Ch. 11 - Properties of the Hair & Scalp Flashcards
alopecia
al-oh-Pee-shah
Abnormal hair loss.
alopecia areata
al-oh-Pee-shah air-ee-AH-tah
Autoimmune disorder that causes the affected hair follicles to be mistakenly attacked by a person’s own immune system; usually begins with one or more small, round, smooth bald patches on the scalp.
alopecia totalis
al-oh-Pee-shah toh-TAHL-us
Total loss of scalp hair.
alopecia universalis
al-oh-Pee-shah yoo-nih-vur-SAA-lis
Complete loss of body hair.
amino acids
uh-Mee-noh AS-udz
Units that are joined together end-to-end like pop beads by strong, chemical peptide bonds (end bonds) to form the polypeptide chains that comprise proteins.
anagen phase
AN-uh-jen FAYZ
Also known as growth phase; phase during which new hair is produced.
androgenic alopecia
an-druh-JEN-ik al-oh-PEE-shah
Also known as androgeneticalopecia (an-druh-je-NET-ik al-oh-PEE-shah); hair loss characterized by miniaturization of terminal hair that is converted to vellus hair; in men, it is known as male pattern baldness.
arrector pili muscle
The small, involuntary muscle in the base of the hair follicle.
canities
kah-NIT-eez
Technical term for gray hair; results from the loss of the hair’s natural melanin pigment.
carbuncle
KAHR-bung-kul
Inflammation of the subcutaneous tissue caused by staphylococci; similar to a furuncle but larger.
catagen phase
KAT-uh-jen FAYZ
The brief transition period between the growth and resting phases of a hair follicle. It signals the end of the growth phase.
COHNS elements
KOH-nz EL-uh-ments
The five elements—carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen, and sulfur—that make up human hair, skin, tissue, and nails.
cortex
KOR-teks
Middle layer of the hair; a fibrous protein core formed by elongated cells containing melanin pigment.
cowlick
KOW-lik
Tuft of hair that stands straight up.
cysteine
SIS-ti-een
An amino acid with a sulfur atom (S) that joins together two peptide strands.
cystine
SIS-teen
An amino acid formed when 2 cysteine amino acids (with single sulfur) are joined by their sulfur groups or disulfide bond.
dermal papilla
DERMAL puh-PIL-uh
Plural: dermal papillae. A small, cone-shaped elevation located at the base of the hair follicle that fits into the hair bulb.
disulfide bond
dy-SuL-fyd BAHND
Strong chemical side bond that joins the sulfur atoms of two neighboring cysteine amino acids to create one cystine, which joins together two polypeptide strands like rungs on a ladder.
eumelanin
you-mell-ee-non
Provides natural dark brown to black color to the hair and is the dark pigment predominant in black and brunette hair.
fragilitas crinium
fruh-JIL-ih-tus KRI-nee-um
Technical term for brittle hair.
furuncle
FYOO-rung-kul
Boil; acute, localized bacterial infection of the hair follicle that produces constant pain.
hair bulb
Lowest part of a hair strand; the thickened, club-shaped structure that forms the lower part of the hair root.
hair cuticle
HAYR KYOO-ti-kul
Outermost layer of hair; consisting of a single, overlapping layer of transparent, scale-like cells that look like shingles on a roof.
hair density
The number of individual hair strands on 1 square inch (2.5 square centimeters) of scalp.
hair elasticity
HAYR ee-las-TIS-ut-ee
Ability of the hair to stretch and return to its original length without breaking.
hair follicle
HAYR FAWL-ih-kul
The tube-like depression or pocket in the skin or scalp that contains the hair root.
hair porosity
HAYR puh-RAHS-ut-ee
Ability of the hair to absorb moisture.
hair root
The part of the hair located below the surface of the epidermis.
hair shaft
The portion of hair that projects above the epidermis.
hair stream
Hair flowing in the same direction, resulting from follicles sloping in the same direction.
hair texture
Thickness or diameter of the individual hair strand.
helix
Hee-licks
Spiral shape of a coiled protein created by polypeptide chains that intertwine with each other.
hydrogen bond
HY-druh-jun BAHND
A weak, physical, cross-link side bond that is easily broken by water or heat.
hydrophilic
hy-druh-FIL-ik
Easily absorbs moisture; in chemistry terms, capable of combining with or attracting water (water-loving).
hydrophobic
hy-druh-FOHB-ik
Naturally resistant to being penetrated by moisture.
hypertrichosis
hi-pur-trih-KOH-sis
Also known as hirsuties (hur-SOO-shee-eez); condition of abnormal growth of hair, characterized by the growth of terminal hair in areas of the body that normally grow only vellus hair.
keratin
A fibrous protein that grows from cells originating within the hair follicle.
keratinization
kair-uh-ti-ni-ZAY-shun
Process by which newly formed cells in the hair bulb mature, fill with keratin, move upward, lose their nucleus, and die.
lanthionine bonds
lan-THY-oh-neen BAHNDZ
The bonds created when disulfide bonds are broken by hydroxide chemical hair relaxers after the relaxer is rinsed from the hair.
malassezia
mal-uh-SeeZ-ee-uh
Naturally occurring fungus that is present on all human skin, but is responsible for dandruff when it grows out of control.
medulla
muh-DuL-uh
Innermost layer of the hair that is composed of round cells; often absent in fine and naturally blond hair.
melanin
The tiny grains of pigment in the cortex that give natural color to the hair.
monilethrix
mah-NIL-ee-thriks
Technical term for beaded hair.
pediculosis capitis
puh-dik-yuh-LOH-sis KAP-ih-tis
Infestation of the hair and scalp with head lice.
peptide bond
PeP-tyd BAHND
Also known as an end bond; chemical bond that joins amino acids to each other, end-to-end, to form a polypeptide chain.
pheomelanin
The lighter pigment that provides natural colors ranging from red and ginger to yellow and blond tones.
pityriasis
pit-ih-RY-uh-sus
Technical term for dandruff; characterized by excessive production and accumulation of skin cells.
pityriasis capitis simplex
pit-ih-RY-uh-sus KAP-ih-tis SIM-pleks
Technical term for classic dandruff; characterized by scalp irritation, large flakes, and itchy scalp.
pityriasis steatoides
pit-ih-RY-uh-sus stee-uh-TOY-deez
Severe case of dandruff characterized by an accumulation of greasy or waxy scales mixed with sebum that stick to the scalp in crusts.
polypeptide chain
pahl-ee-PeP-tyd CHAYN
A long chain of amino acids linked by peptide bonds.
postpartum alopecia
POHST-pahr-tum al-oh-Pee-shah
Temporary hair loss experienced towards the end and after the pregnancy.
proteins
PROH-teenz
Long, coiled complex polypeptides made of amino acids.
ringed hair
Variety of canities characterized by alternating bands of gray and pigmented hair throughout the length of the hair strand.
salt bond
A weak, physical, cross-link side bond between adjacent polypeptide chains.
scutula
SKUCH-ul-uh
Dry, sulfur-yellow, cuplike crusts on the scalp in tinea favosa or tinea favus.
sebaceous glands
The oil glands in the skin that are connected to the hair follicles.
sebum
A fatty or oily substance secreted by the sebaceous glands that lubricates the skin.
side bonds
Bonds that cross-link the polypeptide chains together and are responsible for the extreme strength and elasticity of human hair.
telogen phase
TEL-uh-jen FAYZ
Also known as resting phase; the final phase in the hair cycle that lasts until the fully grown hair is shed.
terminal hair
TUR-mih-nul HAYR
Long, coarse, pigmented hair found on the scalp, legs, arms, and bodies of males and females.
tinea
TIN-ee-uh
Technical term for ringworm—a contagious condition caused by fungal infection and not a parasite; characterized by itching, scales, and, sometimes, painful lesions.
tinea favosa
TIN-ee-uh fah-VOH-suh
Also known as tinea favus; fungal infection characterized by dry, sulfur-yellow, cuplike crusts on the scalp called scutula.
trichology
trih-KAHL-uh-jee
Scientific study of hair and its diseases and care.
trichoptilosis
trih-kahp-tih-LOH-sus
Technical term for split ends.
trichorrhexis nodosa
trik-uh-REK-sis nuh-DOH-suh
Technical term for knotted hair; it is characterized by brittleness and the formation of nodular swellings along the hair shaft.
vellus hair
VEL-us HAYR
Also known as lanugohair; short, fine, unpigmented, and downy hair that appears on the body, with the exception of the palms of the hands and the soles of the feet.
wave pattern
The shape of the hair strands; described as straight, wavy, curly, and extremely curly.
whorl
WHORL
Hair that forms in a circular pattern on the crown of the head.
