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Disinfection uses chemical agents to destroy most pathogens on surfaces, but at salon strengths it does not reliably kill bacterial spores. Sterilization is a higher level that destroys all microbial life, including spores. Sanitation is a lower-level cleaning step that removes visible soil.
Cocci are spherical bacteria. Bacilli are rod-shaped and spirilla are spiral-shaped. Flagella are tail-like structures used for movement, not a bacterial shape.
An autoclave uses steam under pressure to reach temperatures that destroy all microorganisms, including spores. UV cabinets and disinfectant jars do not sterilize. Ultrasonic cleaners remove debris but are not sterilizers.
The epidermis is the thin outer layer of the skin and is the barrier the cosmetologist works with. The dermis lies beneath it and contains nerves, glands, and blood vessels. The subcutaneous layer is the deepest fatty layer.
The pH scale runs from 0 to 14, with values below 7 acidic and above 7 alkaline. A pH of 3 is therefore acidic. Neutral is exactly 7, and a buffer is a substance that resists pH change rather than a pH value.
The Safety Data Sheet, supplied by the manufacturer, lists hazard warnings, first aid measures, and safe handling instructions. Appointment books and price lists contain no safety data. Consultation cards record client information, not product hazards.
Mitosis is the division of a body cell into two identical cells, which allows tissue growth and repair. Meiosis produces sex cells. Osmosis and filtration move substances across membranes rather than creating new cells.
Arteries carry oxygen-rich blood away from the heart to the body. Veins return blood toward the heart. Capillaries are tiny vessels where exchange with tissues occurs, and lymph vessels carry lymph.
Hepatitis B spreads through contact with infected blood and body fluids, and a vaccine is available for prevention. Tinea pedis is a fungal infection and pediculosis is a lice infestation. Human papillomavirus is not prevented by a salon-specific vaccine requirement as hepatitis B is.
Standard precautions assume that all blood and body fluids from any client may carry infection. The rule applies regardless of whether the client appears healthy. Limiting precautions to visible blood or to known illness leaves gaps in protection.
Quaternary ammonium compounds, often called quats, are EPA-registered disinfectants used on nonporous surfaces and implements. They are not solvents, lighteners, or skin conditioners. They must be used at the labeled dilution and contact time.
Tinea barbae is a fungal infection of the beard and mustache area, sometimes called barber's itch. Fungal infections of the scalp, feet, and nails have different names. A cosmetologist should not service an area with an active fungal infection.
Pediculosis is an infestation of lice, which can spread through shared combs, brushes, and contact. Ringworm and yeast are fungi, and bacteria cause bacterial infections. Clients with pediculosis should be referred and not serviced.
The mandible, or lower jaw, is the only bone of the skull that moves. The maxilla forms the upper jaw and is fixed. The zygomatic and nasal bones are also immovable.
The masseter is the chewing muscle that raises the lower jaw. The trapezius affects the neck and shoulders, the platysma tenses the neck, and the sternocleidomastoid rotates and bends the head.
The trigeminal nerve, also called the trifacial nerve, is the chief sensory nerve of the face and the motor nerve of the chewing muscles. The facial nerve mainly controls facial expression. The optic nerve carries vision and the vagus nerve serves internal organs.
The nail matrix is the tissue at the base of the nail that produces new nail cells. The nail plate is the visible nail body, and the lunula is the whitish half-moon area where the matrix shows through. The cuticle is the skin fold that seals the nail base.
The arrector pili is a tiny muscle attached to each hair follicle that contracts in cold or fear and makes the hair stand up. The other listed muscles move the eye area, neck, and jaw.
A solution is a stable mixture in which the dissolved substance is broken down and does not settle out. In a suspension, particles remain undissolved and settle over time. An emulsion is a mixture of two liquids that do not fully combine.
Hydrogen peroxide is an oxidizing agent that develops color by releasing oxygen and lightening natural pigment. Reducing agents do the opposite and break chemical bonds. Alkaline builders adjust pH, and surfactants cleanse.
Bleaching changes the chemical structure of the hair pigment, producing a new substance, so it is a chemical change. Combing, wetting, and blow-drying alter only the physical state or arrangement of the hair.
Skin and hair carry an acid mantle with a pH of roughly 4.5 to 5.5, which helps suppress microbial growth and keeps the cuticle compact. Products far outside this range can disrupt the mantle and damage the hair.
Spores are dormant forms that some bacteria produce when conditions are harsh, and they resist heat and many disinfectants. They can reactivate and cause infection when conditions improve. This is why sterilization, not ordinary disinfection, is required to destroy them.
Disinfectants reach their labeled efficacy only when the surface stays wet for the full contact time. Removing the product early interrupts the kill and leaves pathogens on the surface. Wiping does not speed up or strengthen the product.
The hair papilla is a small cone of tissue at the base of the follicle that contains blood vessels and nerves, feeding the growing hair. The medulla and cuticle are layers of the hair shaft. The sebaceous gland lubricates the hair but does not nourish the bulb.
Disinfectants destroy pathogens on a surface but cannot penetrate hair, skin, product residue, or dried blood. Implements therefore must be washed with soap and water, rinsed, and dried before they are immersed in disinfectant. Skipping the cleaning step leaves a shield that protects microorganisms.
The integumentary system is made up of the skin and its appendages, including hair, nails, and glands. It forms the body's outer protective covering and helps regulate temperature. The other systems listed serve hormone, immune, and gas-exchange functions.
A solution has two parts: the solute, which is the substance being dissolved, and the solvent, which does the dissolving. Water is the most common solvent in cosmetic products. The two parts form a uniform mixture with no visible particles.
The frontal bone makes up the forehead and the roof of the orbits. The parietal bones form the sides and top of the cranium, the temporal bones sit at the lower sides, and the occipital bone forms the back of the skull.
Porous, cracked, or otherwise non-cleanable items can trap microorganisms where disinfectant cannot reach. Because they cannot be made safe, they are treated as single-use items and thrown away. Reusing them puts every subsequent client at risk.
The tuberculocidal claim means the product has been shown to kill Mycobacterium tuberculosis, an organism that is harder to destroy than many others. Kills on that organism are used as a benchmark for hospital-grade disinfectants. Such a product is also expected to handle other bacteria, fungi, and many viruses.
The frontalis covers the forehead and, when it contracts, lifts the eyebrows and creates horizontal forehead lines. The occipitalis works at the back of the scalp, the temporalis assists in chewing, and the buccinator compresses the cheek.
The nervous system is divided into the central nervous system, made up of the brain and spinal cord, and the peripheral nervous system, made up of nerves branching throughout the body. Cranial and spinal nerves belong to the peripheral division. Sympathetic and parasympathetic are subdivisions of the autonomic portion, and afferent and efferent describe impulse direction.
The pH scale runs from 0 to 14, with 7 considered neutral. Values above 7 are alkaline and values below 7 are acidic, so a pH of 9 is more alkaline than a neutral solution. Acidic and alkaline solutions both contain ions and can conduct electricity.
An emulsion forms when two immiscible liquids, such as oil and water, are dispersed in each other with the help of an emulsifying agent. Lotions and creams used in the salon are common emulsions. A suspension, by contrast, is a solid dispersed in a liquid and will settle over time.
A catalyst increases the rate of a reaction while remaining unchanged itself, so it is available to act again. Accelerators and activators used with salon products function this way. Solvents, solutes, and emulsifiers play different roles in mixtures.
Standard precautions require that any break in the skin be covered before contact with clients, and gloves add a barrier over the dressing. This protects both the cosmetologist and the client from bloodborne pathogens. Covering plus gloving is sufficient; the service does not need to be cancelled.
The condyle of the mandible fits into the mandibular fossa of the temporal bone, creating the temporomandibular joint. This joint allows the lower jaw to open, close, and move from side to side. The zygomatic, maxilla, and sphenoid are nearby skull bones that do not form this joint.
Hard water carries dissolved calcium and magnesium, which react with the cleansing ingredients in soap and shampoo to form an insoluble film. That film reduces lather and can leave hair looking dull. Soft water contains fewer of these minerals, so products rinse away more completely.
A 70 percent solution kills microorganisms more reliably than stronger concentrations because the water slows evaporation and helps the alcohol move through the microbial cell wall. Pure or near-pure alcohol evaporates quickly and can coagulate proteins before it penetrates. Contact time, not just concentration, determines effectiveness.
The cuticle is the tough outer layer of the hair shaft, built from overlapping scale-like cells that shield the cortex and medulla. Chemical and mechanical damage show up in this layer first.
Anagen is the active growth phase and lasts roughly two to six years depending on the individual. The other phases cover transition, rest and shedding.
Surfactants have a water-loving end and an oil-loving end, which lowers surface tension so sebum, product and debris can be suspended and rinsed away. They are the cleansing agents in shampoo.
Warm water removes oils and debris effectively without irritating the scalp. Water that is too hot can strip moisture, irritate skin and speed color fading.
In the float test, hair that takes on water quickly and sinks has a raised, open cuticle and is considered highly porous. Low-porosity hair resists water and tends to float.
Healthy wet hair stretches about half its length and springs back. Hair that breaks with little stretch has low elasticity and is fragile, so chemical services should be approached with caution.
Tinea capitis, or ringworm of the scalp, is a contagious fungal infection that cannot be treated in the salon. Clients with contagious or inflamed scalp conditions must be referred to a physician.
Dandruff is associated with Malassezia, a yeast-like fungus that normally lives on the scalp and can trigger irritation and scaling when it overgrows. Medicated shampoos are formulated to target it.
Humectants draw water from the surrounding air and hold it in the hair, improving moisture and flexibility. They are common in conditioners and moisturizing treatments.
A retouch is applied only to the new growth, because the previously relaxed hair has already been processed. Overlapping relaxer onto relaxed hair can cause breakage.