CUTTING
A SAFE PAIR OF H NDS
As a hairdresser your hands are your most valuable asset, so it’s important to look after them for a long and healthy career
Adapt your stance for the cut
“As hairdressers we haven’t been working solidly for over a year and we need to give ourselves a bit of extra time to get back into the cutting mode, build up our skills, fitness and creativity,” explains Akin Konizi, creative director at HOB Salons. “Cutting hair is like riding a bike, but we need to recondition our bodies for the busy days back in the salon. That involves allowing your skill level to increase again,” he says. Read on for lots of useful tips to avoid aches and pains when you're cutting hair over the coming months...
“I tell everyone I teach about the importance of having the right posture whilst cutting,” explains Mark Hayes, Sassoon International creative director. “This is partly because a better result can be achieved when you’re operating in a more comfortable and stable position. Operating in this way causes less stress on the body, especially over a career lifetime. For example, when cutting a line on longer hair, have the client stand whilst resting their hands on the back of a chair, rounding their shoulders gently will assist the comfort for the operator,” he says. “When cutting a bob length, I always advise the stylist to bend their knees and not their back. This means they will be looking at their work in a more comfortable position. It will also stop you from bending forwards from the waist and the stress that puts on the lower back.”
Find the right scissors for you
“There are many brands, shapes and sizes on the market so it’s important to try as many as possible to find what is comfortable for your hand and movement,” says Darren Ambrose of D&J Ambrose. “Remember scissors become an extension of your fingers when you're a hairdresser. This means it’s vital for them to fit well and feel comfortable.” Additionally, make sure your posture is correct. “Injuries can be a result of bad posture, for example, bending in bad positions, leaning or favouring one side,” he adds. “A hydraulic system in a chair is there for a reason. Use it all the time when needed and a cutting stool for eye level work. When cutting long hair, ask the client to stand upright while you use a cutting stool to work at eye level on your base line, which is better for your back and neck.”
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Choose the right scissor for the job
“I work with all different hair types so I have eight or nine pairs of scissors,” explains Desmond Murray of Atherton Cox salon. “I have a great cutting scissor that is short and long, a fine refining thinning scissor and a chunkier thinning scissor. I also have a pair of serrated scissors,” he says. “I apply them depending on the texture of the hair or what I’m hoping to achieve. I choose the scissor for the job it’s supposed to do as opposed to anything else.”
Check in with your neck
“Repetitive stress injuries like carpal tunnel syndrome are common among hairdressers, but before turning to surgery, have a doctor or physical therapist check your neck – 60% to 70% of the time the issue originates there,” explains Andrew Carruthers, education director at Sam Villa. “Many stylists hang their heads down and forward all day causing discs to slip. This puts pressure on nerves in the neck that travel down the arm to the elbow and wrist. Physical therapy can often be a less evasive treatment.”
