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What do Hairdressing Schools Teach You?

Tricia Christensen
By
Updated Jan 25, 2024
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There are many things people might learn at hairdressing schools, which are also cosmetology or beauty schools. At minimum a person should learn enough, and get enough practice, to be able to take an exam which giving the person a license on a regional level. It usually requires work, even with skill, to pass these practical examinations.

When people hear the term hairdressing schools, thoughts naturally lead to the issue of how to take care of hair. Obviously, people in a cosmetology program do learn how to cut hair, and use different kinds of scissors or other cutting implements as tools. They don’t just acquire the skills to cut hair evenly, but they learn to cut it in ways that will look attractive and provide a nice shape.

Though haircuts are important, they’re not the only things that can be done with hair. Coloring hair becomes important, as does styling it with various implements like curling irons and curlers. People learn how to shape hair in a variety of up-dos for special occasions and they also study how relax hair with chemicals and use chemicals to create permanent waves.

Hair care itself may be another matter addressed at hairdressing schools. Sometimes people have difficulty with dry or damaged hair and that may need to be addressed. Hair stylists might also see other issues with hair that diminish its appearance, like presence of heavy metals in water that may change hair color. Stylists may learn how to diagnose these problems so they can inform clients of possible remedies. Since many people color their own hair, sometimes with unexpected and unattractive results, another area of study is color correction.

With the basics of hair styling, coloring, perming, and cutting down, the cosmetologist may learn a number of other skills. Many study how to correctly apply makeup, or they could be expert in giving manicures and pedicures. Some hairdressing schools have specialized programs where stylists learn even more.

For example, hairdressers might learn how to perform facial waxing, or they could learn how to give things like facials. Other specializations like electrolysis (removal of fine hairs) are sometimes available as electives in schools. These extra classes or specialties could help a person enter different fields or expand the range of services offered to clients.

While it’s recommended that people find hairdressing schools that offer classes in all areas in which training is desired, sometimes a local school just doesn’t have a specific training element. One remedy to this is to take training clinics, which could be offered in a number of locations, either before or after schooling is complete. These can be a good way to pick up extra skills. It is important before attending schools to compare classes and curriculum taught, as this may be the best way of deciding which school is the most appropriate.

WiseGeek is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.
Tricia Christensen
By Tricia Christensen , Writer
With a Literature degree from Sonoma State University and years of experience as a WiseGeek contributor, Tricia Christensen is based in Northern California and brings a wealth of knowledge and passion to her writing. Her wide-ranging interests include reading, writing, medicine, art, film, history, politics, ethics, and religion, all of which she incorporates into her informative articles. Tricia is currently working on her first novel.

Discussion Comments

By Laotionne — On Feb 14, 2015

@mobilian33 - I agree with @Animandel when she says that you are pretty safe getting a haircut at a hairdressing school. The people cutting your hair may not be professionals yet, but most of them are close to ready to become professionals. They don't allow people to cut hair on the first day they enter the school.

That being said, I have a friend who went to a hairdressing school to get a perm. The girl who was taking care of her left the chemicals in my friend's hair too long. My friend's scalp began to burn and she put up with the burning as long as she could before she started screaming for someone to wash the chemicals out of her hair.

My friend's hair was damaged, and much of it fell out. It was more than a few months before her head got back to where she could go out without a hat of some kind covering the damage. When you use a hairdressing school, you should stick to the simple procedures that they can't mess up too badly.

By Animandel — On Feb 14, 2015

@mobilian33 - I am not ashamed to admit that I am very frugal. Some people close to me might choose to say I'm cheap, but whichever word you use, the bottom line is that I like to save a penny wherever and whenever I can.

I have been using hair-cutting schools for my kids and for myself for years. The stylist do really good work when they give us haircuts for the most part, and so what if they take a little too much off or don't get it all even, the hair will grow back, eventually.

By mobilian33 — On Feb 13, 2015

Getting my hair cut regularly can cut into my budget, which is a bigger concern for me since I haven't been working as much as I should be lately. A friend has suggested that we drive down to the local hairdressing school and have one of the students cut our hair. Most of the hair schools don't charge anything for the service, or the charge is very small because the students are not certified yet and they need people to practice on. We get free or very cheap haircuts in exchange for being guinea pigs.

Tricia Christensen

Tricia Christensen

Writer

With a Literature degree from Sonoma State University and years of experience as a WiseGeek contributor, Tricia...
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