MI Natural Hair Culturist cheat sheet

Michigan regulates natural hair culturists under the cosmetology article of the Public Health Code (MCL 339.1201 et seq.); the Michigan Board of Cosmetology administers licensure through LARA's Bureau of Professional Licensing.

Natural hair culturist licensure requires completion of an approved program of at least 400 hours of natural hair cultivation instruction, passage of the state theory and practical examinations, and payment of the required fees.

A natural hair culturist license authorizes shampooing, arranging, curling, waving, cleansing, cutting, singeing, and styling of hair by nonchemical means; chemical waving, relaxing, and hair coloring are outside the natural hair culturist scope unless the licensee also holds a cosmetology or hairstylist license.

Licenses are renewed on a two-year cycle; renewal requires the continuing education hours specified in the administrative rules and current certification in bloodborne pathogen and infection control training.

A licensee must display the license in the establishment and must provide it upon request of a board investigator or department representative; practicing on an expired or lapsed license is a violation.

Establishments must hold a separate establishment license, post it conspicuously, and operate under a designated licensee-in-charge; a natural hair culturist may not operate a salon without the establishment license.

Unprofessional conduct includes practicing beyond the scope of the license, using adulterated or misbranded products, failing to sanitize implements, and performing services on a client with a visible infectious condition without referral.

Advertising and client records are regulated: price lists must be truthful, and client service records must be retained as required by the rules and made available for inspection.

Sanitation removes visible soil and reduces microorganisms; disinfection destroys most pathogenic organisms on nonporous surfaces; sterilization destroys all microbial life including bacterial spores and requires an autoclave or dry-heat sterilizer.

Implements that contact skin or blood must be cleaned with soap and water, then disinfected with an EPA-registered hospital-grade disinfectant used at the label dilution and contact time; porous items such as nail files and wooden tools are single-use.

Hand washing with soap and running water for at least 20 seconds is required before and after each client and after removing gloves; alcohol-based sanitizer is not a substitute when hands are visibly soiled.

Bloodborne pathogen standards require gloves, and eye or face protection when splashing is likely; contaminated disposable items go in a covered waste receptacle lined with a plastic bag, and sharps go in a rigid sharps container.

Wet disinfection containers must be covered, labeled with the disinfectant name, and the solution changed per manufacturer instructions or when visibly soiled; test strips verify the effective concentration of quaternary ammonium solutions.

A blood or body fluid spill is cleaned with absorbable material, the area disinfected with an EPA-registered tuberculocidal product, and the event documented; the licensee must know the establishment's exposure control plan.

Electrical and fire safety: appliances must be grounded and inspected, cords checked for fraying, and heat tools kept away from water; establishments must have a working fire extinguisher and unobstructed exits.

Client safety includes a pre-service patch test for products when indicated, a visible scalp and skin inspection, and stopping the service if burning, redness, or an allergic reaction develops.

The hair follicle consists of the bulb, root, and shaft; the bulb contains the matrix where cell division produces hair, and the dermal papilla supplies blood and nutrients through the root.

The hair shaft has three layers: the medulla (innermost, often absent in fine hair), the cortex (bulk of the fiber, containing melanin and determining strength and curl), and the cuticle (outer overlapping scales that protect the cortex).

Hair grows in three phases: anagen (growth, about 2 to 6 years), catagen (transition, about 2 to 3 weeks), and telogen (resting, about 3 months, followed by shedding); normal shedding is roughly 50 to 100 hairs per day.

The sebaceous gland secretes sebum that lubricates hair and scalp; the arrector pili muscle contracts in response to cold or emotion, causing goose bumps.

The three main scalp types are normal, oily (seborrheic), and dry; dandruff (pityriasis) is a common flaking condition often linked to Malassezia yeast and is treated with medicated shampoo rather than oil-based products.

Common scalp disorders include seborrheic dermatitis (red, greasy scales), psoriasis (silvery plaques), tinea capitis (fungal ringworm with broken hairs), and pediculosis (lice); these require medical referral and services must be declined.

Alopecia is hair loss; androgenetic alopecia is patterned and hereditary, alopecia areata is patchy and autoimmune, and traction alopecia results from tight styling and can be prevented by avoiding tension.

Hair texture, porosity, and density guide product choice: low porosity resists moisture and needs lightweight, water-based products, while high porosity absorbs quickly and needs protein and moisture balance.

The hair typing system (types 1 through 4, with subcategories a, b, c) describes curl pattern only; texture, density, and porosity must be assessed separately for accurate product selection.

The LOC method (liquid or leave-in, oil, cream) layers moisture in order of increasing thickness; LCO reverses the oil and cream steps for hair that needs more sealing.

Cleansing options include sulfate shampoos for buildup, sulfate-free or co-wash conditioners for moisture retention, and clarifying treatments used no more than monthly to remove product residue.

Protein treatments temporarily fill gaps in the cuticle and strengthen hair; overuse causes brittleness, so protein treatments are alternated with moisturizing deep conditioning based on the hair's elasticity.

Protective styles such as braids, twists, and bantu knots reduce manipulation and breakage; tension must be avoided at the hairline, and styles should not remain longer than about 6 to 8 weeks to prevent buildup and traction loss.

Detangling is done on damp, conditioned hair with a wide-tooth comb or fingers, working from ends to roots; dry detangling on tightly coiled hair increases breakage.

Heat styling safety requires a heat protectant, a temperature appropriate to the hair type (generally no higher than about 350 to 400 degrees Fahrenheit), and a strand test before full application.

Client consultation covers hair history, chemical services, medications, allergies, and lifestyle; contraindications such as recent relaxers, scalp lesions, or known product allergies must be documented before service.

Scope of practice for the natural hair culturist is limited to nonchemical hair services; any chemical service requires a cosmetologist or hairstylist license.

License renewal occurs every two years through LARA and requires the continuing education units and infection control training specified in the administrative rules.

Establishments require a separate license and a licensee-in-charge; the license must be posted where clients can see it.

Practicing on an expired license or outside the licensed scope is grounds for disciplinary action by the Board of Cosmetology.

Client records and price lists must be accurate and available for inspection by department investigators.

Sanitation reduces soil and microorganisms on surfaces; disinfection kills most pathogens on nonporous items; sterilization kills all microbial life including spores.

Implements contacting skin or blood are cleaned, then disinfected with an EPA-registered hospital-grade product at label dilution and contact time.

Porous items such as files and wooden tools cannot be reliably disinfected and are single-use.

Hand washing for at least 20 seconds is required before and after each client and after glove removal.

Blood spills are absorbed, then disinfected with a tuberculocidal product and documented.

The follicle bulb contains the matrix and dermal papilla, which supply the growing hair with cells and nutrients.

The shaft layers are the medulla, cortex, and cuticle; the cortex carries melanin and determines strength and curl.

Growth phases are anagen (2 to 6 years), catagen (2 to 3 weeks), and telogen (about 3 months).

Normal shedding is about 50 to 100 hairs per day.

Contagious or inflammatory scalp conditions such as tinea capitis, pediculosis, and psoriasis require medical referral and declined service.

Curl pattern (types 1 to 4) does not describe porosity, density, or texture; assess all four before choosing products.

The LOC method layers liquid, oil, then cream; LCO swaps oil and cream for hair needing more sealing.

Clarifying treatments remove buildup but are limited to about once a month to avoid stripping moisture.

Protein treatments strengthen but overuse causes brittleness; alternate with moisturizing deep conditioning.

Detangle damp, conditioned hair from ends to roots to reduce breakage.

Heat tools require a protectant and a temperature generally at or below 350 to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.