To want to be a hairdresser even though I have a disability?

[Dani124]

I’m 25, and I have mild cerebral palsy- of my left side. although I have took a liking for doing hairstyles and blow dries. I do find it difficult however with practise I think I would be able to make it in to a business? Does anyone have any advice on this, thank you.

Have you done any training yet? I'm qualified in beauty therapy, but part of the assessments for beauty were making sure you could do the treatments in a specified amount of time, and sometimes it was much shorter than I thought it would be (and much shorter than my own beauty therapist does it in). I'd expect hair to have the same timing rules for assessments. So if you've already managed to qualify, I wouldn't see any issue in you building a business afterwards.

The last hairdresser I saw kept me waiting 45 minutes as she'd overrun with her last client by that length and then overran my appointment and ended up taking 3h30m to do a very basic cut and blow dry. She had no obvious disabilities, she just took forever (and it wasn't a great cut). I wouldn't personally use her again as the cut was crap, but she's been employed by the salon for years, so there must be enough clients to keep her going, so if time is the main issue, I'd imagine you wouldn't have too many problems building a client base and keeping them if you're personable and can do good hair, even if it takes a bit longer.

I have done 2 courses, I sort of struggled with the blowdry as the hairdryer was heavy but I was thinking with a light weight one I’d be ok, I also done an upstyle course it took me 45/1hr to complete each one which I thought was okay, totally agree you wouldn’t want to be sitting waiting hours on end, thank you so much for commenting, I wouldn’t say my disability would be obvious to those I don’t mention it to, if you get what I mean but also need to take it in to consideration x

Should also clarify it would more be hair styling rather than hairdressing such as colouring and cutting ect.

OP, my friends son has mild cp, you woukdbt know to look at him, until he plays football, as its his coordination thats affected.

He loves football, year in year out he tried for the school team, and broke his heart all over again when he wasnt picked.

My advice to you is his mums advice to him. Keep it as a passion but come to terms with tge fact it will probably never be more, I don't say that to be mean

If you were qualified and competent, your disability wouldn’t matter.

However, the only concerns I would have is not about your competence, but the profitability. Ie. If the average cost for your service is £30, and usually takes half an hour, but it takes you an hour, then you’re cutting your profit by half, and that’s before paying out for salon rent, equipment, electricity etc

@TesChique aw no🥹that made me very sad for your friends son as I know how it feels. Don’t worry I didn’t take it as mean I’m just going to keep practising and see how I feel x
@TesChique yes completely understand where your coming from due to the cost of the service and it might take me that bit longer, thank you for your input I’m finding this very helpful x