NE Esthetician flashcards
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32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.
- Esthetics scope of practice
- Nebraska law permits licensed estheticians to cleanse, exfoliate, extract, massage, mask, remove hair, tint lashes and brows, and apply makeup; diagnosis and medical treatment are excluded.
- Nebraska Board of Cosmetology
- An advisory board appointed under the Nebraska Cosmetology Act; it recommends rules and reviews licensing matters, while the Department of Health and Human Services administers licenses and inspections.
- EPA hospital-grade disinfectant
- A disinfectant registered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for health-care use; it must be diluted and left wet for the label contact time to kill bacteria, fungi, and viruses on implements.
- Chain of infection
- Six linked elements: pathogen, reservoir, portal of exit, mode of transmission, portal of entry, and susceptible host. Breaking any link, such as hand washing or disinfection, prevents transmission.
- Standard precautions
- Treating all blood, body fluids, and non-intact skin as potentially infectious; requires gloves and hand hygiene for contact and EPA hospital-grade disinfection after any blood exposure.
- Stratum basale
- The deepest epidermal layer, a single row of mitotically active keratinocytes attached to the basement membrane; melanocytes here transfer melanin to surrounding keratinocytes through melanosomes.
- Dermis
- The middle skin layer, composed of papillary and reticular regions, containing collagen, elastin, ground substance, blood vessels, nerves, follicles, and glands; it provides strength, elasticity, and nutrition to the epidermis.
- Sebaceous gland
- An oil-producing gland usually attached to a hair follicle; its sebum lubricates skin and hair, and its activity is stimulated by androgens, contributing to acne when the follicle becomes blocked.
- Acid mantle
- The slightly acidic film on the skin surface, about pH 4.5 to 5.5, formed by sebum, sweat, and stratum corneum breakdown products; it supports barrier enzymes and limits growth of many pathogens.
- Transepidermal water loss
- Passage of water through the stratum corneum to the environment; elevated when barrier lipids are depleted, causing dryness and tightness. Occlusives reduce it by forming a surface film.
- Melanocyte
- A dendritic cell in the stratum basale that produces melanin using the enzyme tyrosinase and transfers it to keratinocytes; melanin absorbs UV radiation and determines skin and hair color.
- Primary lesion
- A lesion in its initial stage, such as a macule, papule, pustule, vesicle, wheal, or nodule. Identifying primary lesions helps estheticians recognize conditions that require referral rather than treatment.
- Comedo
- A plugged follicle; open comedones are blackheads with oxidized melanin and lipid, while closed comedones are whiteheads covered by skin. Extraction may be appropriate for non-inflamed comedones.
- Fitzpatrick scale
- A six-point classification of skin color and burning and tanning response used to estimate UV sensitivity, predict photodamage and pigmentation risk, and select safe treatment parameters.
- Wood's lamp
- A filtered ultraviolet lamp used in skin analysis; it can highlight dehydration, pigmentation, and some bacterial or fungal fluorescence, but findings are supportive and not diagnostic.
- Informed consent
- A client's voluntary agreement after receiving plain-language information about a service's purpose, steps, risks, alternatives, and aftercare. Document it before treatments such as peels, waxing, or electrical modalities.
- Contraindication
- A condition, medication, or circumstance that makes a treatment unsafe or inadvisable, such as isotretinoin use before waxing or a pacemaker with electrical devices; the service is deferred or modified.
- Effleurage
- A gliding massage stroke performed with light-to-moderate pressure in the direction of venous and lymphatic flow; it begins and ends most facial massage sequences and promotes relaxation.
- Clay mask
- A mask containing kaolin or other clays that absorb surface oil and temporarily tighten pores; suited to oily or combination skin, removed before it cracks to avoid dehydration.
- Anagen phase
- The active growth phase of hair, when the follicle is deepest and the hair is most firmly attached; waxing during anagen can damage the follicle and reduce regrowth.
- Hard wax
- A stripless wax applied in a thick layer and removed without cloth strips; it grips short hair and is often used on sensitive areas such as the upper lip and bikini line.
- Sugaring
- Hair removal with a paste of sugar, water, and lemon applied against hair growth and removed in the direction of growth; it is water-soluble and can be less irritating than wax.
- Brow mapping
- Measuring three reference points to shape brows: the start above the inner eye corner, the arch above the outer iris, and the end at the outer eye corner or alar base.
- Lash extension adhesive
- A cyanoacrylate glue that polymerizes in the presence of moisture; it is applied to an isolated natural lash 1 to 2 mm from the lid, and clients avoid water and steam for 24 hours.
- Galvanic current
- A direct, constant electrical current with positive and negative poles; used for iontophoresis and desincrustation. It is contraindicated over pacemakers, pregnancy, and metal implants in the treatment area.
- LED phototherapy
- Low-level light treatment using specific wavelengths, such as blue near 415 nm for acne bacteria and red near 633 nm for circulation and healing; requires eye protection and is avoided in photosensitivity.
- Markup
- The difference between retail price and product cost, usually expressed as a percentage of cost: markup percent equals (retail minus cost) divided by cost, times 100.
- Service cost per hour
- Total annual business expenses divided by the number of billable service hours; it is the baseline an esthetician must charge per hour to cover overhead before earning profit.
- Professional boundary
- The limit between professional service and personal or medical involvement; estheticians avoid diagnosing, prescribing, dual relationships, and making promises outside their licensed scope.
- Retail recommendation
- A needs-based product suggestion supported by skin analysis, ingredients, and home-care routine; it includes patch testing when appropriate and never guarantees a cure or pressures the client.
- Desincrustation
- A galvanic technique using the negative pole to create an alkaline reaction that softens sebum and debris in follicles before extraction; the positive pole is used for iontophoresis.
- Microcurrent
- A very low-amperage alternating current, measured in microamps, used for facial muscle re-education and circulation; contraindicated with pacemakers, pregnancy, epilepsy, and active infection.