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Title / Explain hair, skin, and the application of electrical currents for electrolysis treatments
Level / 5 / Credits / 4
Purpose / People credited with this unit standard are able to explain: the anatomy of hair and hair growth; skin conditions, and the effect of electrical currents on skin; and electrical and chemical processes in electrical epilation.
Classification / Beauty Services > Beauty Therapy
Available grade / Achieved
Guidance Information
1Enterprise requirements, for the purposes of this unit standard, refers to any policies, procedures, and requirements of the company and/or workplace involved, and any ethical codes of relevant professional management, which collectively provide a standard that applies to all competent performances in this unit standard. It is assumed that such enterprise requirements exist in all companies and/or workplaces.
2As the content of this unit standard is largely informational, performance criteria assume that knowledge will be acquired from reference texts, models, and other information-bearing media. No one textbook or other source of information is envisaged, as new approaches to the study of anatomy and physiology are published regularly.
3All demonstrations of knowledge for assessment in this unit standard must be evidenced with relation to the application to and use in the beauty services industry.
4For the purposes of this unit standard, explain and explanation are to be interpreted to include any form of visual and/or other aid, such as diagram, gesture, or model, that is used in addition to or in place of a verbal explanation.
5In this unit standard, all ranges identify the minimum that is critical for assessment. A wider scope may nevertheless be taught.
6The focus of this unit standard is the anatomy and physiology of human systems that are healthy and functioning properly. Diseases and disorders are included only where appropriate to the professional competence of a beauty practitioner.
Outcomes and performance criteria
Outcome 1
Explain the anatomy of hair and hair growth.
Performance criteria
1.1Explanation describes the types of hair anatomy.
Rangelanugo, vellus, terminal.
1.2Explanation describes the anatomy and physiology of the follicle and hair in terms of inner root sheath, outer root sheath, connective tissue sheath, vitreous membrane, medulla, cortex, and cuticle.
1.3Explanation describes the stages of follicle development and hair growth in terms of anagen, catagen, and telogen.
1.4Explanation describes the causes of hair growth in terms of systemic (normal, abnormal), congenital (normal, abnormal), and topical.
Outcome 2
Explain skin conditions, and the effect of electrical currents on skin.
Performance criteria
2.1The common skin diseases and disorders are identified, noted and discussed for referral.
Rangeabnormalities, post-treatment disorders; bacterial, fungal, viral, parasitic, systemic, traumatic.
2.2Explanation describes the effects of galvanic, high-frequency and blend currents on the pilosebaceous unit.
Outcome 3
Explain electrical and chemical processes in electrical epilation.
Rangegalvanic, high frequency, blend currents.
Performance criteria
3.1Explanation describes the influences of the electrical components that affect how a galvanic and high frequency current is produced.
3.2Explanation describes atoms, elements, molecules, compound, ions, and electrodes involved in electrical epilation treatments.
3.3Explanation describes the chemical and physical effects of electrodes involved in electrical epilation treatments.
3.4Explanation and demonstration illustrate the safety precautions involved in electrical epilation procedures.
3.5Explanation describes the behaviour and characteristics of electrical currents used in electrical epilation treatments.
Replacement information / This unit standard was replaced by unit standard 31163.This unit standard is expiring. Assessment against the standard must take place by the last date for assessment set out below.
Status information and last date for assessment for superseded versions
Process / Version / Date / Last Date for AssessmentRegistration / 1 / 27 June 2003 / 31 December 2020
Rollover and Revision / 2 / 16 October 2009 / 31 December 2020
Review / 3 / 31 May 2018 / 31 December 2020
Consent and Moderation Requirements (CMR) reference / 0035
This CMR can be accessed at
NZ Hair and Beauty Industry Training Organisation IncSSB Code 101681 / New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2018