Aestheticians, also spelled estheticians, are skin care specialists. They are not dermatologists nor any type of doctor, by any means. Aesthetician is pronounced "es-thi-tish-uhn," and is derived from the word aesthetic, whose root is a Greek word meaning "to perceive, to feel" (from the Online Etymology Dictionary). Now, aesthetic seems to refer to a sense of the beautiful, or a sense of what is pleasing.



So, what does an aesthetician do?

Have you ever wondered if there was a better kind of makeup for your skin type? Have you ever questioned what condition your skin was in, and if you were buying the right kind of moisturizer and toner? An aesthetician does all that and more. Not only can he/she tell you what condition your skin is in, but also how to improve it. Usually, a certified aesthetician has access to products that you cannot find at other beauty stores. Laws regarding aestheticians are still in a state of flux and vary buy state, though there are some federal guidelines. Here are some other things an aesthetician may be able to help you with depending on your own state regulations:

Skin Treatments

An aesthetician is trained to handle facial massages in a way to improve your skin’s appearance, to relieve stress, and to just feel good. If you have never had a facial massage, it is a great experience! Also, an aesthetician has learned about chemical exfoliation and how to administer it in a healthy way. Aestheticians also must learn about common plastic surgical procedures in order to understand how to follow up. Some learn about manual lymph drainage for this purpose, but I do not know how common it is in the United States.

Body Treatments

Again, this includes chemical exfoliation, but also includes body masks and body wraps. Some body wraps are dehydrating, explaining the loss of water weight afterward. Your aesthetician should know about the different kinds, and know how to prepare you for it healthily, advising you to drink plenty of water beforehand, etc. Another skill that aestheticians acquire is on hydrotherapy. This includes foot baths and arm baths, as well as douches. A douche is a steady stream of water applied in a certain pattern over a part of the body. This works much like a massage in that it pinpoints specific areas to relieve stress and muscle pain.

Hair Removal

Any body can tweeze their eyebrows, but not many of us are trained to know how to shape our eyebrows so that they complement our face. Many times we know what we don’t want our eyebrows to look like, though we don’t know what we do want them to. An aesthetician is trained to be able to analyze your face shape and your eyebrow arch to come out with the best possible combination. While she is not trained to administer electrolysis or laser hair removal, she should know enough about it to be able to answer your questions.

It is also important to know what an aesthetician is not certified to do, so that you can protect yourself. They are not to puncture or wound the skin in any way that may draw blood. This includes popping a closed zit. Also, they are not to provide you with any advice concerning the treatment of medical diseases.

Aestheticians are there to give advice on what is cosmetically appealing in general, but it is your job to know what you like. Also, it is important for you to watch carefully to make sure they are following basic sanitary guidelines. Aestheticians are great resources when exploring the world of skin care, having been trained and then possibly having gone through an apprenticeship, much like the way electricians are certified. They know the products and can help you figure out what is right for you.