Navigating Fine vs. Thin Hair Cheat Sheet from Kerri Parker, Certified Trichologist
Kerri Parker, a certified trichologist, helps explain how to navigate difficult conversations with clients, focusing on clients with Fine or Thin hair.
CONSULTATION TIPS
1. Start with an email consultation before the client comes into the salon. Ask the client their concerns and goals for the appointment & respond
accordingly about what the client should do pre-appointment.
2. Educate clients on their hair diameter with the option of using visual & tactile reference: silk for fine hair, cotton for medium hair, and corduroy for coarse hair.
3. Instead of making statements, ask questions: what issues are they having with their hair and how long have they been having the issue? Put the focus on the client.
TIPS FOR FINE HAIR
1. Only color/highlight hair when absolutely necessary.
2. Keep your curling/flat irons to no higher than 200 degrees or use a roller set instead.
3. Ask client to pin curl hair at night and wear a bonnet over top to reduce exposure to heat for curls.
4. On non wash days, have client wear satin lined shower caps to avoid hair getting wet.
5. On wash days, tell client to reduce water to medium temperature when shampooing
TIPS FOR THIN & THINNING HAIR
1. Familiarize yourself with the Sinclair hair loss scale for women & Hamilton-Norwood scale for men to help identify client needs.
2. To respect clients’ privacy, have conversations around hair thinning in a private area of the salon.
3. Sinclair level 3 and above don’t put any type of extensions, color, or braids in order to prevent further thinning.
4. Is the client complaining about hair falling? By the time people notice hair loss, they have already lost 50% of their hair.
5.Refer to a trichologist or a dermatologist that specializes in hair loss.
6.Clients want what they want. If you are unsure of a chemical process or style, refer them out to a stylist specialist or a trichologist.
Kerri Parker is a certified trichologist with stylist experience who is familiar with challenges related to the hair & scalp. She has dealt with hair loss on & off her entire life due to eczema, so has dedicated her time to helping others with similar problems by founding Parker Trichology Centre.
