What Is An Esthetician?

An esthetician, also known professionally as an aesthetician, is a person who is a skincare professional. However, the difference between an esthetician and a dermatologist is that the former focuses on the beauty of the skin’s appearance.

What Is An Esthetician
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A person might visit an esthetician to remove wrinkles and fine lines. They may even be offered some much needed advice on how to maintain better health for their skin.

If you are interested to know more about what an esthetician is and what they do, then read on to find out all you need to know. 

What Does An Esthetician Do?

An esthetician works with noninvasive superficial treatments to look after your skin. They do this by evaluating your skin’s needs and then performing the appropriate treatment. This can be a one-off or several months of treatments. 

Some of the goals an esthetician works towards are:

  • Improving your skin’s texture and overall appearance to ensure it is looking healthy.
  • Decreasing any signs of aging, as well as using preventative methods.
  • Helping to remove signs of sun damage and helping to minimize any future effects too.
  • Reducing and preventing acne.
  • Maintaining the overall health of your skin to keep it looking very good.

You will find an esthetician in places like spas, private practices, doctor’s offices and salons. They will provide both cosmetic procedures and treatments in order to keep your skin looking its best. 

Is An Esthetician The Same As A dermatologist?

No, an esthetician is not the same as a dermatologist. An esthetician works with the top layers of skin, and any treatment tends to be noninvasive. The point of an esthetician is to ensure the skin looks healthy and is rid of fine lines, acne, and wrinkles.

A dermatologist on the other hand is someone who works with the top and deeper layers of the skin. They also do not deal with the beauty of your skin, and instead help to treat a variety of different skin, nail and hair conditions.

A dermatologist is also likely to diagnose an underlying issue you may have, for example eczema. If you have any health concerns, then seeing a dermatologist is best. However, if you are wanting to improve your skin then an esthetician is the answer, 

What Are The Main Reasons A Person Might Visit An Esthetician?

There are three reasons why people visit an esthetician: to be pampered, to get advice, or to treat a concern. It is no surprise then that in 2021 over $14 billion dollars were spent on different esthetician procedures.

Firstly, a person loves to be pampered. An esthetician can provide a person with aromatherapy and scalp massages. If somebody wants a way to remove stress and to relax on a regular basis, then seeing an esthetician is a great way to do just that. 

An esthetician can also give out skincare advice. They go through training to learn about the ins and outs of skin, and can provide you with the knowledge to look after your skin. 

They can provide you with the information you need when it comes to using products suitable for your skin type – which they will also tell you.

Lastly, an esthetician can also treat various skin concerns. Some of these include dry skin, acne, wrinkles and fine lines, sun damaged skin, unwanted hair on the face or body, and sensitive skin.

What Services Do Estheticians Offer?

What Is An Esthetician
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An esthetician has particular services that they offer. However, none of these are medical – for example giving you medicated tablets or creams.

Instead, they offer alternatives to treating skincare concerns which can be very successful. They are trained thoroughly meaning they have to know what they are doing in order to provide a particular service. 

Some of the services offered by an esthetician are:

  • Various acne treatments
  • Salon grade chemical peels
  • Microdermabrasion
  • Aromatherapy
  • Body exfoliation
  • Laser resurfacing and skin rejuvenation
  • Extractions for things like blackheads
  • Light therapy
  • Scalp massage
  • Pore cleanse
  • Hydrating treatments
  • Hair removal
  • Makeup application
  • Body wraps
  • Masks

What Services Can An Esthetician Not Offer?

An esthetician is there to help you with any skincare concerns, however they do not have the ability to diagnose a skin issue. This is where a dermatologist comes in. 

If you are in need of the following then see someone other than an esthetician:

  • A medical condition diagnosed.
  • Fillers or botox.
  • Medication and medicated treatments.

You may find that an esthetician works within a doctor’s office or in a plastic surgery clinic. Even so, this does not give them the right to administer any of the above. 

However, an esthetician may be able to offer skincare treatment that goes along with your medical treatment. What they cannot do is offer alternative advice which would cause you to stop taking medical treatment. 

Does An Esthetician Need To Be Licensed?

There are more than 40,000 licensed estheticians in the United States. Being licensed means that you are able to work professionally as an esthetician. 

If you are searching for an esthetician, always make sure they are licensed. It is really important because if they are not licensed, then they may not be fully trained to look after your skin or give you advice. 

All estheticians complete their education at community college or cosmetology school.  During this time they also work in a real life setting to gain experience. Once graduated they will earn a diploma or certificate.

They will then take a state exam which proves they understand the concepts of anatomy and microbiology. After they pass, they can then apply to be licensed. 

Final Thoughts

An esthetician is a skincare specialist who addresses the top layer concerns of the skin. They can offer advice on how to look after the skin, but they cannot diagnose skin problems – that is a dermatologist’s job!

They offer many services such as hair removal, skin treatments such as chemical peels and pore cleansing, as well as massages and aromatherapy.

If you liked this article, you might enjoy our post, ‘How Much Do Pharmacists Make?‘.

Jason Sullivan
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