Hair Care and Treatments
This domain tests consultation, hair analysis, shampooing, conditioning, and scalp care. Questions often ask you to match a product or treatment to a hair condition and to recognize when to stop and refer.
Analysis before product
- Texture (fine, medium, coarse), density (thin to thick), porosity (low, medium, high), elasticity (stretch and return), and scalp condition (dry, oily, lesions).
- Porosity: low porosity resists moisture; high porosity absorbs and loses moisture quickly; damaged hair is often high porosity.
- Elasticity: healthy wet hair stretches and returns; poor elasticity snaps, signaling damage.
Shampoo and conditioner
- Shampoo surfactants lift oil and debris; sulfate-free is not automatically gentler for every client. Clarifying shampoo removes buildup but can strip color.
- Conditioners: humectants attract water, proteins temporarily fill gaps, silicones smooth the surface. Protein treatments can overload hair, making it stiff and brittle.
- Scalp massage uses light, controlled movements; avoid inflamed, infected, or injured scalp. Massage is not a diagnostic tool.
Worked example
A client with high-porosity, over-lightened hair says it is brittle and wants deep repair. Choose a low-pH moisturizing conditioner or mask, a gentle cleanser, and moderate heat. Add protein only if the wet stretch test shows mushy weakness, and schedule a trim. Reasoning: moisture and protein are different needs; too much protein can worsen brittleness.
Traps
Diagnosing scalp disease; recommending strong clarifying shampoo on fresh color; massaging over lesions; assuming coarse hair is strong; skipping a patch test when a color service is added.