Final answer:
The process called saponification involves base-promoted hydrolysis of triglycerides that softens and liquefies grease.
Step-by-step explanation:
The process that softens and liquefies grease deposits in the follicle is known as saponification. This process involves a base-promoted hydrolysis of triglycerides, resulting in the production of glycerol and soapy salts of the fatty acids. Saponification is not directly involved in follicular development or hair removal; however, in contexts like chemical hair removal, different processes are used to break down the hair.
Chemical depilatories, for instance, employ active ingredients such as salts of thioglycolic acid to hydrolyze and remove hair, without affecting the follicle itself. The active agents in chemical depilatories break down the disulfide bonds in hair keratin, but they do not liquefy grease in the follicle. The dominant follicle mentioned in reproductive biology is related to ovulation, where the degradation of the follicle wall and fluid pressure lead to the expulsion of the oocyte; this is different from saponification or hair removal processes.