DID YOU KNOW?
You will see the spelling of
esthetician vary slightly
depending on where you
are working. In the medical
realm, you will more often
see the word spelled as
aesthetician in reference to the
original Greek word
aesthetikos. Many cosmetic
surgeons, nurses, and clini- cal
estheticians prefer aes-
thetician. In recent history,
the initial letter a has been
dropped in Western Europe
and in the United States be-
cause the word esthetician
relates more to the newer spa
culture and has become a
more modern term.
Describe the Career
Options
Available to Licensed Estheticians
Esthetics (es-THET-iks), also known as aesthetics, from the Greek word aesthetikos (meaning "perceptible to
the senses"), is a branch of ana- tomical science that deals with the overall
health and well-being of the skin, the largest organ of the human
body.
An esthetician (es-thuh-TISH-un) is a specialist in the cleansing, beautification, and preservation of
the health of skin on the entire body, including the face and neck.
Some establishments may also call this spe- cialist an aesthetician, which
is more common in medical settings.
Estheticians provide preventive care for the skin and offer treatments to keep the skin healthy and
attractive. They may also manufacture, sell, or apply cosmetics. They are
trained to detect skin problems that may require medical attention.
However, unless an esthetician is also a li- censed dermatologist,
physician, or physician's assistant, they cannot make a diagnosis,
prescribe medication, or give medical treatments.
Esthetics is an exciting, ever-expanding field. Over the past few de- cades, it has evolved from a
minor part of the beauty industry into an array of specialized services
offered in elegant, full-service salons, day spas, and wellness centers.
, As a licensed esthetician, you can choose from a wide range of career
options. The information in this chapter highlights only a few
opportunities to consider when starting to plot a path that is right for
you to launch your career. Almost everything you do is a stepping stone
to the next level of advancement in your career, so while still in school start
dreaming early, stay open-minded, and consider your future as an
esthetician.
▲ FIGURE 1-2 Being a salon or day
spa esthetician allows you to offer a
variety of services.
Robert Przybysz/Shutterstock.com
Salon or Day Spa
Esthetician
Description: Estheticians in a salon or day spa are skin care specialists and consultants.
Place of Employment: Estheticians work at full-service salons, skin care salons, or day spas. These may be
independent busi- nesses or national chains, and they may
operate within hotels or department stores.
Preferred Skills/Common Duties: Performing facials and fa- cial massage; waxing; and providing body
treatments, applied both manually and with the aid of
machines (Figure 1-2); and providing makeup services. Other
job duties may include doing laundry, confirming appointments,
and making follow-up calls to clients that have come in for a
treatment; keeping records of the services provided and the
products clients use; behaving pleasantly toward clients;
and being skillful at selling products and services.
6
PART 1 Skin Foundations
Growth Opportunities: You can work your way up to management
and supervisory positions. With experience, you may decide to open
your own salon or buy an established business or franchise. Most
private sa- lon or franchise owners have multiple responsibilities.
Besides running the business, you may perform some or all of the
, services your business offers; or you may choose to limit your
services to the areas of skin care and makeup.
Clinical Esthetician
Description: Clinical esthetics (clin-i-kuhl es-THET-iks), previously
known as medical esthetics, involves the integration of surgical pro-
cedures and esthetic treatments. In this setting, the physician
concen- trates on surgical work while the esthetician assists with esthetic
treat- ments. Contact your state board to find out the rules and
regulations for estheticians working in a medical setting.
Place of Employment: In medical settings, estheticians perform ser-
vices ranging from working with pre- and postoperative patients to
man- aging a skin care department in a medical spa. The settings
may include outpatient clinics, dermatology clinics, medical spas,
laser clinics, dental offices, or research and teaching hospitals.
Preferred Skills/Common Duties: Providing
patient education; marketing, buying, and sell-
ing products; applying camouflage makeup;
and-with a physician's supervision-performing
advanced treatments, including laser and light
therapies (depending on state licensing rules)
(Figure 1-3). In addition, an experienced
estheti- cian may manage the cosmetic
surgery office or act as a patient care coordinator.
Some estheticians are certified nursing assistants
(CNAs), licensed practical nurses (LPNs), or
registered nurses (RNs).
Growth Opportunities: This type of work is
very demanding, and it is important to be
adaptable. Many rules and regulations must be
understood and followed in a medical setting, and
there is much at stake. You must be a good leader
but also be able to follow instructions explicitly.
Teamwork is the number one priority in a
medical organization.
Kzenon/Shutterstock.com
ACTIVITY
Wish List
Begin a journal dedicat- ed to creating the ideal esthetics position for you. Make a wish list detailing the perfect
job description. Ask yourself
what tasks you might be
performing and consider the
types of settings you think
, would be exciting and
interesting. Then describe the
type of people you would
enjoy working with and the
clients you would like to
serve. Add to your journal
whenever you can, and you
will begin to develop an
image of your ideal esthetics
position. Think big.
FIGURE 1-3 Clinical estheticians work alongside
medical professionals to offer a range of advanced
services.
Waxing Specialist/Brow
Specialist
Description: Waxing specialists remove hair from the face and/or
body mainly by using hard or soft wax but also by threading,
sugaring, and
CHAPTER 1 Career Opportunities and History of Esthetics
7
Photo courtesy of youmicrospa.com
EXPERT Q&A: ALEX LEEDER
Owner of You, MicroSpa, a skin health and wellness retreat based in Reno,
Nevada, Leeder is a Reiki master, is the former president of the Nevada State
Board of Cosmetology, and has worked as an art director, a visual merchandiser, a
makeup artist, and an editor at Skin Sense.
You will see the spelling of
esthetician vary slightly
depending on where you
are working. In the medical
realm, you will more often
see the word spelled as
aesthetician in reference to the
original Greek word
aesthetikos. Many cosmetic
surgeons, nurses, and clini- cal
estheticians prefer aes-
thetician. In recent history,
the initial letter a has been
dropped in Western Europe
and in the United States be-
cause the word esthetician
relates more to the newer spa
culture and has become a
more modern term.
Describe the Career
Options
Available to Licensed Estheticians
Esthetics (es-THET-iks), also known as aesthetics, from the Greek word aesthetikos (meaning "perceptible to
the senses"), is a branch of ana- tomical science that deals with the overall
health and well-being of the skin, the largest organ of the human
body.
An esthetician (es-thuh-TISH-un) is a specialist in the cleansing, beautification, and preservation of
the health of skin on the entire body, including the face and neck.
Some establishments may also call this spe- cialist an aesthetician, which
is more common in medical settings.
Estheticians provide preventive care for the skin and offer treatments to keep the skin healthy and
attractive. They may also manufacture, sell, or apply cosmetics. They are
trained to detect skin problems that may require medical attention.
However, unless an esthetician is also a li- censed dermatologist,
physician, or physician's assistant, they cannot make a diagnosis,
prescribe medication, or give medical treatments.
Esthetics is an exciting, ever-expanding field. Over the past few de- cades, it has evolved from a
minor part of the beauty industry into an array of specialized services
offered in elegant, full-service salons, day spas, and wellness centers.
, As a licensed esthetician, you can choose from a wide range of career
options. The information in this chapter highlights only a few
opportunities to consider when starting to plot a path that is right for
you to launch your career. Almost everything you do is a stepping stone
to the next level of advancement in your career, so while still in school start
dreaming early, stay open-minded, and consider your future as an
esthetician.
▲ FIGURE 1-2 Being a salon or day
spa esthetician allows you to offer a
variety of services.
Robert Przybysz/Shutterstock.com
Salon or Day Spa
Esthetician
Description: Estheticians in a salon or day spa are skin care specialists and consultants.
Place of Employment: Estheticians work at full-service salons, skin care salons, or day spas. These may be
independent busi- nesses or national chains, and they may
operate within hotels or department stores.
Preferred Skills/Common Duties: Performing facials and fa- cial massage; waxing; and providing body
treatments, applied both manually and with the aid of
machines (Figure 1-2); and providing makeup services. Other
job duties may include doing laundry, confirming appointments,
and making follow-up calls to clients that have come in for a
treatment; keeping records of the services provided and the
products clients use; behaving pleasantly toward clients;
and being skillful at selling products and services.
6
PART 1 Skin Foundations
Growth Opportunities: You can work your way up to management
and supervisory positions. With experience, you may decide to open
your own salon or buy an established business or franchise. Most
private sa- lon or franchise owners have multiple responsibilities.
Besides running the business, you may perform some or all of the
, services your business offers; or you may choose to limit your
services to the areas of skin care and makeup.
Clinical Esthetician
Description: Clinical esthetics (clin-i-kuhl es-THET-iks), previously
known as medical esthetics, involves the integration of surgical pro-
cedures and esthetic treatments. In this setting, the physician
concen- trates on surgical work while the esthetician assists with esthetic
treat- ments. Contact your state board to find out the rules and
regulations for estheticians working in a medical setting.
Place of Employment: In medical settings, estheticians perform ser-
vices ranging from working with pre- and postoperative patients to
man- aging a skin care department in a medical spa. The settings
may include outpatient clinics, dermatology clinics, medical spas,
laser clinics, dental offices, or research and teaching hospitals.
Preferred Skills/Common Duties: Providing
patient education; marketing, buying, and sell-
ing products; applying camouflage makeup;
and-with a physician's supervision-performing
advanced treatments, including laser and light
therapies (depending on state licensing rules)
(Figure 1-3). In addition, an experienced
estheti- cian may manage the cosmetic
surgery office or act as a patient care coordinator.
Some estheticians are certified nursing assistants
(CNAs), licensed practical nurses (LPNs), or
registered nurses (RNs).
Growth Opportunities: This type of work is
very demanding, and it is important to be
adaptable. Many rules and regulations must be
understood and followed in a medical setting, and
there is much at stake. You must be a good leader
but also be able to follow instructions explicitly.
Teamwork is the number one priority in a
medical organization.
Kzenon/Shutterstock.com
ACTIVITY
Wish List
Begin a journal dedicat- ed to creating the ideal esthetics position for you. Make a wish list detailing the perfect
job description. Ask yourself
what tasks you might be
performing and consider the
types of settings you think
, would be exciting and
interesting. Then describe the
type of people you would
enjoy working with and the
clients you would like to
serve. Add to your journal
whenever you can, and you
will begin to develop an
image of your ideal esthetics
position. Think big.
FIGURE 1-3 Clinical estheticians work alongside
medical professionals to offer a range of advanced
services.
Waxing Specialist/Brow
Specialist
Description: Waxing specialists remove hair from the face and/or
body mainly by using hard or soft wax but also by threading,
sugaring, and
CHAPTER 1 Career Opportunities and History of Esthetics
7
Photo courtesy of youmicrospa.com
EXPERT Q&A: ALEX LEEDER
Owner of You, MicroSpa, a skin health and wellness retreat based in Reno,
Nevada, Leeder is a Reiki master, is the former president of the Nevada State
Board of Cosmetology, and has worked as an art director, a visual merchandiser, a
makeup artist, and an editor at Skin Sense.
