4.6 Draping, Shampooing, Conditioning & Scalp Treatments

Draping: Three Types, Three Purposes

Draping protects the client's skin and clothing and is explicitly listed in the NIC outlines. The type of drape follows the service.

Three rules survive every version of the exam:

1. The cape must never touch the client's skin. A neck strip, towel, or both go underneath. Neck strips are porous and single-use — discard them under R4-10-112(E)(1).
2. Remove jewelry and eyeglasses and store them safely before draping.
3. Turn the client's collar under and check for a comfortable fit — a drape tight enough to constrict is a client-safety issue.

Arizona codifies the underlying duty in R4-10-112(J)(1): protect the client's clothing from direct contact with shampoo bowls or headrests using clean linens, capes, robes, or protective neck strips. R4-10-112(K)(1) requires clean linens for each client, laundered after each use — a cape or towel is never reused across clients without laundering.

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Shampoo Chemistry

A shampoo is a surfactant solution. The surfactant molecule has two ends:

   HYDROPHILIC HEAD  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  LIPOPHILIC TAIL
   (water-loving)                    (oil-loving)
        |                                  |
  attaches to water              attaches to sebum, product,
                                     and environmental soil
                        |
                        v
     Emulsified soil is lifted and rinsed away

Water

• Soft water — rain or chemically softened; lathers freely and is preferred for shampooing.
• Hard water — contains dissolved calcium and magnesium salts; interferes with lather and can leave mineral deposits that dull color and block chemical penetration. A chelating (clarifying) shampoo removes mineral buildup.
• Temperature — warm, not hot. Always test the water on your own wrist or inner forearm before directing it at the client's scalp, and keep a hand between the spray and the client's face.

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The Shampoo and Scalp Massage Sequence

1. Consult and analyze hair and scalp; identify contraindications such as open sores, abrasions, or signs of infection. Under R4-10-112(I) a service may not be performed on a person exhibiting reddened, erupted, or open skin.
2. Drape for a shampoo service.
3. Detangle with a wide-tooth comb, working from the ends upward.
4. Wet the hair thoroughly, protecting the face and ears.
5. Apply shampoo and distribute; work with the cushions of the fingertips, never the nails.
6. Massage the scalp with firm rotary movements, starting at the front hairline and moving back, then along the sides and to the nape.
7. Rinse completely — residue causes dullness and scalp irritation. Repeat if needed.
8. Apply conditioner to mid-lengths and ends, avoiding the scalp for heavy conditioners.
9. Rinse, towel blot, and re-drape for the next service.

After the service, the shampoo bowl and neck rest are cleaned and disinfected after each use and the neck rest is disinfected before each use (R4-10-112(N)(3)–(4)).

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Conditioners

The protein–moisture balance. Damaged hair needs both. Protein alone produces stiff, snapping strands; moisture alone produces mushy, over-elastic strands. Alternate and reassess elasticity between services.

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Scalp Treatments and Massage

Scalp massage increases circulation to the follicles, relaxes the client, and helps distribute natural oils. Select the treatment by scalp condition:

Absolute Contraindications

• Do not perform scalp manipulation immediately before a chemical service. Massage stimulates sebum production and can irritate the scalp, and an irritated scalp burns under a relaxer or high-lift color.
• Do not shampoo before a hydroxide relaxer. Manipulating the scalp before applying a caustic product is the classic cause of chemical burns.
• Do not treat a scalp showing open sores, abrasions, pediculosis, tinea, or signs of infection. Arizona requires a physician's statement that the condition is not infectious, contagious, or communicable before service may proceed (A.R.S. § 32-574(A)(7)).

Textured Hair Note

Tightly coiled hair is more fragile at the bends of the curl and is more prone to dryness because sebum travels the shaft less easily. Shampoo less aggressively, detangle in sections while conditioner is in the hair, and rely on moisturizing and co-washing products. Section 4.9 covers textured hair care in depth.