WI Esthetician flashcards

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

Disinfection

Destruction of most pathogenic microorganisms on nonporous surfaces and implements, excluding bacterial spores, achieved with an EPA-registered product used at label dilution and contact time.

Sterilization

Process that destroys all microbial life, including bacterial spores; required for items that penetrate skin or contact blood and not achievable with UV cabinets or jar disinfectants.

Hospital-grade disinfectant

EPA-registered product labeled hospital-grade, often with a tuberculocidal claim, required for implements that may contact blood or body fluids and used at label dilution and contact time.

Chain of infection

Six links: pathogen, reservoir, portal of exit, mode of transmission, portal of entry, and susceptible host; breaking any single link prevents transmission of infection.

Hepatitis B survival

HBV can survive on dried surfaces for at least seven days and is far more contagious than HIV, which is fragile and dies quickly outside the body.

Single-use items

Porous or hard-to-clean items such as cotton, wooden sticks, pumice, sponges, and files that cannot be reliably disinfected and must be discarded after one client.

Safety Data Sheet

OSHA-required document for each chemical product listing hazards, first aid, handling, and disposal information; it must be kept accessible in the workplace.

Epidermis

Outermost avascular skin layer with five strata from basale to corneum; nourished by diffusion from the dermis, it provides the barrier and renews by mitosis at the basal layer.

Stratum corneum

Outermost epidermal layer of flattened, keratinized dead cells embedded in a lipid matrix, forming a bricks-and-mortar structure responsible for barrier function and water retention.

Acid mantle

Thin film of sebum and sweat on the skin surface with a pH of about 4.5 to 5.5; it inhibits bacteria and helps maintain barrier integrity.

Collagen and elastin

Dermal proteins produced by fibroblasts; collagen provides strength and structural support while elastin provides elasticity and recoil, and both decline with age and UV exposure.

Melanocytes

Cells in the basal epidermal layer that produce melanin within melanosomes and transfer it to keratinocytes, providing color and protecting DNA from ultraviolet radiation.

Sebaceous glands

Glands attached to hair follicles that secrete sebum; they are most numerous on the face, scalp, chest, and back and are stimulated by androgens.

UVA versus UVB

UVA is long-wave, penetrates the dermis, and causes photoaging and pigment changes; UVB is short-wave, affects the epidermis, and is the primary cause of sunburn.

Macule

Flat, circumscribed lesion showing only a color change, such as a freckle or lentigo; it is not raised and does not alter skin texture.

Papule versus pustule

A papule is a small, solid raised lesion without pus; a pustule is a raised lesion containing pus, as seen in a pimple or folliculitis.

Fitzpatrick scale

Six-category classification of skin based on burning versus tanning response to sun exposure, used to estimate UV sensitivity and treatment risk.

ABCDE rule

Melanoma screening guide: Asymmetry, Border irregularity, Color variation, Diameter greater than 6 mm, and Evolving change; suspected lesions are referred rather than treated.

Contagious contraindications

Conditions requiring refusal or postponement of service: herpes simplex cold sores, impetigo, ringworm or tinea, conjunctivitis, scabies, lice, and open or weeping lesions.

Wood's lamp

Ultraviolet lamp used in skin analysis; blue-white indicates normal skin, yellow oily skin, light violet dehydration, brown hyperpigmentation, and coral-red fluorescence suggests acne bacteria.

Comedo

Hair follicle plugged with sebum and keratin; open comedones are blackheads darkened by oxidation, while closed comedones remain beneath the skin surface as whiteheads.

AHA versus BHA

Alpha hydroxy acids such as glycolic and lactic are water-soluble and exfoliate the surface; beta hydroxy acid salicylic is lipid-soluble, penetrates pores, and suits oily acne-prone skin.

Humectant

Ingredient such as glycerin, sorbitol, or hyaluronic acid that attracts and binds water from the environment and deeper skin layers, increasing hydration.

Occlusive

Ingredient such as petrolatum or dimethicone that forms a film on the skin surface to slow transepidermal water loss; it is applied last in a regimen.

Waxing hair direction

Wax is applied in the direction of hair growth and removed against it while the skin is held taut; hair should be at least 6 mm or one quarter inch long.

Effleurage

Light, gliding massage stroke applied in the direction of muscle fibers and lymph flow; used to begin and end a facial and to spread product.

Isotretinoin contraindication

Clients taking isotretinoin (Accutane) must not receive waxing, exfoliation, or dermabrasion because fragile skin tears; wait at least six months after stopping.

Wisconsin Statute Chapter 471

State law regulating barbers, cosmetologists, estheticians, manicurists, and electrologists plus related establishments and schools, administered by the Department of Safety and Professional Services.

Scope of esthetician practice

Licensed estheticians cleanse, treat, and beautify skin of the face, neck, and décolleté and perform waxing and makeup; they do not diagnose or treat disease or perform medical procedures.

License display requirement

A current Wisconsin credential must be posted or readily available at the work location; performing services while unlicensed or on an expired credential is prohibited.

Employee versus booth renter

An employee is scheduled and supervised by the salon, which withholds payroll taxes and carries liability; a booth renter is self-employed, pays rent, files their own taxes, and holds their own insurance.

Wisconsin sales tax on retail

Retail sales of professional products are taxable and must be reported; service income and retail income should be tracked separately in business records.