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Turks take hair very seriously. So seriously that it is considered a national art form and foreigners are not allowed to be employed as barbers in Turkey.

The apprentices spend many hours just watching, cleaning and preparing equipment before they are even allowed to touch the hair.

In Turkey, a typical men's haircut requires about two hours. The first hour is spent waiting while other customers have their hair done. During this time you are offered çay (Turkish tea). You can chat, read the local newspapers or watch the Turkish television. Sometimes you get a shoulder or arm massage from one of the assistants.

When you are seated, the barber will wash your hair if necessary then dry it. A cape is fastened around your neck and you are asked how you would like your hair done. The first step is carefully trimming the area just around the ears and at the back. Several different combs on the electric trimmers will be used to get it just right.

This is followed by a wet cut.

If you have a beard or mustache, this is trimmed and shaped if required. Plenty of shaving cream with the long handled razors.

Any extra hair on the face is either waxed with a pine resin, pulled out with tweezers or string. A cotton thread is twisted and the resulting loop is opened and closed over the hair to be removed. Nose hair is trimmed with small scissors.

Perhaps the most interesting part of the haircut is when the barber dips a ball of cotton wool in methylated spirits. Perhaps you think this is for cleaning something? Not exactly. It depends on how you define cleaning. They then set fire to this and flick the flames into your ears to burn the hairs. Also any stray hairs on your face.

Finally the hair is washed. Then blow dried. Then gel is applied. Followed by hair spray and deodorants.

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