PSI Barbering Practice Exam

What results from an acute, deep-seated bacterial infection in the subcutaneous tissue?

1. Folliculitis

2. Ingrown hairs

3. Cysts

4. Pustules

The correct answer is: Ingrown hairs

The correct answer reflects the condition known as an ingrown hair, which can indeed be associated with infections, though it primarily arises from hair that has grown back into the skin rather than outward. These hairs can cause inflammation and irritation in the surrounding tissue, leading to a localized infection. Acute, deep-seated bacterial infections usually stem from situations where bacteria penetrate deeply into the skin, particularly in areas with dense hair growth. When a hair curls back into the skin, it can introduce bacteria, which may aggravate the existing condition. This scenario leads to discomfort, inflammation, and sometimes pus formation. Other conditions listed may involve bacteria but do not specifically represent the acute infection in the subcutaneous tissue in the same way. For instance, folliculitis is a mild infection of the hair follicles, cysts are typically encapsulated pockets of tissue that may or may not be infected, and pustules are pus-filled lesions that can result from various inflammatory processes, not exclusively from deep-seated bacterial infections.