Left-handed Hairdressers: Your Questions Answered
Are you the only leftie in the salon? Do you often feel like the odd one out with your ‘different’ scissors? Perhaps you’re struggling to learn cutting techniques from a right-handed hairdresser?
Left-handed people make up around 10% of the world’s population – and if you’re one of them, you’ll be only too aware that ‘normal’ scissors aren’t the only thing that are tricky to use. In fact, it can often feel like everything from cooking implements to pens are put on this earth just to frustrate you!
However, you’ll be pleased to know that – here at MHD – we’ve got your back. Read on for some fascinating facts about lefties – and to find out more about our left-handed instructors. And don’t forget to check out our brand new category that features tutorials taught by them.
Why are some people left handed?
This is a great place to start. And the answer isn’t straightforward. Scientists aren’t exactly sure why 10% of the population are left handed, but they do know that genetics is only part of the answer. So while you’re more likely to be left handed if other members of your family are too, this is by no means the only factor at play. In fact, environmental factors also play their part.
Fascinatingly, you might be more likely to be left handed if your mother was stressed during her pregnancy: in the womb, these babies touch their faces more with their left hands than their right. What’s more, you’re more likely to be left-handed if you’re a twin.
Are left-handed people more likely to become hairdressers?
Unfortunately, our research hasn’t uncovered any formal statistics on the proportion of hairdressers who are left-handed, although several blogs talk about lefties using their right hands to cut hair – an incredible feat, as those among you who remember trying to cut a straight line with scissors that just didn’t fit your hand will agree!
However, the American Journal of Psychology talks about left handers being divergent thinkers, while the Left-Handers Club found that they tend to be drawn to careers in the arts. Research has also suggested that left-handers’ brains are wired differently. So it’s certainly possible that – as a leftie – you’d have typical hairdressing traits. For example, we know from our own work that hairdressers are more likely to be visual learners.
What proportion of MHD instructors are left handed?
You’ll be pleased to discover that we have a fairly typical quota of left handers amongst our expert instructors – 11% to be exact.
On the cutting side, these include celebrated Vidal Sassoon past academy directors Graham Oglesby and Michael Cohen, world renown hair-up queens Sharon Blain and Ilham Mestour, global barber MK and salon owners and platform artists Steve Turner and Matt Comber.
How does MHD support left-handed hairdressers?
Our inspirational leftie instructors have been with us from the outset. However, we’ve just launched a category that features them alone – with subcategories for cutting, barbering, colour application, & styling and dressing. Check it out here. If you’re a left-handed learner, this could be a great place to start!
Cutting in particular is tricky to learn from a right hander. So why not explore a few tutorials like Graham Oglesby’s long graduation with low fringe or Michael Cohen’s disconnected layered bob for starters? You could even create your very own playlist (or one for a left-handed student or team member).
How can you make right-handed colleagues understand what it feels like to be the odd one out?!
International left-handed day is celebrated on August 13th.
So if you’re part of the leftie hairdressing population, stick it in your calendar and think up some creative ways to spread the word about it in the salon.
Perhaps you could even get your right-handed colleagues to try out your scissors?! Just make sure you’re not the model!
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