NIC Esthetician Written ExamScientific ConceptsHard
An esthetician is performing a chemical peel and notices that the client's skin is reacting with excessive erythema and discomfort. This indicates that the peel has penetrated too deeply, potentially reaching the papillary layer of the dermis. Which type of nerve endings, primarily located in the dermal papillae, would be intensely stimulated by this excessive penetration, leading to the client's pain sensation?
- AMeissner's corpuscles
- BRuffini endings
- CPacinian corpuscles
- DFree nerve endings
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: D. Free nerve endings
Free nerve endings are the most common type of nerve endings in the skin, particularly abundant in the epidermis and superficial dermis (papillary layer), and are responsible for sensing pain, temperature, and crude touch. Excessive chemical peel penetration would directly stimulate these pain receptors.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. Meissner's corpuscles are located in the dermal papillae but are responsible for light touch and discriminative touch, not the intense pain described.
- B. Ruffini endings are located in the deep dermis and detect sustained pressure and skin stretch, not acute pain from superficial damage.
- C. Pacinian corpuscles are located deeper in the dermis and hypodermis and detect deep pressure and vibration, not pain from superficial penetration.
Free Nerve Endings
The most common type of nerve endings in the skin, primarily located in the epidermis and papillary dermis, responsible for detecting pain, temperature, and crude touch.
- Most abundant nerve endings in skin
- Located in epidermis and papillary dermis
- Detect pain, temperature, and non-discriminative touch
- Lack specialized structures or capsules
Memory trick: Pain's Path: Free Nerves Feel Fire.