Analysts have noted that there’s been a decrease in year-on-year spending on beauty products since the COVID-19 pandemic hit. With many consumers facing a decrease in disposable income and more employees working from home, sales of skin care products has dropped.
At the same time, stay at home lockdowns have increased play and cash wins at places like the Sloto Cash bonus online casino giving people a jump in disposable income. This, in turn has led to medical cosmetology sector seeing a boost as many people invest in their health on all levels.
If you’re exploring healthy skin care alternatives, consider what you can expect when you go to a medical cosmetologist.
Medical Cosmetology
Medical cosmetologists have special training that allows them to use professional products to deep cleanse, moisturize, tone and nurture a client’s skin. They can remove small,, cosmetic imperfections such as acne, wrinkles, pimples and age spot discolorations without surgery. Many medical cosmetologists also perform aesthetic beauty treatments that are designed to slow down the aging process and make your face more attractive through skin care, therapeutic and prophylactic procedures. These include face wraps, peels, facial massage, cleansings and treatment of problem skin.
Medical cosmetologists are trained in the fields of dermatology, gynecology, nutrition, endocrinology, regenerative medicine and even psychology so that they can effectively eliminate cosmetic defects and their causes.
Cosmetology or Medical Cosmetology?
Should you go to a cosmetologist or a medical cosmetologist? Cosmetologists, also called “estheticians” or “aestheticians” are trained to perform routine skin care services such as cleansing, toning, hair removal and massaging. Medical aestheticians can perform these tasks but their training allows them to perform additional specialized treatments, often in clinical settings.
In addition to helping clients address issues like sunspots and dry skin, a medical cosmetologist can work with people who have serious skin disorders or traumas such as recovery from plastic surgery or post-burn care. Many medical aestheticians specialize in special areas of interest such as chemical peels or microblading. Cosmetologists generally work in a spa or a salon while medical cosmetologists often work in rehabilitation centers and plastic surgeons’ offices.
A medical asthetician will have a background in the regular cosmetology coursework including subjects such as facial cleaning and massage, skin removal and skin conditions and disorders, makeup and hygiene. Medical aestheticians are trained in additional skincare procedures including pre- and post-surgical skincare, permanent make-up, Manual Lymphatic Drainage (MLD) which is used to increase blood flow, support circulation and drain lymph nodes, hair removal techniques such as laser and pulsed light treatments and eyelash extensions.
In addition to spas and salons, medical aestheticians can be found in rehabilitation settings and hospitals, helping patients whose appearance has been altered by illness or trauma. Some ways in which they can be of assistance in medical settings include guiding people with facial deformities, teaching burn victims how to care for their skin and helping people who are undergoing chemotherapy cope with resulting hair loss.
What to Expect from a Cosmetologist
Every salon and spa offers its own course of treatments but in general, if you go to a cosmetologist, you can expect that the aesthetician will start by analyzing your skin to determine your skin type and treat the skin accordingly. The aesthetician should also advise on follow-up treatment for you to do yourself at home. The aesthetician will focus on skin issues including acne, dry skin, oily skin, sensitive skin, fine lines, wrinkles, sun damage, blackheads and whiteheads.
After analyzing your skin the cosmetologist will perform a facial that matches your skin type. The facial will include cleaning and toning the skin, exfoliate the skin and perform a face massage. The treatment may include make-up application including learning how to match foundation, correct contouring and highlighting and receiving instruction in other basic make-up application techniques. You may also receive aromatherapy treatments and learn how to do your own body masks, wraps and scrubs.
Unwanted hair removal by tweezing, waxing, threating and eyebrow shaping is also part of a regular treatment as well as of the post-treatment guidance.
What to Expect from a Medical Cosmetologist
If you go to a medical cosmetologist, regardless of whether your visit is at a medical practice, a hospital or a cosmetology spa, you can consult with a the medical aesthetician about a variety of treatments that you can’t get in a regular spa or salon. These include microlaser peeling, skin tightening, Skikn rejuvenation, laser hair removal, laser tattoo removal, skin resurfacing, body conturing, photofacial, microneedling (collagen induction therapy), cellulite reduction and BBL (Brazilian butt life liposuction). Not every practice will offers services in all of these treatments so it’s important to ascertain in which treatments the practice specializes before you commit to a specific place.
Regardless of the type of treatment that you want, make sure that your aesthetician/medical aesthetician is licensed specifically to practice the type of treatment that s/he provides. The license will ascertain that the aesthetician has completed the necessary coursework in the specific specialty and has completed the needed number of supervisory training.
