The words " Medical Aesthetician"  means a non-medical practitioner who specialises in the education, preventive care and treatment of the skin, by offering non-invasive treatments, such as Microdermabrasion, Light Therapy (omnilux), Prescription Facials, Velasmooth, Chemical Peels ,Laser Skin Rejuvenation and Laser Hair Removal treatments to name a few.

What does a Medical Aesthetician do?

Treatments/responsibilities

• Consultation and skin analysis - Aestheticians are responsible for carrying out a full consultation pre and post treatment, discussing benefits and risk assessment of treatment procedure.
  
  
• Experience and skills - To determine which treatment or combination of treatments are suitable for the patient.
  
  
• Assist and support - To assist nurses and plastic surgeons/consultants; by providing additional support in a range of aesthetics treatment procedures.
  
  
• After consultation and skin analysis - Perform hi tech electrical treatments such as Medical Microdermabrasion, Omnilux, Velasmooth, Laser Skin Rejuvenation and laser Hair Removal
  
  
• Recognise skin problems - and refer patients to a Medical Practitioner such as a Dermatologist or Plastic Surgeon
  
  
• Promote treatments and products - Responsible for the recommendation and promotion of all non-surgical treatments and products.
  
  
• Perform presentation and demonstrations - both internally and externally to groups and organisations
  
  
• Recruit new patients - done by means of cold calling to hairdressers, beauty salons, business organisations etc
  

Working Conditions

Most Medical Aestheticians work within the field of Cosmetic Surgery, Clinics or Private Hospitals, gaining and developing their role within non surgical aesthetic procedures.

Medical Aestheticians are immediately responsible to the Clinic Manager on a day to day basis.

Aestheticians are contracted to equate from up to 1 - 5 days a week due to demand. Some late evenings and/or weekend work is usually worked into the rota.

Qualities to be found in a good Medical Aesthetician

• Have excellent communication skills - A good Medical Aesthetician is helpful, supportive and informative when dealing with patients
  
  
• High level of professionalism - Maintain a high standard of professionalism. Adhere to a code of practice and ethics. Medical Aestheticians also must be able to deliver the highest standards of care and achieve the best results.
  
  
• Maintain confidentiality - Medical Aestheticians must be able to maintain all patient personal data and information private.
  
  
• Be able to empathise - They should be able to make the patient/client/customer feel relaxed and be able to understand the patients needs and requirements.
  
  
• Be knowledgeable and informative - Medical Aestheticians need to be well educated about skin care, which treatment procedures are best suited, as well as the products used for various skin types.
  

Entry into to the profession

Entry into the profession of Medical Aesthetics  comes from either the Beauty Therapy industry and/or the nursing sector.

Nurses are able to provide more aesthetic treatments and procedures such as Dermal Fillers, Restylane, Botox etc, where as someone coming from the beauty therapy sector is limited in what they can treat and therefore these two pathways tend to branch out into other areas of specialisms.

Career Opportunities

The opportunity to further your career within Aesthetics can have you gaining further qualifications and experience within the industry.

There are many options and pathways for both Medical Aestheticians and Nurses to developing their careers further.

• Clinic Manager - This role entails developing, scheduling and co-ordinating a clinic; working with a team of Surgeons, Cosmetic Doctors, Aesthetic Nurses and Medical Aestheticians.
  
  
• Non-surgical advisors/co-coordinators - Advisors and co-coordinators act as patient informers and assist with arranging and booking in patients for their appropriate procedure (s).
  
  
• Clinic Nurses/Advisors - They are trained to carry out the following care and treatment: medical micro- dermabrasion, laser hair removal, photo-rejuvenation therapy, peels, dermal fillers, pre and post operative assessments and assisting surgeons during consultations and treatments.
  
  
• Clinic sales / Business Development Manager - Responsible for increasing sales within non surgical aesthetic treatments/procedures. Developing a sales and marketing strategy and be able to implement and deliver increased sales.

Which route would each follow

All Medical Aestheticians are qualified with the beauty therapy range of skills and knowledge.

Entry Level

Aestheticians are those who have developed further in their professional career by attaining clinical practice. Gaining and developing their role within a Clinic, Hospital and/or a Cosmetic Surgery Group.

The vast majority of employers require therapists to have undergone formal training. They will only accept fully trained NVQ level 3 or equivalent Therapists. Courses include;

·         NVQ/SVQ level 3

·         BTEC Higher National Diploma in Beauty

·         CIDESCO

·         CIBTAC

·         ITEC International Therapy Examination Council

The ideal candidate will have worked in the Medical Aesthetic or Beauty Industry for a minimum of 3 … 5 years and be experienced .

Clinic Nurses should be First Level Registered Nurses with a minimum two years post registration experience.

Entry Level

·         RGN

·         Cosmetic surgery Care Grad Cert

·         External Training in Aesthetics procedures like botox, fillers etc

For clinical and most hospital posts, Nurses and Medical Aestheticians undergo a CRB Certificate of Disclosure at Enhanced Level.

Earning potential

The salary below is only a guideline and can vary.

Medical Aestheticians - A basic annual salary of 13,000 - 15,000 pro rata per annum. In addition, commission on all your net personal monthly treatments and skin care sales.

Self employment rates on a sessional basis can have an earning potential of up to 15 - 18,000 plus commission on sales.

Nurses earn much more than a Medical Aesthetician - basic salary + commission - 28,000.

Article by Ms Mamuna Arshad FICHT ATL