AEA CPE (Certified Professional Electrologist) flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Galvanic electrolysis current

Direct current applied through a probe causes water and salts at the cathode to form sodium hydroxide, which chemically destroys the follicle's germinative cells.

Thermolysis mechanism

High-frequency alternating current produces localized heat at the probe tip, coagulating tissue around the follicle bulb and papilla to prevent regrowth.

Blend modality

A method delivering galvanic and thermolysis currents simultaneously through one probe, combining chemical lye production with heat for enhanced follicle destruction.

Probe size selection

Probe diameter should closely match the hair shaft diameter; too large causes trauma and too small reduces current delivery and treatment effectiveness.

Correct insertion depth

The probe follows the hair shaft angle to reach the follicle bulb, placing the active tip at or near the dermal papilla for effective treatment.

Epilation endpoint sign

When treatment is adequate, the hair releases without traction and slides out smoothly, indicating the follicle has been properly treated.

Treatment record contents

Each session's record documents modality, intensity, timing, probe type, area treated, skin response, and post-treatment care instructions for continuity.

Anagen phase

The active growth stage when the follicle is deepest, most vascular, and fully formed, making it the most responsive phase for electrolysis treatment.

Telogen phase

The resting stage when the hair becomes a club hair and the follicle is shallower, generally less responsive to electrolysis than anagen follicles.

Hair follicle bulb

The swollen base of the follicle containing the matrix and dermal papilla, which are the primary targets for permanent hair removal.

Dermal papilla

A vascularized connective tissue structure at the follicle base that supplies nutrients and contains cells essential for hair regeneration.

Hair shaft layers

From outside inward, the cuticle, cortex, and medulla; the cortex contains melanin pigment that determines hair color.

Eumelanin versus pheomelanin

Eumelanin produces brown and black pigment while pheomelanin produces red and blonde tones; both affect light-based treatment sensitivity.

Vellus versus terminal hair

Vellus hair is fine, short, and unpigmented, while terminal hair is longer, coarser, and pigmented and is the usual electrolysis target.

Skin epidermis

The avascular outer layer of keratinized cells that provides a barrier; it does not contain follicle bulbs or blood vessels.

Wound healing phases

Hemostasis, inflammation, proliferation with re-epithelialization, and remodeling occur in sequence and shape the skin's post-treatment response.

Informed consent

A documented agreement obtained before treatment that explains risks, alternatives, expected outcomes, and the client's right to stop.

Scope of practice

The legally permitted range of services an electrologist may perform, excluding diagnosis of disease and prescription of medication.

Confidentiality rule

Client health information is disclosed only with written authorization or when law requires reporting, protecting the client's privacy.

Referral obligation

Suspected malignancy, active infection, or undiagnosed lesions require referral to a physician rather than treatment by the electrologist.

Contraindication screening

Pre-treatment review of pacemakers, pregnancy, skin infection, isotretinoin use, and bleeding disorders identifies clients needing modification or referral.

Documentation standard

Records are contemporaneous, legible, dated, and signed; corrections are made by addendum rather than altering prior entries.

Truthful advertising

Marketing must avoid guarantees of permanent removal or cure, since such claims are misleading and violate professional standards.

Professional boundaries

Electrologists avoid dual relationships and refrain from treating clients whose judgment is impaired, preserving the client's interest.

Critical versus non-critical items

Critical items penetrate tissue and require sterilization; semi-critical items need high-level disinfection; non-critical items need low-level disinfection.

Sterilization verification

Biological indicators using resistant spores confirm sterilizer efficacy, while chemical and physical monitors check process parameters only.

Single-use probe rule

Probes labeled single-use are discarded after one client; reusable probes require cleaning, packaging, and sterilization between clients.

Hand hygiene timing

Hands are washed or rubbed with alcohol-based product before and after each client and after glove removal to prevent transmission.

Glove use rule

Gloves are changed between clients and whenever torn or contaminated; wearing gloves does not replace performing hand hygiene.

Sharps disposal

Used needles and probes go immediately into puncture-resistant, labeled sharps containers that are never overfilled.

Exposure incident response

After a bloodborne pathogen exposure, wash the site, report the incident, and follow the post-exposure evaluation protocol.

Surface disinfection

Work surfaces are cleaned with an EPA-registered hospital-grade disinfectant, observing the labeled contact time for effectiveness.