Hair History Importance

Hair professionals committed to helping their clients maintain healthy hair for all different types, textures, and cuticle shapes, appreciate it greatly when a client provides a five-year chemical history of their hair.

It's critical for any hair stylist to evaluate which chemical (s) have already been applied to the client's strands, before  applying any additional treatments.

Generally, if the client’s hair is beyond shoulder length  hair history.

If a stylist applies any type of products (chemical perms, relaxers or straightening treatments, bleach, hair color) to a new client's hair without prior knowledge of their long term hair history it could result in disaster.

Hair Professionals Need To Understand  - A New Client's History Of Prior Chemical Treatments

A responsible and highly professional hair expert has to understand exactly what chemicals have previously been on the hair.

If they don't the chemical treatment can potentially over process the hair causing partial or total breakage.

Hair professionals must take into consideration each and every level of chemical which may have been applied to each strand of the client’s hair.

Understanding A Client's Complete Hair History Will Impact Any Future Treatments

Once they understand the complete hair history, they can choose the best treatment products, strengths and processing times in order to obtain the most successful result.

It's possible the stylist will have to apply different chemical formulas and different levels of developers in

certain areas of the head in some cases.

Hair Should Be Analyzed According To The Following Sections Of The Hair:

Roots - 4 inches of completely new growth — virgin

Middle Strands - 2 inches down the hair strand — color

Ends - 2 inches further down to the ends — heat damage with color each length has a different porosity level.

In such situations, pre-processed hair must be protected (e.g., by putting peroxide color on roots and semi on ends so they don’t over process)

Medication and surgical treatments may also have a long term impact on your hair.

As a result, it's important you keep  a record of all your hair, cosmetic and medical information.

A New Hair Client May Not Be Willing To Share Their Hair History

As an example, a new hair client at one hair establishment was adamant about not having had chemicals of any kind on her hair at any time.

While most of her hair appeared healthy from her roots to about 4 inches down the strands, the rest of her was heavily damaged.

The stylist thought they'd taken a detailed history, but they quickly realized, the client was not being fully transparent about her hair’s history.

Medical Treatments Such As Anesthesia Could Impact The Health Of The Hair

Luckily, before moving forward with her appointment, the stylist analyzed the situation. Then she asked the client if she'd undergone anesthesia within the past two or three years.

The new client explained she'd previously had a brain tumor. As a result of her brain tumor, during medical treatment, she went under anesthesia for five hours during the surgery to remove the tumor.

Luckily this newfound medical information helped the stylist understand what type of hair products were safe to use on the new clients' hair.

A Complete Hair History Could Prevent Future Problem Or Damage

All responsible hair clients going to a new professional stylist, especially for any type of chemical treatments, must provide a complete hair history in order to avoid any type of problems or damage

A comprehensive hair history should include a list of any prior chemical hair processes, surgeries and/or medications (prescribed or otherwise) .

Any of those items may pay a critical role in the final result of a client's hair appointment if chemicals are used and the stylist isn't aware or what was previously applied to the hair.

Do Your Research And Prepare A Complete Hair History Before Working With A New Hairstylist

In order to prevent hair disasters a stylist must have al relevant and necessary information to properly treat your hair.

Before visiting a new hair professional every hair consumer should stop and take the time to write up a completely hair history going back at least 5 years.  Make sure to include all chemical treatments as well as medical treatments.

Even prescription medications may impact the condition of hair and make it more at risk during some types of chemical treatments.