Hair and Scalp Care
What the exam tests
Hair and scalp care items test basic trichology, scalp assessment, shampoo and conditioner selection, and recognition of conditions you must not treat. Barber scope includes cleansing and grooming, not medical diagnosis.
Core rules
- Scalp hair grows about 1/2 inch per month; 50–100 shed hairs per day is normal. Growth cycles are anagen (growth), catagen (transition), and telogen (rest and shed).
- Assess before service: look for redness, scale, crusts, pus, broken hairs, patches, and lice or nits. Ask about itching, pain, and recent products.
- Contagious conditions-tinea capitis (ringworm), pediculosis (lice), impetigo, scabies-require referral and no service until cleared.
- Non-contagious flaking may be dry scalp or seborrheic dermatitis; use gentle shampoo and avoid harsh scrubbing. Do not promise a cure.
- Match shampoo to the scalp, not just the hair: an oily scalp needs a clarifying or oil-controlling formula; a dry scalp needs a mild, moisturizing formula.
Worked example
A client has a circular scaly patch with broken hairs and asks for a tight fade. Reasoning: this suggests tinea capitis, a contagious fungal infection. Do not cut over the area, do not share clippers, disinfect equipment after any contact, and refer to a physician. Reschedule after clearance.
Traps
Calling every flake dandruff; treating ringworm with shampoo; ignoring broken hairs; promising regrowth; using harsh products on inflamed scalp; failing to ask about recent chemical services.