Cosmetology · Hair Removal

Depilatories remove hair by:

Correct answer

Chemically dissolving the hair at the skin's surface

  1. A Freezing it
  2. B Chemically dissolving the hair at the skin's surface
  3. C Cutting with scissors
  4. D Pulling from the root

Why this is the answer

Depilatories are products that remove hair by chemically dissolving it at or just below the skin's surface, as opposed to waxing or tweezing, which remove hair from the root. Because depilatories are chemical, they can irritate skin and require following directions and patch testing for sensitivity. They provide temporary removal. Knowing how depilatories work (surface chemical dissolution) versus root-removal methods, and that they carry irritation/allergy considerations, is part of the hair-removal knowledge on the exam.
Source: Skin & Nails — Depilatories

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About this topic: Hair Removal

Hair removal questions cover temporary methods (tweezing, waxing, sugaring, threading) and permanent methods (electrolysis, laser), with the contraindications, patch tests and safety rules for waxing. This is one of 9 Skin & Nails questions on hair removal, each with a full explanation on a single study page.

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