“A Month of Healthy Skin,” is a concept, I came up with, to introduce skincare novices to my services and to help my current clients get to know more about what I do and about the skincare line we carry and love, Dermalogica. Every week, for the next 4 weeks, I will be covering a different topic and hopefully answering some questions, you may have, along the way.
This Week's Topic:
"The Esthetics Room - What exactly am I doing to you?"
Part 1
This week, I am going to cover some key elements concerning what an esthetican does, what happens during a facial and what the “scary” equipment in my room is for.
Today…the basics…questions I am asked, at least once a week.
Q: What are you?
A: I am an esthetician or skin therapist. I was trained at an esthetics school, 10 years ago. I perform services such as facials, body treatments, full body waxing and make-up. I cannot diagnose a medical condition or perform microdermabrasion or medical grade peels (in the state of Maryland, without a doctor on staff), but I can spot issues that should be referred to a medical doctor.
Q: What is a facial?
A: A facial cleanses, exfoliates and nourishes the skin to promote facial skin health.
There are 5 basic steps to a facial:
1. Skin Analysis – the face is examined in order to determine the course of treatment for each client. I customize every facial to suit your particular needs.
2. Cleansing/Exfoliation – after cleansing, I will perform an exfoliation, in order to remove the dead skin cells and impurities from your face. Some exfoliations are more intense than others and again, they are chosen based on your skin’s specific needs.
3. Extractions – not everyone needs them and not everyone will get them, but extractions remove the debris from the pores of your face, be it a comedone (aka a blackhead), a papule (aka a white head), or a pustule (aka a pimple), it will be removed in a safe and sanitary way.
4. Mask – masks either calm, hydrate or treat your skin.
5. Massage – the facial massage is essential in toning and tightening the skin, but it also helps to increase the absorption of the product.
These steps can be rearranged, taken out or repeated to suit a particular clients needs and goals.
Q: Why do I have to tell you what medication I am on?
A: Some medications cause the very skin condition that is bothing you and many medications are contraindications (condition which makes a particular treatment or procedure inadvisable) to certain skincare procedures.
There are many medications which make the skin more sensitive to exfoliation, heat, light and touch. A few popular examples :
· Retin-A, a popular medication used to treat acne and promote anti-aging, promotes peeling of the skin. Not informing me of this medication could cause excessive dermabrasion (removing of skin) or even chemical burns.
· Antibiotics – a great way to treat many infections, but it also causes your skin to be more sensitive to heat, light and exfoliation.
· Blood Pressure Medication – used to lower blood pressure, yes, but the ruddiness in your skin, which you have come in to take care of, may be related to your high blood pressure.
· Thyroid Medication – can not only cause your hair loss and temperature sensitivity, but it can also be the cause of your dry/dehydrated skin.
Even if you do not want to be specific, please always tell me the general class of medication you are on, so I can give you the best experience possible.
Q: Will a facial make me break out?
A: Yes and no……
Facials stimulate the skin, causing toxins, sebum/oil, and lymphatic fluid to move around. This can cause a break-out, but generally only if you are prone to breaking out. This is why I do not advice a person to have a facial within a week or two of an important event, especially if you have never had one before or if you are around your menstrual cycle.
And finally,
Q: How often should I have a facial?
A: Rule of thumb, every 4-6 weeks.
But, this can change according to your skincare goal.
Ace relief? 2-3 weeks
Anti-aging or drastic change? 2-3 weeks
Do light skin care at home and rarely exfoliate on your own? 4-6 weeks
Excellent about your at home skin routine and just need someone to check in with? 8-12 weeks or once a season.
We will discuss what is best for you once we do your facial and evaluation! 
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