Men’s Haircutting, Hairstyling, and Hair Care

Men’s haircutting, hairstyling, and hair care: The long hairstyles of the 1970’s triggered men to go to the cosmetologist instead of the barber for their haircuts and hair services.

Overview: This chapter provides you with the details concerning the similarities and differences in the methods and techniques for servicing men’s and women’s hair.

Behavioral objectives-student goals: After completion of this chapter, and after instruction, study, and practice, you will perform and demonstrate competency in men’s haircutting, hairstyling, and hair care by: demonstrating a man’s haircut, permanent wave, hair conditioning treatment, hair tint, chemical hair straightening process, and manicure. You will also be able to demonstrate competency by identifying, explaining, and/or listing the requirements and procedures for tinting mustaches and beards, wig services, and hairpieces.

The longer hairstyles of the late 1960’s triggered men to go to the cosmetologist instead of the barber for their haircuts and hair services. This move was inevitable because cosmetologists were accustomed to handling hair of all lengths.

The licensed cosmetologist was trained to cut and shape long and short hair, style hair, and emphasize the patron’s best features while minimizing poor ones. Blow-dry styling services, hair conditioning, hair coloring, hair straightening, permanent waving, wig services, and manicuring have all been part of cosmetology and were rapidly available for men in all beauty salons offering men’s hairstyling services. Barbers did not have experience with long hairstyles in those days. Their skills were limited to cutting short hair and basic barbering services. This, however, is not true today. Barbers are known as stylists, or men’s stylists, or barber stylists. Most State regulations permit barbers to provide the same full service as cosmetologists, and some states require cosmetologists to know how to give a shave in order to hold a “combination” or “unisex” license. The principal physical and chemical actions, basic requirements, and procedures in permanent waving, hair conditioning, hair coloring, hair straightening, wig services, and massage movements for servicing men are the same as for women.

Sanitary and safety precautions for men’s haircutting, hairstyling and hair care, etc.

• Use a rolling motion with a described semicircle in order to avoid making steps when cutting a graduated neckline.
• Buff the nails in only one direction in order to prevent a hot or burning sensation.
• Comb and brush wigs and hairpieces carefully in order to avoid pulling the hair from its foundation.
• Make strand tests. Avoid guessing.
• Make test curls frequently until the hair is fully processed.
• Do not give scalp treatments immediately before chemical hair treatments.
• Protect the patron’s clothing with the proper draping.
• Protect the patron’s ears and the skin around the hairline when using strongly alkaline or caustic products.

The most important aspects of disinfection are the removal of foreign matter (loose hair, dandruff, etc.) and a good scrubbing of the instrument (s) and hands with soap and warm water followed by a thorough rinsing. Instruments must be totally immersed in 70% isopropyl alcohol or other E.P.A. Approved disinfectant for a minimum of 10 minutes, then wiped dry before use. These procedures should also be used before disinfecting implements prior to storage for reuse.