This is a pre-haircut tip that a lot of barbers miss in the beginning of the haircut. Even if they do utilize the tip i am about to discuss, they may not even know why they do it.
The tool that you will need for this tip is a comb like this one.
One end of the comb has fine teeth. Before you start cutting someones hair, you need to comb through the hair. Comb through the whole head in the direction that you will be cutting the hair. Make sure the comb is touching the scalp when you comb through the hair. The reason you need the comb to touch the scalp while combing through the hair is to detect bumbs and sores in a customers scalp before you start cutting the hair. Once and if you discover bumps, blood or sores, then it is at your discretion if you want to proceed with the haircut.
Some customers will not tell you that they have sores or bumps in their scalp in fear that you won't cut their hair. Customers WILL deceive you for your services. A customer knows the condition of their own scalp and sometimes will not tell you about it beforehand.
So be careful and always comb through the whole head slowly to see if you feel the comb snag anything and pay attention to the customer to see if they express any pain because you have combed through a sore on the scalp.
When i was a rookie, i cut a guys hair before combing the hair and WOW!!! He had a huge infection on his neck with bloody bumps full of puss. I finished the cut but i never cut his hair again for not telling me. I was a rookie and did not ask. Part my fault also. Which is why i am educating barbers so that they can avoid a similar experience.
Always try to network with a dermatologist so that you can send them clients with bad skin and scalp disorders. And maybe the dermatologist will in return send you customers as well.
Master Barber
Alex Campbell
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