Hair and Scalp Care and Treatments
What a candidate must know
Structure. The hair has three layers: cuticle (outer protective scales), cortex (about 80–90% of the fiber, holds pigment and bonds), and medulla (innermost, may be absent in fine hair). Hair is mostly keratin. Learn the four side bonds: disulfide (strongest, broken by chemical services), hydrogen and salt (broken by water and pH, re-form on drying), and peptide (broken by extreme heat or strong chemicals - damage).
Analysis of hair and scalp. Texture (fine, medium, coarse), density (thin to thick), porosity (low, normal, high), elasticity, and scalp condition. Growth cycles: anagen (growth), catagen (transition), telogen (resting/shedding).
Scalp and hair disorders. Distinguish dandruff (pityriasis, a scaling condition), seborrheic dermatitis, tinea capitis (fungal, contagious - refer), pediculosis (lice - refer), folliculitis and furuncle/carbuncle (bacterial), alopecia areata (autoimmune, not contagious), androgenic alopecia, hypertrichosis (excess growth, treatable), and hirsuties (excess growth on women from hormonal causes - refer).
Treatments. Shampoos and conditioners by purpose (clarifying, moisturizing, medicated), scalp massage manipulations - effleurage, petrissage, tapotement, friction, vibration - and contraindications such as open sores, recent chemical services, or scalp infections.
Traps
- Tinea is fungal, not bacterial, and pediculosis is parasitic - both are referrals.
- Hirsuties comes from internal causes; hypertrichosis does not.
Rule of thumb
Elasticity test: a wet strand stretches about 50% of its length and returns to normal without breaking. If it snaps, avoid chemical services.