subject: An Esthetician Career – A Good Option for You? [print this page] Looking ahead into the next few years, industry growth for estheticians looks very promising. While many industries are experiencing slow to no growth, according to government labor statistics, the number of working estheticians is expected to grow by more than 30 percent through 2018.
Is a Skin Care Career for You?
This promising career outlook has many people considering the field of esthetics as a career. But is this career one that's right for you? Here are some questions to ask yourself:
Do you enjoy making people feel good about themselves?
Do you enjoy trying new cosmetics and skin care products?
Is your own appearance important to you?
Do you want a career instead of just a job?
Does working in a spa, salon, or resort setting sound appealing to you?
Do you want to work in a field that offers opportunities to change and grow?
If you answered "yes" to all or most of these questions, an esthetics career might be a good choice for you. However, it's also smart to know more about what estheticians do and where they work.
What Estheticians Do
Basically, estheticians are trained to provide proactive and preventative skin care. Accordingly, they offer treatments to keep skin healthy and attractive. In most states they may also legally manufacture, sell, or apply cosmetics.
Those trained in esthetics also learn to detect skin problems that may require attention from a qualified physician or nurse practitioner. However, unless someone trained in esthetics is also a licensed dermatologist, he or she cannot prescribe medication or give actual medical treatments.
Some of the most popular services that estheticians offer include facials, facial massage, head and neck massage, make-up application, hair removal by waxing, exfoliation treatments, lash and brow tinting, salt-glow treatments, total body masks, and a variety of types of wraps.
Where Estheticians Work
Most estheticians tend to work in salons, day spas, or in destination or resort spas. Some may choose to become entrepreneurs and start a private esthetics practice. Those who are self-employed usually lease a treatment room in a salon or spa. Some may choose to independently lease a professional space or set up their practice in a specially designed and equipped room within their home instead.
Some skin specialists may also choose to work in the area of medical esthetics. Medical estheticians typically work in cosmetic surgeons' and dermatologists' offices, medical spas, or in hospitals or clinics.
A small percentage of estheticians become makeup artists, serve as sales reps for skin products manufacturers, or become buyers for department stores and other retail businesses.
The best news is that there are several great career paths for estheticians and one is sure to be the perfect fit for you and the lifestyle you aspire to lead.
