Hair and Scalp: Care and Structure
Hair and Scalp: Care and Structure
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Hair and Scalp: Care and Structure
This lesson links practical hairdressing knowledge with basic hair science. The main thread is how structure, care and environment affect the condition of hair and scalp.
Learning goal
I can explain how hair and scalp condition are affected by cleansing, conditioning, hair structure, bonds, humidity and the hair growth cycle.
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What words come to mind when you think of healthy hair and scalp care?
Use this to surface prior knowledge such as clean, shiny, dandruff, shampoo, conditioner, oily, dry, frizz or growth. Pick out a few terms to link to the lesson goal.
Shampoo and scalp cleansing
Shampoo cleanses the hair and scalp
It removes dirt, oil, product build-up and sweat
A clean scalp supports healthy-looking hair
Shampoo should match the client's hair and scalp needs
Emphasise that shampoo is mainly for the scalp and roots, where oil and build-up collect most.
How shampoo works
Shampoo contains cleansing agents that lift away sebum, dirt and styling residue. Water helps spread the product, and massaging the scalp helps loosen build-up so it can be rinsed away.
You can mention sebum as the scalp's natural oil. Keep the explanation simple and linked to salon practice.
Choosing the right shampoo
Dry hair may need a moisturising shampoo
Oily hair may need a balancing shampoo
Coloured hair often needs a gentle shampoo
Sensitive scalps need mild products
Link product choice to client consultation. Wrong shampoo choice can worsen dryness, oiliness or irritation.
Conditioner and hair care
Conditioner helps replace moisture after cleansing
It smooths the cuticle layer
Hair becomes easier to comb and manage
Conditioner can improve softness and shine
Stress that conditioner is mainly applied through mid-lengths and ends unless a scalp-specific conditioning product is being used.
What conditioner does
Conditioner coats and smooths the hair shaft. This reduces tangling, lowers friction between strands and helps protect hair from damage during combing and styling.
Useful place to remind learners that rough handling after washing can damage weakened wet hair.
Why cleansing and conditioning work together
Shampoo removes unwanted build-up, while conditioner helps restore smoothness and manageability. In salon work, both steps are important because clean hair that is also conditioned is easier to cut, style and maintain.
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Which product is mainly used to cleanse the scalp and roots?
Conditioner
Shampoo
Serum
Hairspray
Checks the key distinction from slides 2–7: shampoo cleanses, while conditioner smooths and protects the hair fibre.
Complete the hair care summary
A shampoo removes dirt, oil and build-up from the hair and scalp. After cleansing, conditioner helps smooth the cuticle and improve shine and manageability. Together, these steps help hair feel cleaner and easier to comb.
The blanks focus on the taught functions of shampoo and conditioner rather than tiny grammar words.
Recognising scalp condition
The scalp may be normal, dry, oily or sensitive
Condition affects comfort and product choice
Healthy scalp skin supports healthy hair growth
Hairdressers should observe the scalp during consultation
Keep the focus on observation and care, not medical diagnosis.
Common scalp conditions
Dry scalp - may feel tight and flaky
Oily scalp - excess sebum can make hair look greasy
Sensitive scalp - may feel sore or irritated
Dandruff - visible loose flakes on the scalp and hair
Do not move into diagnosis beyond common salon-recognised conditions. If a scalp looks unusual or inflamed, referral is the safe message.
Why scalp condition matters
It affects client comfort
It influences shampoo and treatment choice
It can affect the appearance of the hair
Poor scalp condition may need careful handling
A practical link: if the scalp is sensitive, use gentle pressure and suitable products when shampooing.
When to adapt salon practice
Hairdressers should choose products and techniques that suit the scalp condition. A dry scalp may need gentle, moisturising care, while an oily scalp may need lighter products and thorough cleansing.
This slide keeps the lesson anchored in professional decision-making rather than just naming conditions.
Which scalp condition may make hair look greasy?
Dry scalp
Sensitive scalp
Oily scalp
Dandruff
Tests recognition of common scalp conditions from slides 8–11.
How would you adapt care for a dry or oily scalp?
Expected elements: observe scalp condition during consultation; choose suitable products; adapt pressure and technique; for dry scalp use gentle moisturising care; for oily scalp use lighter products and thorough cleansing; keep within salon care rather than medical diagnosis.
Keratin: the main hair protein
Hair is made mainly from keratin
Keratin is a strong fibrous protein
It gives hair structure, strength and flexibility
The arrangement of keratin affects how hair behaves
Introduce keratin as the structural material of hair before moving to alpha and beta forms.
Alpha keratin
Alpha keratin is the main form found in human hair. Its coiled structure helps hair stay flexible while still being strong enough to resist everyday stress from brushing, washing and styling.
Keep this grounded in human hair. Students mainly need to know that alpha keratin supports the natural strength and flexibility of hair.
Beta keratin
Beta keratin has a more layered structure
It is harder and less flexible than alpha keratin
It is more associated with feathers, claws and scales than human hair
Make the contrast clear: alpha keratin is the key form for hairdressing knowledge, while beta keratin helps students understand structural differences in keratin types.
Why keratin matters in hairdressing
Because hair is built from keratin, its strength, elasticity and response to products depend on that protein structure. When the structure is protected, hair tends to feel smoother, stronger and easier to manage.
Bridge from science back to practice: product choice and handling affect how well the hair fibre stays protected.
Which type of keratin is the main form in human hair?
Gamma keratin
Beta keratin
Alpha keratin
Delta keratin
Reinforces the contrast: alpha keratin is linked to human hair; beta keratin is harder and more associated with feathers, claws and scales.
Complete the keratin paragraph
Hair is made mainly from keratin, a strong fibrous protein. In human hair, alpha keratin helps provide strength and flexibility. beta keratin is harder and less flexible, and it is more associated with feathers, claws and scales.
All blanks come directly from slides 12–15 and keep the alpha/beta contrast clear.
Hydrogen bonds in hair
Hydrogen bonds are weak physical side bonds
They are easily broken by water or heat
They reform as the hair dries or cools
They help temporary styling hold its shape
Connect this to blow-dries, roller sets and restyling. The key idea is temporary change.
Salt bonds in hair
Salt bonds are also weak side bonds
They depend on the hair's pH balance
Strong changes in acidity or alkalinity can affect them
They help support the hair's inner structure
Learners do not need deep chemistry here. Keep the idea practical: pH can influence hair structure and condition.
Temporary styling and weak bonds
Water or heat → hydrogen bonds break → hair can be reshaped
Hair dries or cools → hydrogen bonds reform → style sets in the new shape
Changes in pH can also disturb salt bonds, which affects the hair's condition and behaviour.
This is the main cause-and-effect slide in the lesson. It explains why some styles hold only until the hair becomes damp again.
Humidity and the hair
Humidity means moisture in the air
Hair can absorb this moisture
Extra moisture affects hydrogen bonds
Styles may drop, expand or become frizzy
This is an ideal real-life example of bond theory. Students often already know frizz from experience.
Why humidity changes a style
When hair absorbs moisture from humid air, some hydrogen bonds are disrupted. This can cause a smooth blow-dry to lose shape, curls to loosen or straight hair to swell and frizz.
Link back to temporary styling and explain that humidity does not permanently change the hair, but it can quickly affect the finish.
Reducing the effects of humidity
Use suitable styling and finishing products
Smooth the cuticle during drying
Choose styles that suit the weather conditions
Advise clients on home care for frizz control
Keep advice practical and salon-based. This slide helps learners apply science to client care.
What usually breaks hydrogen bonds in hair?
Water or heat
Cold air
Dry shampoo
Hair growth
Checks the mechanism from slides 16–21. The distractors are nearby hair ideas, but only water or heat disrupt hydrogen bonds in this lesson context.
Complete the bonds and humidity summary
Hydrogen bonds are weak side bonds that can be broken by water or heat. They reform as hair dries or cools, which helps temporary styling hold shape. In humid weather, hair absorbs moisture from the air, so styles may drop or become frizzy.
This anchors the cause-and-effect chain linking weak bonds to humidity and style change.
Which effect of humidity do you notice most often in hair?
Frizz
Dropping curls
Loss of volume
Swelling
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The hair growth cycle
Hair does not grow all at once
Each hair follicle follows a cycle
The cycle includes growth, change and shedding
This is normal and continuous
Introduce the growth cycle simply before naming the stages.
Stages of the growth cycle
Anagen - the active growing stage
Catagen - a short transition stage
Telogen - the resting stage
After telogen, the hair sheds and a new cycle begins
Pronounce the terms clearly. Students need the basic order and purpose of each stage.
Why the growth cycle matters
The hair growth cycle explains why some hair is growing while some is resting or shedding. Understanding this helps hairdressers recognise normal hair loss and discuss hair condition more confidently with clients.
Keep within a hairdressing scope. Avoid medical claims, but stress that some shedding is a normal part of the cycle.
Scalp care and hair growth
Healthy scalp care supports the best environment for hair
Cleanliness and suitable products matter
Scalp condition can affect comfort during the growth cycle
Make the link back to the start of the lesson: cleansing and scalp care support the environment in which hair grows.
Which stage of the hair cycle is the active growing stage?
Catagen
Telogen
Shedding
Anagen
Checks recall of the growth cycle stages from slides 22–25.
Complete the hair growth cycle text
Each hair follicle follows a cycle. Anagen is the active growing stage, catagen is a short transition stage, and telogen is the resting stage before the hair sheds and a new cycle begins.
Order matters here, so each blank has one clear position.
What is one thing you learned today about hair or scalp care?
This is an exit ticket. Invite brief reflection on the strongest takeaway, such as shampoo versus conditioner, scalp observation, keratin, weak bonds, humidity or the growth cycle.
Which part of the lesson helped you understand best?
This reflection helps the teacher see which explanation supported learning best: images, examples, product matching, bond diagrams or the growth cycle stages.
Which part of this lesson still feels hardest?
Use responses to identify misconceptions or topics to revisit, such as alpha versus beta keratin, hydrogen versus salt bonds, or the growth cycle order.
Glossary
Shampoo - a cleansing product used to remove dirt, oil and build-up from the hair and scalp
Conditioner - a product that smooths, softens and helps protect the hair
Scalp - the skin on the head where hair grows
Sebum - the natural oil produced by the scalp
Keratin - the main structural protein in hair
Alpha keratin - the flexible keratin structure found in human hair
Beta keratin - a harder, less flexible keratin structure found more in feathers, claws and scales
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Glossary
Hydrogen bonds - weak side bonds in the hair that are broken by water or heat and reform as hair dries or cools
Salt bonds - weak side bonds in the hair affected by changes in pH
Humidity - moisture in the air
Hair follicle - the structure in the skin that produces hair
Anagen - the active growth stage of the hair cycle
Catagen - the short transition stage of the hair cycle
Telogen - the resting stage of the hair cycle before shedding
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