Why Study Hair and Scalp Properties? & Hair Root Structure

Which initial action best helps maintain the health and integrity of a client’s hair and scalp during services?

• Understanding hair and scalp properties before performing services

• Choosing the most popular styling trend

• Using the hottest tool setting available

• Scheduling more frequent appointments

A cosmetologist studies how hair structure is formed and how chemical services alter hair primarily to:

• memorize product brand names

• apply services safely and make informed choices for desired results

• replace the need for client consultations

• eliminate the need for aftercare

Trichology is the study of hair. In the term trichology, the Greek root trichos most nearly means:

• worm

• hair

• strand

• root

Where is the hair root located relative to the epidermis?

• above the epidermis

• below the epidermis

• on the palms and soles only

• only in the scalp

In a labeled diagram of the hair root, which structure is the enlarged base that surrounds the dermal papillae?

• Hair shaft

• Hair bulb

• Hair follicle

• Arrector pili muscle

A student notes an oil-producing sac that opens into the hair follicle. Which label best identifies this structure in the hair root diagram?

• Dermal papillae

• Sebaceous gland

• Epidermis

• Hair matrix

• Arrector pili muscle

Which layer is the hair’s outermost, formed from overlapping cells like shingles and responsible for protecting the cortex?

• Medulla

• Cortex

• Cuticle

Which statement best describes the cortex of the hair shaft?

• It is the hair’s outermost scaly layer that lies flat in healthy hair.

• It is the fibrous protein layer contributing to about 20 percent of hair’s weight and known as the hair’s core.

• It is the innermost canal that all hair types always have.

In the labeled cross-section of a healthy hair, which label points to the cuticle?

• The thin outer scaly layer surrounding the entire shaft

• The central honeycomb-like canal

• The thick middle region between the center and outer surface

Which fibrous protein makes up about 90% of human hair?

• Elastin

• Keratin

• Collagen

• Actin