Utah Master Esthetician Practice Exam

What unit is used to measure low level current in electrical treatments?

1. Milliamperes

2. Amperes

3. Volts

4. Watts

The correct answer is: Milliamperes

Milliamperes is the unit used to measure low-level current in electrical treatments because it represents one-thousandth of an ampere, making it suitable for applications where only a small amount of current is needed. In the field of esthetics, low-level electrical currents are often utilized for treatments such as microcurrent therapy, which aims to stimulate facial muscles and improve skin tone without causing discomfort or harm. Using milliamperes ensures that the current applied is gentle enough for delicate facial tissues while still being effective. In contrast, amperes are a larger unit of measure that indicate higher levels of current, which may not be appropriate for many esthetic applications. Volts measure electrical potential, not current, and therefore do not apply directly to the measurement of current used in treatments. Watts measure power, which is a combination of current and voltage, but again does not specifically address the low-level currents required in esthetic practices. Thus, milliamperes is the appropriate choice for this context.