Dear Dr. Seckel, What is the difference between a medical aesthetician and regular aesthetician? Are the aesthetician services available in your office different from those available in a medical spa or a salon? I am considering aesthetician school but also thinking about nursing school. I like aesthetics but want to be able to do the things that I read about in your book. Thank you, Rita, Boston
Dear Rita,
A major difference is that a medical aesthetician works with and under the supervision of a doctor in the doctor’s office. There are specific medical aesthetician training programs which require a 1200 hour course. One of the best is at Catherine Hinds Institute which is in the
The career opportunities for a medical aesthetician are fabulous. Medical aesthetics is one of the fastest growing fields in healthcare today. Demand for non-surgical facial rejuvenation therapy is growing and the partnership between doctors, nurses, and medical aestheticians is the ideal model to provide safe, state of the art care for patients.
The benefits for the medical aesthetician are the ability to utilize new, advanced medical techniques and be on the leading edge of the field of esthetics and medical aesthetician services.
As a medical aesthetician working with a doctor you will be able to:
- Provide your patients with prescription topical skin care products-ones that really work
- Use stronger chemical peeling agents that provide deep effective skin exfoliation
- Use more aggressive microdermabrasion machines
- With training and under the doctors supervision use many of the new laser and IPL machines for hair removal, pigment and blood vessel removal, wrinkle removal, and skin rejuvenation
- Assist the doctor with Botox, Restylane, Radiesse, and Juvaderm injections
- Manage post operative patients who have had plastic surgery providing wound care and make up
- Many medical aestheticians with experience have moved on to management positions in Plastic Surgery and Dermatology practices
The career opportunities are really limitless. With the revolutionary advances in non-surgical facial rejuvenation and our aging population the field of medical aesthetics will continue to grow at an exciting pace.
Nursing is a wonderful field and although the training is much longer and more challenging, many medical aestheticians decide to continue their education and get a nursing degree or an LPN certificate. This additional education broadens the field in which they can work. Nurses today can do more invasive procedures than can a medical esthetician.
Conversely many RN’s today go to esthetician school so that they can add medical aesthetics to their nursing skills. An experienced RN who is also an esthetician is a very valuable employee in any Plastic Surgery or dermatology office.
The major difference in aesthetician services in a medical office as compared to a Spa is medical supervision and licensing. The best most effective facial rejuvenation techniques require a medical license and physician supervision. Many legislatures are taking action to limit what Spa’s can do without a physician present. From your perspective you want to do what is best, most effective, and safest for your patients, and that will be in a doctor’s office.
I hope I have answered your question. Your chosen field is one of the most exciting in health care today and the future looks very bright. If you have the time and resources now and you are willing to make the rigorous educational commitment an RN degree followed by a medical aesthetician training course would be ideal. However getting medical aesthetician training, starting work and advancing your training as you work is an excellent path as well.
If you would like more information about non-surgical facial rejuvenation and aesthetician services read Save Your Face or contact me.
Thank you,
978-369-4499