"Milady Standard Cosmetology," Vocabulary from Part 2

Hospital disinfectants are designated by the EPA as being effective enough to be used in a hospital setting. They can be used on any nonporous surface in the salon. They are appropriate for use in non-critical (non-invasive) environments, and are effective against most pathogens in the salon.

Pathogenic bacteria can be identified by their distinct shapes. Cocci are round-shaped bacteria that appear singly or in groups. Staphylococci are pus-forming bacteria that grow in clusters like bunches of grapes. Streptococci are pus-forming bacteria arranged in curved lines resembling a string of beads. Diplococci are spherical bacteria that grow in pairs. Bacilli are short, rod-shaped bacteria. Spirilla are spiral or corkscrew-shaped bacteria.

There are three ways to clean your tools or implements:
1. Washing with soap and warm water, and then scrubbing them with a clean and properly disinfected nail brush.
2. Using an ultrasonic unit.
3. Using a cleaning solvent (e.g., on metal bits for electric files).

Some of the more common contagious diseases that prevent a salon professional from servicing a client are the common cold, ringworm, conjunctivitis (pinkeye), viral infections, and natural nail, toe, or foot infections.

Cosmetologists must understand and remember the following four types of microorganisms:
•Bacteria
•Viruses
•Fungi (single-cell organisms that grow in irregular masses that include molds, mildews, and yeasts)
•Parasites (an animal or plant that lives in or on a host, such as head lice or itch mites)

Fungal infections are much more common on the feet than on the hands, but bacterial infections commonly occur on both hands and feet. The most frequently encountered infection on the foot resulting from nail services is tinea pedis, a ringworm fungus of the foot.

Wet your hands, and pump soap from a pump container onto the palm of your hand. Vigorously rub your hands together until a lather forms. Wash past your wrists. Continue for a minimum of 20 seconds. Wet and pump soap on a clean, disinfected nail brush. Brush your nails horizontally back and forth under the free edges. Change the direction of the brush to vertical and move the brush up and down along the nail folds of the fingernails. Rinse hands in running warm water.

In the salon, the spread of bloodborne pathogens, such as those that cause hepatitis or HIV/AIDS, is possible through haircutting, chemical burns, shaving, nipping, clipping, facial treatments, waxing, tweezing, or whenever the skin is broken.

In addition, knowing the bones of the skull and facial structure is important to designing flattering hairstyles that gracefully drape the head and for skillfully applying cosmetics.

A muscle has three parts:
•Origin. The part of the muscle that does not move and is attached closest to the skeleton.
•Belly. The middle part of the muscle.
•Insertion. The part of the muscle that moves and is farthest from the skeleton.
Pressure in massage is usually directed from the insertion to the origin.

•Sensory nerves, also known as afferent nerves, carry impulses or messages from the sense organs to the brain, where sensations such as cold, heat, sight, smell, pain, and pressure are experienced. Sensory nerve endings called receptors are located close to the surface of the skin.
•Motor nerves, also known as efferent nerves, carry impulses from the brain to the muscles or glands. These transmitted impulses produce movement.

•Venules. Small vessels that connect the capillaries to the veins. They collect blood from the capillaries and drain it into the veins.
•Veins. Thin-walled blood vessels that are less elastic than arteries; veins contain cup-like valves that keep blood flowing in one direction to the heart and prevent blood from flowing backward. Veins carry blood containing waste products back to the heart and lungs for cleaning and to pick up oxygen. Veins are located closer to the outer skin surface.

Fortunately, cosmetologists have access to many products and treatments that can address unwanted changes of this nature and help clients feel more comfortable and confident about themselves.

Collagen is a fibrous protein that gives the skin form and strength. This fiber makes up a large percentage of the dermis and provides structural support by holding together all of the structures found in this layer. Elastin is a protein base similar to collagen that forms elastic tissue. Elastin is interwoven with the collagen fibers. It helps the skin regain its shape, even after being repeatedly stretched or expanded.

To keep the body healthy, people must ensure that what they eat helps regulate hydration (keeping a healthy level of water in the body), oil production, and overall function of the cells. Skin disorders, fatigue, stress, depression, and some diseases can be caused by an unhealthful diet or improper hydration.

•Vitamin D enables the body to properly absorb and use calcium, the element needed for proper bone development and maintenance. Vitamin D also promotes rapid healing of the skin.
•Vitamin E helps protect the skin from the harmful effects of the sun’s UV light. Some people claim that vitamin E helps to heal damage to the skin’s tissues when taken by mouth.

Primary lesions are a different color than the color of the skin and/or lesions that are raised above the surface of the skin (causes could be dermatitis, acne, poison ivy). Secondary lesions are characterized by piles of material on the skin surface, such as a crust or scab, or by depressions in the skin surface, such as an ulcer (causes could be nail biting, chicken pox, or herpes).

Comedones appear most frequently on the face, especially in the T-zone—the center of the face. When the sebum of the comedo is exposed to the environment, it oxidizes and turns black. When the follicle is closed and not exposed to the environment, the sebum remains a white or cream color and is a closed comedo, also known as whitehead, and appears as a small bump just under the skin surface.

Dermatitis is a term broadly used to describe any inflammatory condition of the skin. Allergic contact dermatitis, abbreviated ACD, occurs when a person (cosmetologist or client) develops an allergy to an ingredient or a chemical, usually caused by repeated skin contact with the chemical. Irritant contact dermatitis, abbreviated ICD, occurs when irritating substances temporarily damage the epidermis.

Basal Cell Carcinoma--Most common and least severe skin cancer; characterized by light or pearly nodules and has a 90 percent survival rate with early diagnosis and treatment.
Squamous Cell Carcinoma--More serious than basal cell carcinoma; characterized by scaly red papules or nodules.
Malignant Melanoma--Least common, but most dangerous, form of skin cancer; characterized by black or dark brown patches on the skin that may appear uneven in texture, jagged, or raised.

Eggshell nails are noticeably thin, white nail plates that are more flexible than normal. The condition is usually caused by improper diet, hereditary factors, internal disease, or medication. Koilonychia are soft spoon nails with a concave shape that appear scooped out. Often spoon nails are a sign of iron deficiency, anemia, or a liver condition known as hemochromatosis, in which your body absorbs too much iron from the food you eat.

The nail plate is a hardened keratin plate that covers the nail bed. The nail bed is the portion of living skin that supports the nail plate as it grows toward the free edge. The cuticle is the dead, colorless tissue attached to the nail plate. The eponychium, perionychium, and hyponychium are the living skin around and under the nail. Specialized ligaments attach the nail bed and matrix bed to the underlying bone. The nail folds are folds of normal skin that surround the nail plate.

They usually result from major illness or injury that has traumatized the body, such as pneumonia, adverse drug reaction, surgery, heart failure, massive injury, or a long-lasting high fever. Beau's lines occur because the matrix slows down in producing nail cells for several weeks or a month. This causes the nail plate to grow thinner for a period of time. The nail plate thickness usually returns to normal after the illness or condition is resolved.

For example, blue fingernails, named for the nail bed color, is usually caused by a lack of circulating oxygen in the red blood cells. It may also represent a high level of an abnormal form of hemoglobin in the circulation.

Any nail disease that shows signs of infection or inflammation (redness, pain, swelling, or pus) should not be diagnosed or treated in the salon.

3. The condition of the skin. Redness may indicate inflammation or infection. It should be free of any disease or disorder.
4. Tenderness to the touch of the skin. Feel the client’s hands and ask if they have any pain. If they have pain, it may require caution or special techniques during massage.
5. Examine the condition and length of the nails including the shape of the free edge and cuticle and the thickness of the nail plate.

The hair follicle is the tube-like depression or pocket in the skin or scalp that contains the hair root. The hair bulb is the lowest part of a hair strand. The dermal papilla is a small, cone-shaped elevation located at the base of the hair follicle that fits into the hair bulb. The arrector pili muscle is the small, involuntary muscle in the base of the hair follicle. Sebaceous glands are the oil glands in the skin that are connected to the hair follicles.

The hair cuticle is the outermost layer of the hair. It consists of a single overlapping layer of transparent, scale-like cells that look like shingles on a roof. The cortex is the middle layer of the hair. It is a fibrous protein core formed by elongated cells containing melanin pigment. The medulla is the innermost layer of the hair and is composed of round cells (only thick, coarse hair contains this layer, and it is not a factor in salon services).

Hair is approximately 90 percent protein. The protein is made up of long chains of amino acids, which, in turn, are made up of elements. The major elements that make up human hair are carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen, and sulfur.

A hydrogen bond is a weak, physical, cross-link side bond that is easily broken by water or heat. A salt bond is also a weak, physical, cross-link side bond between adjacent polypeptide chains. Salt bonds depend on pH, so they are easily broken by strong alkaline or acidic solutions. A disulfide bond is a strong, chemical, side bond. They are broken by permanent waves and chemical hair relaxers that alter the shape of hair.

Eumelanin provides natural dark brown to black color to the hair and is the dark pigment predominant in black and brunette hair. Pheomelanin is the lighter pigment that provides natural colors ranging from red and ginger to yellow and blond tones.

It is not uncommon for an individual to have different amounts of curl in different areas of the head. Compared to straight or wavy hair, which tends to possess a fairly regular and uniform diameter along a single strand, extremely curly hair is fairly irregular, showing varying diameters along a single strand. Extremely curly hair often has low elasticity, breaks easily, and has a tendency to knot, especially on the ends.

During the anagen phase (3-5 years), also known as growth phase, new hair is produced. The catagen phase (1-2 weeks) is the brief transition period between the growth and resting phases of a hair follicle. The telogen phase (3-6 months), also known as resting phase, is the final phase in the hair cycle and lasts until the fully grown hair is shed.

Abnormal hair loss is called alopecia. The three most common types of abnormal hair loss are androgenic alopecia (usually the result of genetics, age, or hormonal changes that cause terminal hair to miniaturize), alopecia areata (an autoimmune disorder that causes the affected hair follicles to be mistakenly attacked by a person's own immune system), and postpartum alopecia (experienced by some women at the end of pregnancy).

Ringed hair is a variety of canities, characterized by alternating bands of gray and pigmented hair throughout the length of the hair strand. Hypertrichosis, also known as hirsuties, is a condition of abnormal growth of hair. Trichoptilosis is the technical term for split ends. Trichorrhexis nodosa is the technical term for knotted hair. Monilethrix is the technical term for beaded hair. Fragilitas crinium is the technical term for brittle hair.

Dandruff commonly produces an oily scalp. The flakes from a dry scalp are much smaller and less noticeable than the larger flakes seen with dandruff. Dry scalp can result from contact dermatitis, sunburn, or extreme age, and is usually made worse by a cold, dry climate.

Malassezia is a naturally occurring fungus that is present on all human skin but causes the symptoms of dandruff when it grows out of control. Some individuals are also more susceptible to malassezia’s irritating effects. Factors such as stress, age, hormones, and poor hygiene can cause the fungus to multiply and dandruff symptoms to worsen.

A furuncle is the technical term for a boil. It is limited to a specific area and produces a pustule perforated by a hair. A carbuncle is an inflammation of the subcutaneous tissue caused by staphylococci. It is similar to a furuncle but is larger. Folliculitis is an infection of the hair follicles frequently caused by bacteria. Infections are seen as small, white-headed pimples around one or more follicles.

Hair texture can be classified as coarse, medium, or fine. Hair on the nape (back of the neck), crown, temples, and front hairline of the same person may have different textures. Medium hair texture is the most common texture and is the standard to which other hair is compared.

Hair density can be classified as low, medium, or high (also known as thin, medium, or thick/dense). Some individuals may have coarse hair texture (each hair has a large diameter), but low hair density (a low number of hairs on the head).

The degree of porosity is directly related to the condition of the cuticle layer. Healthy hair with a compact cuticle layer is naturally resistant to being penetrated by moisture and is referred to as hydrophobic. Porous hair has a raised cuticle layer that easily absorbs moisture and is called hydrophilic.

Hair with low elasticity is brittle and breaks easily. It may not be able to hold the curl from wet setting, thermal styling, or permanent waving. Chemical services performed on hair with low elasticity require a milder solution with a lower pH to minimize further damage and prevent additional overprocessing.

A hair stream is hair flowing in the same direction, resulting from follicles sloping in the same direction. Two streams flowing in opposite directions from the head form a natural part in the hair. A whorl occurs when hair leaves the follicles at an angle; the hair will lie in a particular direction forming patterns or streams on the head. A cowlick is due to a particular pattern of hair stream on the forehead.

In contrast, hydrogen peroxide, hydroxide hair relaxers, titanium dioxide, and zinc oxide in sun protection creams are inorganic substances. Most inorganic substances do not burn because they do not contain carbon. Inorganic substances are not, and never were, alive.

Alkanolamines are alkaline substances used to neutralize acids or raise the pH of many hair products. Ammonia is a colorless gas with a pungent odor that is used to raise the pH in hair products to allow the solution to penetrate the hair shaft. Glycerin is a sweet, colorless, oily substance used as a solvent and as a moisturizer in skin and body creams. Silicones are a special type of oil used in hair conditioners, water-resistant lubricants for the skin, and nail polish dryers.

For example, a common VOC used in hairspray is SD alcohol (ethyl alcohol). Volatile organic solvents such as ethyl acetate and isopropyl alcohol are used in nail polish, base and top coats, and polish removers.

The term pH represents the quantity of hydrogen ions. The pH of any substance is always a balance of acidity and alkalinity. Alpha hydroxy acids derived from plants (mostly fruit), are often used in salons to exfoliate the skin and to help adjust the pH of a lotion, conditioner, or cream. Alkalis are compounds that react with acids to form salts, and are often used to soften and swell hair, skin, the cuticle on the nail plate, and calloused skin.

If excessive current passes through a circuit, the circuit breaker turns off the circuit to prevent overheating. When a circuit breaker shuts off, you should disconnect the appliance and check all connections and insulation before resetting it.

Galvanic current is a constant and direct current, having a positive and negative pole, that produces chemical changes when it passes through the tissues and fluids of the body. Microcurrent is an extremely low level of electricity that mirrors the body’s natural electrical impulses. The Tesla high-frequency current, also known as violet ray, is a thermal or heat-producing current with a high rate of oscillation or vibration.

Lasers are designed to focus all of the light power to a specific depth and in one direction within the skin, using the same color of light. A light-emitting diode (LED) is a medical device used to reduce acne, increase blood circulation, and improve the collagen content in the skin. Intense pulse light is a medical device that uses multiple colors and wavelengths of focused light to treat spider veins, hyperpigmentation, redness, wrinkles, enlarged follicles and pores, and excessive hair.