Hair removal terms: C

Eventually, I hope to link up glossary terms with corresponding pages, but for now, please use this glossary in combination with the search feature.

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Calamine: a pink ointment sometimes used to treat skin irritation

Calcium thioglycolate: the active dissolving ingredient in many cream depilatories

Capillaries: tiny hair-like blood vessels, some of which carry nutrient to the hair growth matrix.

Candela is a laser manufacturer of GentleLASE

Carbon dioxide laser: also known as a CO2 laser, these are commonly used to perform skin resurfacing

Catagen: a brief middle stage in the hair growth cycle, between active (anagen) and inactive (telogen) stages.

Cataphoresis: the forcing of substances into the skin from a positive to a negative pole. It is sometimes used after electrolysis to firm skin and reduce redness.

Cathode: a negative electrode in a cell or circuit

CDC: Centers for Disease Control

CDRH: Center for Devices and Radiological Health

Center for Devices and Radiological Health: The branch of the FDA which regulates medical devices used for hair removal

Centers for Disease Control: a government agency which puts out guidelines for preventing the spread of disease during procedures such as hair removal

Cheek an area of the face where some men and women opt to thin or clear hair.

Chemical depilatories: powder or cream preparations that dissolve hair above the surface of the skin. Some find these products very irritating to the skin.

Chest: a common area for unwanted hair in men

ChillTip: a patented contact cooling device used in laser hair removal

Chin: a common area for unwanted hair in women

Chromos 694 is a ruby laser made by MEHL/Biophile

Cilia: medical term for eyelashes. Ingrown eyelashes should never be removed except under the supervision of a trained medical specialist

Clareblend: manufactures a professional electrolysis machine

Clearing: a method of hair removal in which all hair in an area is removed at once, as opposed to thinning

Cleopatra’s Secret/Cleopatra: a brand of sugaring solution sold on television

Club hair: a non-living hair in the last stages of the hair growth cycle, it is detached from the follicle but has not yet shed.

CME: Certified Medical Electrologist, a credential given by SCME

Collagen: a protein that holds all connective tissue together under the skin. Collagen is sometimes damaged by plucking or electrolysis, which can lead to dimpling on the skin. Collagen is also used to fill in scars and augment lips, often with temporary results

Cold cream: an ointment for cleansing and softening skin

Cold sore: a viral infection that appears around the mouth. Hair removal, especially electrolysis and lasers, should not be performed around visible cold sores

Cold wax: A type of wax that is spread on at room temperature and used to remove hair by pressing cloth or paper on it and yanking the cloth or paper. This takes the wax and hair with it. Often used in home waxing kits.

Comedogenic: causes blackheads (Comedones)

Comedones: a medical term for blackheads

Congenital: a condition that is hereditary. Excess hair often runs in the family.

Contact cooling: a method of cooling the epidermis immediately prior to laser irradiation in hopes of reducing or eliminating damage to the skin’s surface.

Continuous Stimulation Technique: a pain reduction method in which the client is distracted by something during treatment (music, etc)

Cortisone: an anti-inflammatory sometimes linked to hair growth when taken internally.

Cosmetics: certain types of cosmetics (especially liquid foundations and powders) an be used to conceal but not remove hair. Some women and men use this method in conjunction with a hair removal method. Some methods of hair removal require you not use cosmetics immediately after in speed skin recovery.

Cortex: the soft center of a hair

Cotton swabs: the transdermal electrolysis devices use electrified Q-tips, which are touched to a gel spread on the skin. There is absolutely no evidence that this can result in permanent hair removal

CPE: Certified Public Electrologist, a credential given by the AEA

Crusting: Dried fluid that seeps from skin in some clients following hair removal such as laser, electrolysis, and depilatories. It’s best to keep these crusts clean and not pick them to avoid infection and scarring. These crusts are also called eschars

Current: the flow of electricity, either alternating (AC like a wall outlet) or direct (DC like a battery)

Curved follicles a relatively rare condition which makes certain hair removal methods more difficult and can lead to ingrown hairs.

Cushing Syndrome: a disease caused by a tumor on the adrenal gland, which can cause excess hair growth

Cutaneous: relating to the skin

Cuticle: the hard outer part of a hair

Cynosure: a laser manufacturer of Photogenica

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