VA Master Esthetics flashcards

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

Selective photothermolysis

Principle that a target chromophore absorbs a specific wavelength and is heated by a pulse shorter than its thermal relaxation time, confining damage to the intended target.

Fitzpatrick type I

Always burns, never tans; very fair skin, light eyes, and freckles, producing the highest ultraviolet sensitivity and the greatest laser and peel risk.

Isotretinoin washout period

Wait six to twelve months after the last isotretinoin dose before chemical peels, microdermabrasion, microneedling, or laser, because healing is impaired and scarring risk rises.

Jessner's solution composition

Equal parts 14% resorcinol, 14% salicylic acid, and 14% lactic acid in ethanol; a superficial peeling agent often used alone or as a primer under TCA.

Galvanic desincrustation

Application of the negative pole to skin, producing an alkaline reaction that saponifies sebum and softens comedones before extraction.

Stratum basale

Deepest epidermal layer, a single row of mitotic keratinocytes on the basement membrane; it also houses melanocytes and Merkel cells.

Acid mantle pH

Thin surface film at about pH 4.5 to 5.5 formed by sebum, sweat, and filaggrin breakdown products; it limits pathogen growth and regulates enzyme activity.

Wood's lamp wavelength

Ultraviolet light near 340 to 400 nanometers; on clean dry skin, coral-red fluorescence reveals porphyrins produced by Cutibacterium acnes.

Glogau photoaging scale

Four-category scale rating photoaging from type I, mild with minimal wrinkling, through type IV, severe with wrinkles at rest and marked actinic change.

Keloid history contraindication

Prior keloids or hypertrophic scars contraindicate or require caution with microneedling, deep peels, and resurfacing because of an exaggerated collagen response.

TCA self-neutralizing property

Trichloroacetic acid halts its own reaction as it binds protein and is not neutralized with a base, so depth depends on concentration and layers applied.

Free acid value

Amount of unbuffered acid in a peel solution; together with pH, concentration, and contact time it determines the true peeling strength.

Salicylic acid contraindications

Avoid with aspirin allergy, salicylate sensitivity, pregnancy, or renal impairment; it is lipophilic and large-area application can cause salicylism.

Microdermabrasion depth controls

Vacuum pressure, crystal flow or tip grit, number of passes, handpiece speed, and skin tension determine how deeply mechanical exfoliation penetrates.

Diamond tip versus crystal

Diamond tips are reusable after cleaning and disinfection and leave no loose abrasive; crystal systems use aluminum oxide or salt that vacuum must capture.

IPL versus laser

IPL emits broadband light around 500 to 1200 nanometers with filters selecting several wavelengths at once, while lasers emit one coherent, monochromatic wavelength.

Thermal relaxation time

Time required for a heated target to cool to half its peak temperature; pulses at or below this duration confine heat to the intended chromophore.

Nd:YAG 1064 nm advantage

Its longer wavelength penetrates deeply while being absorbed less by melanin, making it comparatively safer for Fitzpatrick IV to VI skin and deeper vessels.

Microneedling mechanism

Controlled punctures roughly 0.5 to 1.5 millimeters deep trigger growth factor release and new collagen III, remodeling scars and improving texture.

Ultrasound frequency depth

Three megahertz penetrates about one to two centimeters and suits the face; one megahertz reaches three to five centimeters and suits the body.

High-frequency current effect

Alternating current generates ozone and warmth, giving a drying antibacterial effect used on acne; avoid with pacemakers, metal implants, and pregnancy.

LED blue light 415 nm

Targets porphyrins produced by Cutibacterium acnes, generating singlet oxygen that reduces bacterial load in inflammatory acne lesions.

Lymphatic drainage direction

Light, slow, repetitive strokes move interstitial fluid toward the submandibular, cervical, and supraclavicular nodes for central return.

Massage contraindications

Fever, acute infection, recent surgery, thrombosis, uncontrolled hypertension, and severe cystic acne require deferral or physician clearance before facial massage.

Petrissage

Kneading and lifting of soft tissue that compresses muscle and moves fluid; performed after effleurage to warm and mobilize deeper tissue.

Carotid sinus caution

Pressure over the carotid bifurcation can trigger bradycardia and fainting, so massage strokes stay away from the anterior neck triangle.

Patch test timing

Apply the product to a small area, usually behind the ear or on the inner forearm, and evaluate at 24 to 48 hours before full treatment.

SOAP note format

Subjective client report, Objective findings, Assessment or analysis, and Plan; a structured record of the consultation, treatment, and aftercare instructions.

Break-even formula

Break-even client volume equals fixed costs divided by the difference between average service price and variable cost per client.

Keystone retail pricing

Doubling the wholesale cost to set retail price, producing roughly a fifty percent margin that covers overhead and profit on product sales.

Anticoagulant esthetic risk

Warfarin, aspirin, clopidogrel, NSAIDs, and fish oil increase bruising and bleeding during extractions, needling, and injection procedures.

Virginia esthetics scope

Virginia law limits licensed estheticians to non-invasive skin care; cutting, injecting, or treating beneath the epidermis requires medical licensure or physician delegation.