All over the world, professional hairdressers work to make their customers look good. What many people don’t know is that there are many different types of hairdressers. Some only work on women, while others only work on kids. Additionally, some licensed stylists welcome customers of both genders.

In the U.S., it is common for men’s barber shops to cater primarily to men and children almost exclusively. So-called “hair salons” usually cater to women, though there are a decent number of men who are using “hair salon” services these days.

Hairdressers who work in salons that traditionally worked only on female clients are noticing an uptick in the number of male customers. This new demographic includes men who have both short and longer hair. Hairdressers on blogs and official business websites often point out that there is now a reduced stigma for men to use the services of what were once women-only salons.

Men are increasingly using women’s salons for hair cuts, manicures, brow treatments, massages, and dozens of other spa-like services. It’s not just hairdressers who are noticing this trend, but masseuses, manicurists, skin professionals and more.

Hairdressers have been seeing another trend take shape in the past few years, and it has to do with hair styles. In past decades, only women were offered multiple hair styles by salon workers. Now, the number of men’s hairstyles has increased at a rapid rate.

In a not so distant era, men opted for one of approximately four haircut styles, including the crew cut, layered cut, and standard “business haircut.” Nowadays, men go into salons and choose from dozens of options, practically the same ones women choose from. Except for the fact that women tend to color their hair more frequently, men’s and women’s hair services are practically the same today.

But while most men still tend to choose crew cuts, undercuts, a pompadour, topknot, quiff, comb-over, buzz, duck-tail or a fade, women choose from a typical lineup of hair styles like the bob, ponytail, swept bangs, fringes, highlights, curls, and hundreds more, all of which can be combined to create unique styles that stand out.

Hairdressers are often licensed, especially in the U.S., but in other countries sometimes work without a license or just as a hobby. Even in the U.S., thousands of women and men cut hair without holding their required licenses from their home states. This can be a problem for hairdressers who are sued by angry clients. It doesn’t often happen, but customers can and do sue hairdressers for injuries small and large.

When such lawsuits occur, the unlicensed stylist can be in for a lot of legal trouble, high fines, and many other hassles. Licensed hairdressers, on the other hand, typically have liability insurance to protect against such events, and in any case are at least prepared when a lawsuit arises.

Hairdressers who want to make a living in their trade usually attend classes at an accredited school, junior college, or specialized vocational institution. Costs for such education vary widely depending on whether the teaching facility is private or public. It is not unusual for private hairdresser schools to charge in excess of $10.000, in the U.S., for professional training.

In big cities around the world, the vast majority of hairdressers in busy salons are licensed, and have attended a formal training academy as their initial entry into the business. Future hairdressers should decide early on whether they want to use public or private schools for their training. It also helps to make a financial plan for addressing the many costs associated with training to become a hairdresser.