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A barber is a person whose occupation is mainly to cut, dress, groom, style and shave men's and boy's hair or beards. A barber's place of work is known as a "barbershop" or a "barber's". Historically barbershops were also places of social interaction and public discourse. In some instances, barbershops were also public fora. They were the locations of open debates, voicing public concerns, and engaging citizens in discussions about contemporary issues.
In previous times, barbers (known as barber surgeons) also performed surgery and dentistry.[1] With the development of safety razors and the decreasing prevalence of beards in Anglophonic cultures, most barbers now specialize in cutting men's scalp hair as opposed to facial hair.
In modern times, the term "barber" is used both as a professional title and to refer to hairdressers who specialize in men's hair. Historically, all hairdressers were considered barbers. In the 20th century, the profession of cosmetology branched off from barbering, and today hairdressers may be licensed as either barbers or cosmetologists. Barbers differ with respect to where they work, which services they are licensed to provide, and what name they use to refer to themselves. Part of this terminology difference depends on the regulations in a given location.
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How to clean and sanitize your barber tools
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What are the best barber magazines and blogs
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What are the different types of barber chairs
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How to join a barber association or union
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Different states in the US vary on their labor and licensing laws. For example, in Maryland and Pennsylvania, a cosmetologist cannot use a straight razor, strictly reserved for barbers. In contrast, in New Jersey both are regulated by the State Board of Cosmetology and there is no longer a legal difference in barbers and cosmetologists, as they are issued the same license and can practice both the art of straight razor shaving, coloring, other chemical work and haircutting if they choose.[citation needed]
In Australia, during the mid to late 20th century, the official term for a barber was men's hairdresser; barber was only a popular title for men's hairdressers. During this time, most would work in either a barbershop or hairdressing salon.
The barber's trade has a long history: razors have been found among relics of the Bronze Age (around 3500 BC) in Egypt. The first barbering services were performed by Egyptians in 5000 B.C. with instruments they had made from oyster shells or sharpened flint.[3] In ancient Egyptian culture, barbers were highly respected individuals. Priests and men of medicine are the earliest recorded examples of barbers.[4] In addition, the art of barbering played a significant role across continents. Mayan, Aztec, Iroquois, Norse and Mongolian cultures utilized shave art as a way to distinguish roles in society and wartime.[5] Men in Ancient Greece would have their beards, hair, and fingernails trimmed and styled by the κουρεύς (cureus), in an agora (market place) which also served as a social gathering for debates and gossip.
Barbering was introduced to Rome by the Greek colonies in Sicily in 296 BC, and barbershops quickly became very popular centres for daily news and gossip. A morning visit to the tonsor became a part of the daily routine, as important as the visit to the public baths, and a young man's first shave (tonsura) was considered an essential part of his coming of age ceremony. A few Roman tonsores became wealthy and influential, running shops that were favourite public locations of high society; however, most were simple tradesmen, who owned small storefronts or worked in the streets for low prices.
Starting from the Middle Ages, barbers often served as surgeons and dentists. In addition to haircutting, hairdressing, and shaving, barbers performed surgery, bloodletting and leeching, fire cupping, enemas, and the extraction of teeth; earning them the name "barber surgeons".[6] Barber-surgeons began to form powerful guilds such as the Worshipful Company of Barbers in London. Barbers received higher pay than surgeons until surgeons were entered into British warships during naval wars. Some of the duties of the barber included neck manipulation, cleansing of ears and scalp, draining of boils, fistula and lancing of cysts with wicks.
Barbershops were influential at the turn of the 19th century in the United States as African American businesses that helped to develop African American culture and economy. According to Trudier Harris, "In addition to its status as a gathering place, the black barbershop also functioned as a complicated and often contradictory microcosm of the larger world. It is an environment that can bolster egos and be supportive as well as a place where phony men can be destroyed, or at least highly shamed, from participation in verbal contests and other contests of skill. It is a retreat, a haven, an escape from nagging wives and the cares of the world. It is a place where men can be men. It is a place, in contrast to Gordone's bar, to be somebody."[7] Barbershops from black barbers at first mostly served wealthy caucasians. In the later part of the century they opened barbershops in black communities for serving black people.[8]
In the late 19th and early 20th century, barbershops became a common business in the United States where people would go to have their hair cut by a professional barber with good equipment. People would also play board games, talk about recent events, or gossip.[10][11] They have also occasionally been used for public debates or voicing public concerns.[12]
Despite the economic recession in 2008, the barbershop industry has seen continued positive growth. Recently there was a trial that had barbers check high blood pressure in barbershops and have a pharmacist meet and treat the patient in the barbershop, with positive results.[13]
The barber Sam Mature, whose interview with Studs Terkel was published in Terkel's 1974 book Working, says "A man used to get a haircut every couple weeks. Now he waits a month or two, some of 'em even longer than that. A lot of people would get manicured and fixed up every week. Most of these people retired, moved away, or died. It's all on account of long hair. You take old-timers, they wanted to look neat, to be presentable. Now people don't seem to care too much."
Given their importance as social hubs in certain cultures, barbershops have been used in educational campaigns. These include the U.S. literacy project Barbershop Books,[15] which sets up reading stations in barbershops to promote a culture of reading among African American boys.[16] Public health researchers have also explored barbershops as a venue for sexual health education.[17]
In 1893, A. B. Moler of Chicago established a school for barbers. This was the first institution of its kind in the world, and its success was apparent from its very start. It stood for higher education in the ranks, and the parent school was rapidly followed by branches in nearly every principal city of the United States. In the beginning of barber schools, only the practical work of shaving, hair-cutting, facial treatments, etc., was taught as neither the public nor the profession was ready to accept scientific treatments of hair, skin and scalp. Not until about 1920 was much effort made to professionalize the work.[4]
The barber pole, featuring blue, red and white spiraling stripes, symbolizes different aspects of the craft. It is a symbol from the time when barbers used to perform medical procedures. The white and red stripes represent bandages and blood while the blue stripes represent veins. In the United States, the blue stripe is also sometimes used to match the flag.[8]
The market for barber supplies is estimated to have revenue of around twenty billion dollars. The industry in the U.S. market is expected to grow by around 3% per year between 2017 and 2022.[citation needed]
The term "barbering" when applied to laboratory mice is a behaviour where mice will use their teeth to pluck out hairs from the face of cage mates when they groom each other. It is practised by both male and female mice. The "barber" plucks the vibrissae of the recipient. The behavior is probably related to social dominance.[19]
Barbering includes the practice of shaving, trimming or cutting of the beard, and the arranging, cutting, styling, dressing, shampooing, cleansing and conditioning or temporary curling of hair. Unlike hair designers, barbers cannot apply chemical treatments such as coloring, dyeing, relaxing and permanent waves.
We are not a cosmetology school that just happens to offer a barbering course on the side. Our school is all about teaching the best barbering techniques and skills so you will have the tools you need to succeed in your field.
Real-world experience is critical to this entire process, and throughout this advanced barber course, you will have the opportunity to develop and expand your talents in a real barbershop environment.
Reciprocity is the process of transferring a barber registration/license between states or countries. Applications for reciprocity to Minnesota are evaluated on a case by case basis. The Board will review the education and experience of the applicant as provided in the application to determine eligibility for a Minnesota Barber registration/license. If the applicant's education and experience is determined to be substantially the same as the Minnesota requirements and the applicant has a current registration/license from another state or country that is in good standing, a registration/license may be issued. If these qualifications are not met, the applicant may be required to obtain additional training and/or take a Minnesota barber examination to become registered/licensed. See below for applications from another state or country requirements.
To apply for a barber registration through reciprocity, complete the reciprocity application (click here for application) and submit all required documentation and fees with your application including: