Scalp and Hair Care — practice questions
2.5% of the exam ≈3 real questions 5 free questions here
The smallest domain on either exam — 5% of the clinical test, about 3 questions. Shampoo and conditioner chemistry, scalp massage, and the scalp conditions that stop a service. Three questions is not a reason to skip it: they are almost all referral questions, and referral questions have one defensible answer.
Where people lose points
- Tinea capitis is ringworm — a contagious fungal infection. You do not shampoo it, treat it or work around it. You refer, and you disinfect everything the client touched.
- Dandruff has two forms and they are handled differently. The dry, flaking form may be serviced with an appropriate shampoo; the greasy, waxy, inflamed form is referred to a physician.
- Never massage a scalp with abrasions, inflammation or open sores, and skip vigorous manipulation before a chemical relaxer — irritated skin plus a hydroxide relaxer is a chemical burn.
- Shampoo is alkaline and lifts the cuticle; an acid-balanced conditioner or rinse closes it again. A question about frizz, dullness or tangling after washing is usually asking about cuticle direction, not about product quality.
- Alopecia is hair loss, not a disease you treat. Recognizing the pattern — androgenic, areata, traction, postpartum — is inside your scope; treating any of them is not.
Drill: Scalp and Hair Care
5 free questions from this domain, each with an explanation and a cited source. Timed at real exam pace.
5 questions
Pass line: 75%, same as the real exam
See the answer and explanation right after each question.