by Mark Lees, Ph.D., M.S. Acne and breakout-prone skin is a very frequent issue in a skin care clinic or spa. It has been estimated that 80 percent of the U.S. population is afflicted by some form of acne condition, at some time in their lives. Aestheticians must be prepared to correctly answer client questions about acne-prone skin, as well as be able to recommend products and treatments that can help control these unwanted flares of pimples and clogged pores. Most acne-related problems seen in a skin care practice is minor grade 1 acne. Most more severe forms of acne are more frequently seen by dermatologists, who can prescribe more aggressive treatments and antibiotics to help these clients. Read More

by Patricia Heitz As most aestheticians will confirm, typically, people with skin disorders don’t always seek the help of an aesthetician. However, because of the explosion in professional skin care technology, this trend is shifting. More and more people are beginning to understand the helpful role the aesthetician plays in the treatment and management of skin disorders, including physicians. As most disorders are treated by a physician, adding the services of the aesthetician is the best case scenario for the patient and/or client. Whether working with a physician onsite, as a referral, or in conjunction with your client’s skin care, the aesthetician’s knowledge of skin disorders is crucial. With the help of the aesthetician, the client or patient can work with the physician educating about proper home care as well as offering topical treatments that work with the physician in the management and improvement of the disorder or condition. Read More

by Debi Byrnes The wonderfully tough-talking Rhoda Morgenstern character from the old “Mary Tyler Moore Show” liked to say she had a “bad puberty. It lasted 17 years.” For adults who’ve lived through severe acne, this quip is an understatement. Adolescence is when most people have their first experience, though not necessarily their last, with acne. Acne affects at least 85 percent of teenagers in the U. S. regardless of race, ethnicity, or gender.[1] According to Dr. Jonathan Fielding, the L. A. County Director of Public Health, by their mid-teens, more than 40 percent of adolescents have acne severe enough to warrant treatment by a physician.[2] Acne has been misunderstood, misdiagnosed, and mistreated for centuries. Generations past believed that the angry, red lesions and pustules were the results of impure thoughts. As Boomers, we were told that they were caused by eating chocolate and pizza (although good nutrition can diminish the severity of acne, there is no food-based cure). Today, even dermatologists may mistake acne for rosacea and vice-versa, which is really bad news, considering that the treatment protocols for these two very different conditions also are quite different. Read More

by Bella Schneider Nowadays we all want to look younger in relation to our individual lifestyles and careers. Younger looking skin is attainable with proper exfoliation, so the less painful, expensive, abrasive, and the more accessible the better. Exfoliation is the aesthetician and the consumer’s ticket to an easy and non-surgical way to rejuvenate the skin. Whatever one’s budget, time commitment, or pain level, exfoliation can be customized to one’s choices and comes in multiple formats. Exfoliation should also be performed at home, on the face and on the body, and has been the secret to beauty around the world. From the days of Cleopatra, exfoliation has been the secret to younger looking skin. So what’s exfoliation’s secret? Skin generates a new layer every two to four weeks. As we age, this process slows. However, thanks to numerous techniques we can improve the skin’s complexion by sloughing off the old layers and bringing the fresh layer up to surface. The skin experiences sloughing as an “injury” and automatically creates healing in the exfoliated area by generating a new healthy layer of skin. The results are softer skin, a more even skin tone, and firmer skin. Exfoliation also enhances the production Read More

Does Your Spa Speak the Right Language? by Lisa Olson Busy, but not too loud. Elegant, yet affordable. Relaxing but invigorating. It might be difficult, when thinking of your spa’s environment, to find a happy medium. Finding that perfect environment, one that speaks to all clientele – returning clients and newcomers to the spa experience, might be a daunting task. It’s possible you’ve seen your ideal workplace…imagined the ambiance of the spa that you’ll call home, talked about it with fellow workmates. When it comes to the perfect spa environment, every spa strives to be different, and offer the perfect retreat for clients and staff alike. Read More

by Amby Longhofer As a former spa owner, I know how nerve wracking it can be to add a new service to your menu. There is a variety of issues to consider – from staffing to cost to space requirements (if a machine is involved). The first step is to create a list of questions to ask yourself in order to make the best decision possible. Some of these questions include: What are my clients asking for? What service would they most respond to? What is the cost involved with incorporating this service into my salon? Will I need to hire additional staff or pay to train my own? Do my competitors offer this service? If so, how is the service performing? Read More

by Lina Kennedy Don’t be shy; take the whole bowl! I think it’s absolutely amazing that something like sugar can play such havoc on our health when ingested, yet when used externally it can be so wonderful in helping to create order in our outer most skin cells’ appearance. You might be thinking that “creating order” is somewhat of a peculiar way to describe skin, but in reality the skin’s structure can certainly expose a less than orderly skin care regimen. I get so frustrated and very excited all in the same moment whenever I take a look at someone’s skin and its most noticeable characteristics are patchy skin cells, sallow appearance, and worst of all ingrown hairs. My frustration comes from knowing that this skin condition is completely preventable, while the excitement comes from sharing that knowledge in hopes that the individual will execute a better skin care regime. I’ve been involved with the beauty industry for nearly 16 years, and to this day I still get dumbfounded whenever I see disorderly kept skin. Read More

By Patricia Heitz As we are all aware, the skin care business is booming! The portion of the skin care market that is especially hot is skin repair and rejuvenation. The baby boomers are aging and shelling out billions of dollars a year for services and products that help them restore, repair, and rejuvenate themselves to a more youthful appearance. Skin care is the fastest growing segment within the category of cosmetics today People aged 50+ represent over one third of our population, Healing Arts Guide – MJL Associates -May, 2005 Specialized Skin Treatments As a primary service of repair, skin peels or chemical peels are a leading source of revenue for salons/spas that understand how to customize for optimum results. As the term “peels” can be a little scary to the consumer, many salons/spas are changing their menus to call them rejuvenation or repair treatments to soften the perception. Different peel products are specifically made for specific skin issues. In order to choose what peels suits what skin type you need to first determine what you are treating. Know your objectives. The most common objectives in ANY Skin Treatment is one or more of the following: 1. Elimination of Read More

by Margaret Ancira So much emphasis in our industry and society is placed on rejuvenating the face. After all, it is our calling card. But what about the rest of the body? Our hands and lips are the most active parts of our bodies and along with the chest and neck areas, the most exposed to the sun and other environmental aggressors. Yet these areas of skin don’t receive near as much time and attention as the face does. Fortunately, new, non-invasive rejuvenating treatments targeting these often-neglected areas are emerging in growing numbers and presenting skin care professionals with new opportunities to expand their service menus and their bottom line. The latest ingredients and new treatment protocols available for facial rejuvenation are now being incorporated into treatments for these often overlooked body parts. Let’s take a closer look at how the lips, hands, and décolleté can benefit from what’s new on the market. Read More

by Annet King A good training manual is worth its weight in gold, or at least good old U.S. currency, since solid education is key to solid profits. A great training manual must be pure “take-away” for the readers—it’s all immediately applicable information, which will make your cash register buzz faster than the speed of sales. The purpose of a training manual is to first set the standard for service, based upon the company vision, then to lay out in actionable steps how that standard may be achieved and surpassed daily for optimum team achievement. Read More