Michigan Esthetician State Board Practice Exam

Bacteria in the follicles are classified as what type of organism?

1. Aerobic

2. Facultative anaerobic

3. Anaerobic

4. Gram-positive

The correct answer is: Anaerobic

Bacteria found in the follicles are primarily classified as anaerobic organisms. This means they thrive in environments without oxygen. Specifically, the human skin hair follicles provide an ideal environment for these anaerobic bacteria since they are often shielded from the oxygen present in the open air. These bacteria play a role in conditions such as acne, where the clogging of follicles can lead to an overgrowth of these organisms. The other options relate to different characteristics of bacteria. Aerobic bacteria require oxygen to survive, which is opposite to the nature of follicular bacteria. Facultative anaerobic bacteria can survive in both oxygen-rich and oxygen-poor environments, but this is not common for the bacteria primarily associated with hair follicles. Gram-positive is a classification based on the structural properties of bacterial cell walls, rather than their oxygen requirements. While some anaerobic bacteria can be gram-positive, this classification does not directly relate to their existence in the follicles as anaerobic organisms do.