For those that have been in the industry for years, you understand the skin care profession is one of the most rapidly changing professions out there. For new skin care professionals, I am sure you see it too – keeping up is not an easy task.

However, a few things remain the same, and unfortunately, it is the top three skin care concerns: aging, pigmentation, and acne. The beauty in these unchanging factors is that the industry is providing ever-changing tools to combat these concerns.

Of these three topics, the concern about acne has by far gained the most momentum over aging and pigmentation. What was once a worry of teenage skin, has now become a worry of both men and women at various ages of their adult lives. What was once linked primarily to hormonal changes in the progression of life is now strongly linked to factors such as the environment, food consumption, and stress. What was once a condition that had a handful of options for treatments, now requires multifaceted approaches to improvement.

But, all of this is okay because this is the skin care professional’s job. Improving acne conditions requires the skin care professional to reach down deep into their knowledge base and utilize all that they know about skin, its influencing lifestyle factors, ingredients, and treatment options. It requires them to be open and receptive to new tools of the trade for exfoliation, light therapy, and electricity. It requires them to think outside the box and take every aspect of their clients’ life into account. Above all, it will require that they closely monitor progress and change, then adapt to treatment protocols and homecare regimens to meet these changes.

In my 30-plus years in this profession, never has my knowledge and skills been so essential to the needs of my clients. Skin care professionals play an integral role in the way their clients look and feel, but now more than ever, skin care professionals have become more essential. The level of angst, instability, fear of the unknown, and the chaos that surrounds everyone on a daily basis has trickled into the needs of clients. We are not therapists – no, far from it. But the work that skin care professionals do with their knowledge and skillset can change a person’s life. Stay safe, healthy, happy, and be impactful.