A barber is a person whose occupation is mainly to cut, dress, groom, style and shave men’s and boy’s hair or beards. A barber’s place of work is known as a “barbershop” or a “barber’s”. Historically barbershops were also places of social interaction and public discourse. In some instances, barbershops were also public fora. They were the locations of open debates, voicing public concerns, and engaging citizens in discussions about contemporary issues.

In previous times, barbers (known as barber surgeons) also performed surgery and dentistry.[1] With the development of safety razors and the decreasing prevalence of beards in Anglophonic cultures, most barbers now specialize in cutting men’s scalp hair as opposed to facial hair.

Terminology

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A barber shop along the Ruoholahdenkatu street in Kamppi, Helsinki, Finland
A barber practicing a haircut in Tokyo, Japan
In modern times, the term “barber” is used both as a professional title and to refer to hairdressers who specialize in men’s hair. Historically, all hairdressers were considered barbers. In the 20th century, the profession of cosmetology branched off from barbering, and today hairdressers may be licensed as either barbers or cosmetologists. Barbers differ with respect to where they work, which services they are licensed to provide, and what name they use to refer to themselves. Part of this terminology difference depends on the regulations in a given location.

In the early 1900s an alternative word for barber, “chirotonsor”, came into use in the U.S.[2]

Different states in the US vary on their labor and licensing laws. For example, in Maryland and Pennsylvania, a cosmetologist cannot use a straight razor, strictly reserved for barbers. In contrast, in New Jersey both are regulated by the State Board of Cosmetology and there is no longer a legal difference in barbers and cosmetologists, as they are issued the same license and can practice both the art of straight razor shaving, coloring, other chemical work and haircutting if they choose.[citation needed]

In Australia, during the mid to late 20th century, the official term for a barber was men’s hairdresser; barber was only a popular title for men’s hairdressers. During this time, most would work in either a barbershop or hairdressing salon.

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