New Jersey State Board Esthetics Practice Exam

What would cause vasoconstriction?

1. Warm towels

2. Cold towels

3. Microdermabrasion

4. Steam treatment

The correct answer is: Cold towels

Vasoconstriction occurs when blood vessels narrow, leading to a decrease in blood flow. One of the primary triggers for vasoconstriction is exposure to cold temperatures. When the skin or body is subjected to cold, the physiological response is to conserve heat by constricting blood vessels, which minimizes blood flow to the skin's surface and helps maintain core body temperature. In this context, cold towels are a direct application of a cold stimulus to the skin, which effectively induces vasoconstriction. This reaction can be beneficial in certain esthetic treatments where reducing redness and inflammation is desired. Warm towels, on the other hand, promote vasodilation, increasing blood flow to the area, while microdermabrasion is more about exfoliating the skin, and steam treatments open up the pores and cause the blood vessels to dilate as well. Therefore, when considering the effects of temperature, cold towels specifically are responsible for causing the vasoconstriction response in the body.