Esthetician Training

Skin care, spa services and medical esthetics are rapidly growing fields, and you'll find many options to choose from for your esthetician training. Licensing and certification requirements are set by the individual states, so first familiarize yourself with the requirements for the state where you plan to work. Georgia, for instance, requires 1,000 credit hours and nine months of training. Massachusetts, on the other hand, divides certification into four categories, and the most basic category requires only 300 credit hours.

What exactly will you study in your esthetician training? Course work is generally divided into two fields: theory and practice. Theory courses include such topics as anatomy, bacteriology, nutrition, skin disorders and communicable diseases. The practical classes include all the treatments you are likely to be doing: facials with and without machinery, massage technique, waxing, skin analysis, etc.

A good esthetician training program also offers courses in business practices and salon or spa management. Some programs also offer courses in patient psychology, marketing and professional standards. Remember that your not just giving your client microdermabrasion or an aromatherapy facial. You're giving them an experience as well as a treatment.

Esthetician Training by Home Study

There are a number of at-home study courses for certification, some online and some by correspondence. While it might be convenient to do home study for the theoretical courses such as the facial nervous system or circulatory system, you'll really need the hands-on experience for the practical techniques. Doing the theoretical courses at home may make it possible for you to get your certification with less actual school time.