the majority of physicians who utilize the skills of estheticians are
dermatologists and plastic surgeons
Plastic surgery
(cosmetic or reconstructive surgery) is performed for aesthetic and reconstructive purposes.
Plastic surgeon
(cosmetic surgeon) is a medical doctor who specializes in cosmetic and/or reconstructive surgery.
Reconstructive surgery
is performed to restore the functioning of body parts or to correct a deformity due to birth defect or injury to the skin, tissue, nerves or muscles.
Blepharoplasty
eye lid surgery, to remove excess fat, skin or muscle from the upper and lower eyelids. Corrects droopy upper lids and puffy bags beneath the eyes.
Rhytidectomy
facelift, can improve visible signs of aging by removing excess fat, tightening underlying muscles, and re-crapping the skin of the ace and neck
Laser resurfacing
uses beam of highly focused light to vaporize the upper layers of damaged skin at specific and controlled levels of penetration.
Rhinoplasty
nose surgery, reshape nose
Chemical peel
is the use of chemical solutions to exfoliate the surface of the skin, promote cell turnover and induce desquamation.
Desquamataion
shedding, peeling, or coming off in scales of the stratum corneum.
Biostimulins
substances that repair damage and promote survival of healthy cells.
The depth and results of a chemical peel depend upon
the concentration and type of chemical used as wells as the pH of the product.
Chemicals peels that can be performed in an esthetics environment are termed
chemical exfoliation or light peels
EMDA
Esthetic Manufacturers and Distributors Alliance, established procedural guidelines to ensure safety and consistency in the use of alpha hydroxy acids for peels.
30% acid and a pH no lower than 3.0
maximum AHA products an esthetician are allowed to use per EMDA guidelines.
One month
the amount of time direct sun exposure should be avoided after a chemical peel.
Medium-Depth Peels
affect the dermis and cannot be performed by an esthetician; they include Trichloroacetic acid (TCA), beta hydroxy acids (salicylic acid). Usually composed of 50% to 70% glycolic acid or 35% to 40% TCA and recommended for fine surface wrinkles, superficia
Deep Peels
affect the dermis more intensely than medium-depth peels, can only be performed by physicians. Multiple layers of TCA or phenol are used, recommended to treat deep facial wrinkles, sun-damaged skin, uneven pigmentation or precancerous growths.
Collagen and Fat Injections
fill creased, furrowed, or sunken facial skin, lines, and wrinkles, temporarily restore a youthful appearance to face or add fullness to the lips and checks.
Collagen Injections
derived from purified bovine (cow) collagen and is similar to human collagen.
Collagen
is a naturally occurring protein that is a component of human skin, joints, bones, and ligaments.
Fat Injections
autologous fat transplantation or microlipoinjection where fat is removed with a syringe from a "donor site" and injected into the area to be treated.
Botox Cosmetic Injections
Botulinum Toxin Type A (from the bacterium clostridium botulinum), an injection of which blocks nerve impulses and temporarily paralyzes muscles that cause facial wrinkles.
Dermabrasion
use a motorized rough wire brush or a burr (a tool with an abrasive rotation attachment) to scrape away the surface of the skin.
Dermaplaning
use an oscillating blade, called a dermatome, to remove the surface of the skin that has grown higher around scarred or wrinkled areas to level the skin.
Ablative lasers
remove the affected portion of the epidermis to heat the papillary dermis which regenerates collagen.
Non-ablative lasers
penetrate the epidermis usually without affecting it, to treat the papillary dermis below, not as intense as ablative lasers, and multiple treatments over time are required.
Wound
characterized by a break in the continuity of the skin that is caused by trauma to the tissue.
Bacterial infections
develop when microbes invade an injured, open or wounded part of the body.
Conjunctivitis
(pink eye) extremely contagious bacterial infection that affects the membrane that lines the eyelids.
Yeast infections
(candida) are superficial fungal infections that occur on moist areas of the skin.
Herpetic infections
(cold sores) such as Herpes Simplex I are highly contagious viral infections that are triggered when the body or skin is placed under extreme stress.
Ecchymosis
clinical term for bruising of the skin.
Erythema
clinical term for redness.
Topical medications
applied directly to the skin (anti-inflammatory, keratolytic and antibacterial medications)
Systemic medications
taken orally and travel through the body in the bloodstream (antibiotics, antihistamines, and Accutane)
Continuing Education Credits
education to continue professional development and maintain license
Medical Esthetics Courses
short courses on medical esthetics provide a condensed version of what an esthetician will experience in the actual medical setting.
Scope of Practice
the limits of your esthetics license, procedures that maybe be legally performed, as defined by the local regulatory agency, which can vary by location.