Clinical Setting

Over the past few years, the physician skin care community has begun a unique evolution that includes a combination of medical and non-medical therapies geared toward improving the overall appearance of skin. Many skin problems can be treated by a Para-medical Esthetician as an alternative to surgery or drugs. Working in the health care field is extremely rewarding.

Private Practice

As an Esthetician you may have the opportunity to start your own Private Practice where you can work on your own terms.

• Analyze customer’s skin care needs
• Discuss treatments and products with clients.
• Use a magnifying lamp or visor.
• Perform facials to cleanse pores and improve skin tone.
• Apply chemical peels to reduce fine lines and age spots.
• Perform simple extractions to remove blackheads.
• Remove unwanted facial hair using depilatory wax.
• Tint eyebrows.
• Instruct customers on skin care and makeup techniques.
• Sterilize equipment and clean work area.
• Massage the face.
• Select and apply cosmetic products such as creams, lotions, and tonics.

Paramedical Estheticians

work with plastic surgeons and dermatologists in pre-and postoperative skin care. Under the guidance of a licensed health care provider, they provide treatments that prepare the skin for surgery for a more comfortable healing process. They show patients how to conceal redness and bruising with corrective make-up while skin is healing.

What Skills Are Important?

The following skills, knowledge, and abilities are important for Estheticians:

• Service Orientation – Actively looking for ways to help people.
• Speaking – Talking to others to effectively convey information.
• Active Listening – Listening to what other people are saying and asking questions as appropriate.
• Social Perceptiveness – Being aware of others’ reactions and understanding why they react the way they do.
• Equipment Selection – Determining the kind of tools and equipment needed to do a job.
• Problem Identification – Identifying the nature of problems.
• Time Management – Managing one’s own time and the time of others.
• Arm-Hand Steadiness – Keeping the hand and arm steady while making an arm movement or while holding the arm and hand in one position.
• Knowledge of Disinfection Procedures and Considerations – Recognizing infectious diseases and knowing disinfection and safety procedures for the protection of operators and clients.
• Estheticians also need an awareness of sound business practices since many will eventually be self-employed. They will need to know how to market services, manage inventory, retain clients while attracting new ones, negotiate rental contracts, and build in a stable profit margin.

What Is The Work Environment?

Estheticians work indoors in salons, health and beauty spas, or medical offices. Estheticians may wear lab coats and gloves in their work. They use chemical and herbal preparations and must not be allergic to them. Estheticians must be able to do daily lifting, pushing, and pulling of up to ten pounds. Although Estheticians may sit a good percentage of the time, the job is not sedentary as Estheticians get up, reach, and bend over 80 percent of the day.
Estheticians can also work outside the treatment arena as educators and/or sales representatives for product manufacturers, as teachers, and as makeup artists in television studios, movie sets, fashion shows, and for wedding consultants.

*PLEASE NOTE – If you have a criminal record, please contact DOPL for information on whether you can or cannot be licensed in this field.