Have you ever visited a doctor for dermal fillers, hair transplants, Botox, chemical peels, or nose alteration? These procedures fall under the category of aesthetic treatments. They enhance your appearance and restore your confidence from reducing the signs of aging to removing unwanted hair. They also have numerous benefits. For example, micro-needling is known to cure tension headaches. According to statistics, the cosmetic enhancement market comprised 14.5 billion USD$ in 2021, with predictions of a 9.2% CAGR increase between 2021 to 2027. The branch of medicine specializing in cosmetic treatments is known as aesthetic medicine. To become an esthetician, you must possess in-depth knowledge about all procedures under this category while receiving the necessary training and certification. But what areas does this branch of medicine involve, and what courses does it have? Read on to find out.
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What is aesthetic medicine?
As mentioned above, it is a medical specialty that enhances an individual’s physical appearance. Depending on the treatment at hand, the procedures could be invasive or non-invasive. Doctors, registered nurses, dentists, physician assistants, and dental hygienists can practice these procedures after receiving the necessary training and certification, which an institute usually provides after the training completion.
Which areas does it cover?
It includes the study of invasive and minimally invasive procedures. Invasive procedures involve the invasion of the skin through cutting or puncturing using specialized instruments. Minimally invasive treatment refers to treatments involving a slight penetration of the skin. Some invasive procedures are fat reductions, facelifts, rhinoplasty, and chin enhancement, while minimally invasive treatments include Botox injections, dermal fillers, laser hair removal, and chemical peels.
Difference between plastic and cosmetic treatments
Many people mistake the two procedures for being the same thing, which is incorrect. Cosmetic surgeries aim to alter people’s appearances through various surgical and medical techniques that involve deep penetration of the body and include surgeries like breast reconstruction, buttock implants, and tummy tucks. Cosmetic treatments solely focus on improving an individual’s external appearance and revolve mainly around the face and neck. However, some cosmetic processes do more than enhance their appearance as they rejuvenate and revitalize the skin deeply. Even though a differentiation exists between the two practices, specific treatments might sometimes intrude into each other’s territory.
Courses involved in the study of aesthetics
The study of aesthetics involves various courses depending on three levels: beginner, intermediate and advanced. Each of these includes topics that cover multiple parts of the treatment. The duration, cost, and learning objectives vary from one course to another. After the end of each program, the specialist gains a deep knowledge and understanding of treatment, its goals, necessary equipment, and its usage. Most associations or institutes offering these courses divide them into two categories: facial and body aesthetics.
Facial aesthetics
This course, divided into beginner, intermediate and advanced levels, aims to introduce aspiring estheticians to the subject. The topics might include the aging process, facial anatomy, and the significance of facial beautification. Usually lasting for two hours, they have training videos, demonstrations, and case studies. They might also learn about Botox and neurotoxins, covering facial muscle anatomy, facial assessment, the proper method of applying botulinum toxin injections, and related topics. Aspiring practitioners learn the basics of dermal fillers, correct injection techniques, and facial analysis. The course covers topics like non-surgical rhinoplasty training, vector facelift, jawline, and chin enhancement at the advanced level.
Body aesthetics
Most institutes divide body aesthetics courses into intermediate and advanced levels and usually offer these only after aspiring surgeons clearly understand facial aesthetics. The intermediate level offers basic liposuction training, with an attempt to understand lipo sculpting. It includes topics like the history of liposuction, ancillary pharmacology, operating room preparation, oral clinical patient examination, and tumescent infiltration technique. The course generally lasts for about 5 hours and includes demos, videos, and case studies. In advanced liposuction training, participants receive an opportunity to perform the procedure on one or two patients under constant supervision.
Things to check before selecting a course
Before selecting a course, you must decide which level would be appropriate for you and if it covers all the essential topics. Do you meet the eligibility requirements? You could also ask the institute the fees for each course and if they vary for members and non-members. Some would last for two hours, while others might extend to a few days, so that is something you must enquire about beforehand. Although institutes offer most programs online, some require your presence in person, like applying derma fillers and injecting botox, and it would be helpful to know that in advance.
To become a specialist in aesthetic medicine and all that it encompasses, you must enroll in a course that offers you a deep understanding of the field, its applications, and treatment procedures. Once you complete that, you can work as an esthetician.
