How many times have I heard this phrase!?! People ask what I do, I respond that I am an esthetician and nine out of ten times the response I get is "Esthe-What?!?" So I'm here to inform you on what that means and what it is that I really do. I also want to point out the difference between an esthetician, a dermatologist and a beauty consultant.
I am not a dermatologist, but in certain circumstances, I truly believe that I can be of much more help. That might sound arrogant but let me explain. Dermatologists should be your go-to skin expert for skin diseases and conditions. They are NOT who you should take your teenage son or daughter to for their acne. They are NOT who to go see if your skin is a bit oily, discolored, or wrinkled, sensitive, or red. That's where I come in. Since dermatologists are doctors they do what all doctors do; prescribe "medicine." Medicine will treat your problem like a disease, it will attack your skin and yes, you may see results, but at a price. Your teen's acne may be gone(maybe), but he/she is left with damaged, dry, red, and super sensitive skin. This is because their face has been attacked as if they have a disease. Trust me, I have unfortunately spent a lot of time fixing client's skin that has been wrecked by harmful medications, ointments and treatments prescribed and administered by medical professionals. Acne, oily skin, wrinkles, sagging, and sun damage aren't diseases. These things are a normal part of life and should be treated that way.
I also get confused with a beauty consultant. I'm talking about the women that you all know who are consults for companies like Avon, Mary Kay, Arbonne, or Rodan and Fields. I mean no offence to these ladies making a living, but they are NOT trained skin experts. These consultants did not go to school to learn about every aspect of the skin and body, they have not been trained in anything other than how to sell the products they represent. I've even had conversations with some(unfortunately friends trying to sell me stuff I know more about than they do) and they have zero knowledge of even the ingredients in the products they are promoting. I went through 600 hours of esthetics school, took multiple tests, and received a license to be able to treat your skin problems. So please, don't look to a beauty consultant for the answers to your skincare problems.
Go to an esthetician who will help you adjust your daily habits to accommodate the normal changes in your body and skin. Good products really and truly will help, if you find a good esthetician who is honest and willing to take the time to talk with you about every aspect of your life and recommend the best treatment plan. This should include questions and solutions on things like diet, exercise, daily activities, medical and skin history, medications, and skin care regimen.
My normal appointment with a client goes something like this. I will ask questions about all of these important factors and design a facial that I think will be of the most help. The basic facial consists of cleansing, exfoliating, masking, massage, and final product application, all suited to your skin type. On top of that I will add additional treatments such as organic and natural fruit chemical or enzyme peels, microdermabrasion, healing LED light therapy, stimulating detox masks, and more. The facial treatment will show instant results such as detoxing, calming, reducing redness, clearing breakouts, and even relaxing the facial muscles to reduce wrinkle depth through facial massage. All this, not to mention it's one of the most relaxing things on the planet! After the treatment I will recommend products to use at home, diet and lifestyle changes if necessary, and a plan for further facial treatments. I can absolutely guarantee amazing results if you visit an esthetician that will take this approach with you.
Unfortunately, a lot of clients want instant results and have a tendency not to stick to my plan for very long if thay don't see lasting results that week! So please remember to give it time, be patient, and remember that most skin problems will take just as long to disappear as they did to appear. Ten years of wrinkles or sun damage don't go away in a week, a month, or even six months!
If you do have any serious conditions like psoriasis, skin growths, potential skin cancer, concerning rashes, or any other serious skin condition or disease, please go to a dermatologist! Estheticians are in no way there to diagnose or treat serious conditions.
Hope this helps clear up what the heck it is that I do! If you don't live near me, I may be able to recommend estheticians in your area, or take the time to find a good one yourself!
