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November 22, 2009
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 Hair Removal Main Article |  Glossary |  Hair Removal Index 

Hair Removal Glossary of Terms

The following are health and medical definitions of terms that appear in the Hair Removal article.

Androgen: A male sex hormone that promotes the development and maintenance of the male sex characteristics. The major androgen is testosterone.

Arms: An appendage in anatomy and in clinical trials. See: Arm.

Chin: Medically, the mentum. The lower portion of the face below the lower lip including the prominence of the lower jaw and the line of fusion of the two separate halves of the jawbone ( mandible ). This line of fusion (called the symphysis menti) encloses a triangular area at tip of the chin (termed the mental protuberance). On each side, below the second premolar tooth, is the mental foramen , an opening for the passage of blood vessels and a nerve that supply the chin.
See the entire definition of Chin

Cream: A word with many meanings that, in medicine and pharmacy, refers to a water-soluble preparation applied to the skin. An ointment differs from a cream in that it has an oil base.

Dermatology: 1. The branch of medicine concerned with the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of diseases of the skin, hair, nails, oral cavity and genitals. 2. Sometimes also, cosmetic care and enhancement.
Dermatology is literally the study of the skin.

Electrolysis: Permanent removal of body hair, including the hair root, with an electronic device. While it is billed as a permanent process, many people find that hair does grow back (albeit slowly) after electrolysis. Electrolysis may be done by a dermatologist, by an electrolysis technician, or in some cases by a facial technologist or esthetician.

Endocrine: Pertaining to hormones and the glands that make and secrete them into the bloodstream through which they travel to affect distant organs. The endocrine sites include the hypothalamus, pituitary gland, pineal gland, thyroid, parathyroids, heart (which makes atrial-natriuretic peptide), the stomach and intestines, islets of Langerhans in the pancreas, the adrenal glands, the kidney (which makes renin, erythropoietin, and calcitriol), fat cells (which make leptin). the testes, the ovarian follicle (estrogens) and the corpus luteum in the ovary). Endocrine is as opposed to exocrine. (The exocrine glands include the salivary glands, sweat glands and glands within the gastrointestinal tract.)

Feet: The plural of foot, both an anatomic structure and a unit of measure.
See the entire definition of Feet

Food and Drug Administration: The FDA, an agency within the U.S. Public Health Service, which is a part of the Department of Health and Human Services.
See the entire definition of Food and Drug Administration

Genetics: The scientific study of heredity . Genetics pertains to humans and all other organisms. So, for example, there is human genetics, mouse genetics, fruitfly genetics, etc.
See the entire definition of Genetics

Hair follicle: A sac from which a hair grows and into which the sebaceous (oil) glands open. The follicle is lined by cells derived from the epidermal (outside) layer of the skin.
See the entire definition of Hair follicle

Hormone: A chemical substance produced in the body that controls and regulates the activity of certain cells or organs.
See the entire definition of Hormone

Infection: The growth of a parasitic organism within the body. (A parasitic organism is one that lives on or in another organism and draws its nourishment therefrom.) A person with an infection has another organism (a "germ") growing within him, drawing its nourishment from the person.
See the entire definition of Infection

Laser: A powerful beam of light that can produce intense heat when focused at close range. Lasers are used in medicine in microsurgery, cauterization, for diagnostic purposes, etc. For example, lasers are employed in microsurgery to cut tissue and remove tissue.
See the entire definition of Laser

Lip: One of the two fleshy folds which surround the opening of the mouth.
See the entire definition of Lip back to top

Male: The traditional definition of male was "an individual of the sex that produces sperm" (or some such). However, things are not so simple today. Male can be defined by physical appearance, by chromosome constitution (see Male chromosome complement), or by gender identification.

Ovarian: Of or pertaining to the ovary.

Primary: First or foremost in time or development. The primary teeth (the baby teeth) are those that come first. Primary may also refer to symptoms or a disease to which others are secondary.
See the entire definition of Primary

Pulse: The rhythmic contraction and expansion of an artery due to the surge of blood from the beat of the heart. The pulse is most often measured by feeling the arteries of the wrist. There is also a pulse, although far weaker, in veins.

Superficial: In anatomy, on the surface or shallow. As opposed to deep. The skin is superficial to the muscles. The cornea is on the superficial surface of the eye.
See the entire definition of Superficial

Syndrome: A set of signs and symptoms that tend to occur together and which reflect the presence of a particular disease or an increased chance of developing a particular disease.
See the entire definition of Syndrome

Topical: Pertaining to a particular surface area. A topical agent is applied to a certain area of the skin and is intended to affect only the area to which it is applied. Whether its effects are indeed limited to that area depends upon whether the agent stays where it is put or is absorbed into the blood stream.
See the entire definition of Topical back to top

 Hair Removal Main Article |  Glossary |  Hair Removal Index 




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Hair Removal

What is folliculitis? What are folliculitis symptoms? What does folliculitis look like?

Folliculitis is a common skin condition that appears as numerous small red or pink little bumps at hair follicles. It can cause a "chicken skin" appearance on the skin. Folliculitis can affect any part of the skin, including the chest, back, arms, legs, buttocks, and cheeks. Often, 10-100 very small, slightly smooth bumps are scattered in a body area like the back. Some of the bumps may be slightly red or have an accompanying light-red halo indicating inflammation. Sometimes, scratching off the top reveals a small trapped or coiled hair within. Acne whiteheads, called milia, may also be in the same areas as folliculitis. Although folliculitis is primarily a skin condition of teenagers and younger adults, it is also seen in all ages.

In general, folliculitis is often cosmetically displeasing and otherwise medically harmless. Many cases of folliculitis may resolv...

Read the Folliculitis article »










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