This domain covers hair analysis, shampoo selection, scalp massage, and treatment services, plus knowing which scalp conditions you may serve and which you must refer.
Core rules
- Analyze hair before service: texture (fine, medium, coarse), density, porosity (how quickly hair absorbs water), and elasticity (a wet strand stretches and returns).
- Shampoo is a surfactant that lifts oil and debris; choose by scalp and hair condition, not fragrance.
- Water should be comfortably warm, never hot; hot water strips sebum and irritates the scalp.
- Massage movements: effleurage (gliding), petrissage (kneading), and tapotement (tapping).
- Brushing before shampoo removes debris and distributes sebum; skip it if the scalp is irritated or broken.
- Treatments: conditioner smooths the cuticle; protein treatments temporarily fill gaps in damaged cortex; hot-oil and scalp treatments soften and lubricate.
Worked example
A client with highlighted hair says shampoo leaves it "squeaky." Reasoning: squeaky means the cuticle is rough and porosity is high after lightening, so strong detergent shampoo removes what little moisture remains. You choose a low-pH moisturizing shampoo and a conditioner left on for the label time, and you avoid aggressive brushing.
Traps
- Dandruff (pityriasis) is not dry scalp; medicated shampoo helps mild flaking, but redness, crusting, or spreading patches need referral.
- Never massage a scalp with cuts, recent chemical burns, or visible infection.
- Conditioner on the scalp can weigh down fine hair; keep it mid-shaft to ends.
- Rinsing matters: residue dulls hair and irritates the scalp.