Cosmetology Deregulation is a Dangerous Trend

In states like Michigan and Missouri, the proposal to deregulate sectors in the cosmetology industry is giving salon professionals cause for concern. Right now, over 496 bills pertaining to the cosmetology industry are being considered in states, and an increasing number of those are politicians seeking to deregulate the cosmetology industry. For salon professionals, there are valid reasons to be intensely concerned about the possible deregulation of the cosmetology industry.

Being able to perform cosmetology or barbering services without a license is a scary and dangerous trend, not to mention an insult to cosmetologists nationwide who have poured their time, money and energy into training for all the complex concepts that are required to get a cosmetology license. Do you think just anyone off of the street is going to walk into a salon already knowing the ins and outs of trichology and the requirements for safety and sanitation? I think not.

Politicians are aiming to deregulate the cosmetology industry in an effort to cut state and federal spending. While the pressure to cut budgets remains strong, looking to make cuts in the cosmetology field is a terrible idea, plain and simple. A level of expertise is required in the cosmetology industry that protects consumers from dangerous mishandling of cosmetology services. Consumers go to hairstylists and licensed barbers expecting that these professionals can be trusted to safely use scissors and other dangerous objects for styling hair, mix and use chemicals and products to perform beauty services, and are well-educated about the risks of certain services for certain clients. One of the major tasks is dying hair, and this task requires the use of hazardous chemicals. Being able to work with hazardous chemicals is one of the skills that a barber or beautician is trained in during the course of beauty school. Without the training to work with these chemicals, a barber or beautician may mix the wrong chemicals together and cause damage to customers' hair. A barber or beautician may not understand the proper way to apply hair color to roots and actually cause skin damage. These are some of the risks associated with the deregulation of the cosmetology industry. There is so much more that goes into quality cosmetology education than meets the eye, and deregulating poses great risks to the community.

The Professional Beauty Association has taken a strong stance against the deregulation of the cosmetology industry, and we stand by them on this issue. This organization seeks to stop the deregulation of the cosmetology industry and is being quite vocal about its opposition to the various house bills in states like Indiana's HB 1006. In states like Indiana, politicians are seeking to cut the funding for the administration of exams and inspection of beauty salons and barber shops. Once funding is cut for these tasks, they will no longer be conducted by the government. Eliminating these requirements will allow anyone to open up their own salon without reaching the required credit hours or passing written exams, and with no legitimate licensing and oversight of beauty professionals and salons.

Anyone can take an active role in opposing this legislation. The Professional Beauty Association has been working to stop this legislation from passing in each particular state it affects. In addition, the Professional Beauty Association lists the politicians that clients and beauticians can contact to voice their opposition to this legislation. People may contact their state representatives or senators by writing them letters in opposition to the policies affecting hair salons or by emailing them.