Scalp Health and Haircare Certification Program
The USTI Scalp Health & Hair Care Science Certification
The USTI Scalp Health & Hair Care Science Certification is a scalp health and haircare certification program for hairstylists, barbers, cosmetologists, educators and beauty professionals. It covers eleven modules of scalp and hair science, ends with a capstone and the USTI examination, is worth 10 Continuing Education credits, and can be taken online at your own pace or live virtual with USTI educators.
It is designed and written from the ground up by the United States Trichology Institute, the institute that set the standard in trichology education.
Scalp health certification at a glance
- Credential
- USTI Scalp Health & Hair Care Science Certification
- Issued by
- United States Trichology Institute (USTI)
- Curriculum
- Eleven modules, a capstone of case studies and a practice assessment
- Assessment
- Full exam review materials and the USTI examination
- Formats
- At Your Own Pace online, or live virtual Zoom classes with USTI educators
- Continuing education
- 10 CE credits through the US Trichology Institute
- Certificates
- USTI digital certificate and USTI wall certificate. An optional AMCA certificate is included in every tier
- Textbook
- Digital textbook included. Full-color hardcover available
- Designed for
- Hairstylists, barbers, cosmetologists, educators and beauty professionals
- Start date
- At Your Own Pace students begin the moment they enroll
What is a scalp health certification?
A scalp health certification is a professional credential showing that you have completed structured, assessed education in the science of the scalp and hair. It teaches you to read a scalp, explain what you see, choose and recommend hair and scalp care products with confidence, and recognize when a client needs a physician.
Every day, clients sit in chairs with flaking, itching, thinning and product confusion. This certification exists to make you the professional who has a real answer.
What should a scalp health and haircare certification program include?
A strong scalp health and haircare certification program covers both halves of the name. The scalp health half teaches the skin of the scalp, scalp types, common scalp concerns and when to refer. The haircare half teaches the hair fiber, hair damage, product categories, ingredient science and how to build a routine for a real client. It should end with an assessment and a credential from the body that teaches it.
| What to look for | In the USTI program |
|---|---|
| Scalp science and scalp types | Modules 1, 3, 8 and 10 |
| Hair fiber science and hair damage | Module 2, including the six types of hair damage |
| Haircare products and ingredient science | Modules 4 and 5 |
| Building product recommendations | Module 6 |
| Hair loss recognition and referral | Module 7 |
| Chemical services and the scalp | Module 9 |
| Nutrition | Module 11 |
| Applied case studies | Capstone of real-world case studies |
| An exam | Practice assessment, exam review and the USTI examination |
| A credential | USTI digital and wall certificates, with an optional AMCA certificate |
| Continuing education | 10 CE credits through the US Trichology Institute |
| Live teaching | Live virtual Zoom classes with USTI educators |
| A reference textbook | Digital textbook, with full-color hardcover available |
What will you learn? The eleven modules
1. Scalp and hair anatomy
What it covers: The skin of the scalp, the follicle and the hair fiber
What you can do with it behind the chair: Explain in plain language how hair grows and what the scalp does
2. Hair health and the six types of hair damage
What it covers: What healthy hair is and the six ways it gets damaged
What you can do with it behind the chair: Tell the types of damage apart and match your advice to the cause
3. Scalp types and proper scalp care
What it covers: How scalps differ and how care should change with them
What you can do with it behind the chair: Identify a client's scalp type and set a wash and care routine that suits it
4. At-home product categories
What it covers: What each category of at-home product is for
What you can do with it behind the chair: Help clients buy with purpose and stop guessing
5. Hair care and scalp care ingredient science
What it covers: How ingredients work in hair and scalp products
What you can do with it behind the chair: Read an ingredient list and explain what the key ingredients do
6. Building and customizing product recommendations
What it covers: How to build a routine for any client
What you can do with it behind the chair: Create a home care plan around one person's scalp, hair and habits
7. Early signs of hair loss and when to refer
What it covers: What early change looks like and where your role ends
What you can do with it behind the chair: Notice change early and refer to a physician at the right time
8. Common scalp diseases
What it covers: The scalp conditions professionals meet most
What you can do with it behind the chair: Recognize when a scalp needs a medical opinion and describe it accurately
9. Chemical services and scalp health
What it covers: How color, lightening and texture services affect the scalp
What you can do with it behind the chair: Plan chemical services with the scalp in mind
10. The flaking scalp in depth
What it covers: Dandruff, seborrheic dermatitis, psoriasis and atopic dermatitis
What you can do with it behind the chair: Discuss a flaking scalp accurately and know which presentations belong with a dermatologist
11. Nutrition and supplementation support
What it covers: How nutrition relates to hair and scalp
What you can do with it behind the chair: Hold an informed, non-medical conversation about nutrition and hair
The program closes with a capstone of real-world case studies and worked examples you can apply with your very next client, followed by a practice assessment, full exam review materials and the USTI examination.
What is included?
- A detailed digital textbook for long-term reference, module by module
- All-new graphics in every chapter and visual-only lesson sections, so you finish faster and retain more
- "From the Founder's Playbook": William Blatter's personal insights from decades of practice
- Module content organized by real client scenarios, not just theory
- A capstone of case studies and a practice assessment before your exam
- Full exam review materials and the USTI examination
- MyTrichology access
- A USTI digital certificate and a USTI wall certificate on completion
- An optional AMCA certificate, included in every tier
- 10 Continuing Education credits through the US Trichology Institute
Who is the scalp health certification for?
- Hairstylists who want real answers to client questions about flaking, itching, thinning and products
- Barbers who see scalps at close range every day
- Cosmetologists and colorists who want to understand how their services affect the scalp
- Head spa and scalp service professionals building a menu on real science
- Educators and beauty professionals who share science-backed knowledge with an audience
No medical background is needed.
What can you do with a scalp health certification?
- Run stronger consultations and explain what you see on the scalp
- Build personalized hair and scalp care routines and product recommendations
- Add or improve cosmetic scalp services within your license
- Recognize early change and refer to a physician sooner
- Teach clients and other professionals with confidence
The education is non-medical. You learn to recognize, support and refer. Diagnosis and medical treatment belong to physicians, and hands-on services follow your state's cosmetology or barber rules.
Why study scalp health with USTI?
- Built by USTI, the institute that set the standard in trichology education
- Trusted in 40+ countries and 1,500+ clinics
- Live instruction available with USTI educators
- A structured pathway: continue from scalp health into the USTI trichology pathway (Hair Loss Practitioner, Associate Trichologist, Clinical training)
- A professional community through MyTrichology
Scalp health certification questions
Is this a scalp health and haircare certification program?
Yes. The USTI Scalp Health & Hair Care Science Certification is a scalp health and haircare certification program. It covers scalp science and haircare science together across eleven modules, and ends with a capstone, the USTI examination and a USTI certificate.
What does a scalp health and haircare certification program cover?
Scalp and hair anatomy, hair health and damage, scalp types and scalp care, at-home haircare product categories, haircare and scalp care ingredient science, product recommendations, early signs of hair loss and when to refer, common scalp diseases, chemical services, the flaking scalp in depth, and nutrition.
What is the USTI Scalp Health & Hair Care Science Certification?
It is USTI's certification program in scalp health and hair care science for hairstylists, barbers, cosmetologists, educators and beauty professionals. It covers eleven modules, from scalp and hair anatomy to the flaking scalp in depth, and ends with a capstone of case studies, a practice assessment and the USTI examination.
Can I take the scalp health certification online?
Yes. Study At Your Own Pace online, or choose the live virtual option with Zoom classes led by USTI educators. At Your Own Pace students can begin the moment they enroll.
Who issues the certification?
The United States Trichology Institute issues the certification. Graduates receive a USTI digital certificate and a USTI wall certificate. An optional AMCA certificate is included in every tier.
Does the program count for continuing education?
The program is worth 10 Continuing Education credits through the US Trichology Institute. License renewal rules are set by each state board, so check how your board treats continuing education for your license.
Is there an exam?
Yes. The program includes a capstone of case studies, a practice assessment, full exam review materials and the USTI examination.
Do I need a cosmetology or barber license to enroll?
The program is designed for hairstylists, barbers, cosmetologists, educators and beauty professionals. Certification adds knowledge and does not replace a license. Which hands-on services you may offer depends on your state's rules.
Does scalp health certification let me diagnose scalp conditions?
No. The education is non-medical. You learn to recognize what you see, support clients with cosmetic scalp and hair care, and refer to a physician when something needs a medical opinion.
What is the difference between scalp health certification and trichology certification?
Scalp health certification focuses on the scalp, hair care science, ingredients and product recommendations. Trichology certification goes deeper into hair loss and its many forms. Many professionals start with scalp health and continue into the USTI trichology pathway.
Is a textbook included?
Yes. A detailed digital textbook is included with every option. A full-color hardcover edition of the Scalp Health textbook comes with the live virtual options, and the Hair Ingredients & Their Uses hardcover, a 370+ page field guide to more than 50 ingredients, comes with Option 3.
How do I enroll?
Choose your option and enroll online, or call (518) 389-6202 to speak with the USTI team.