Arizona Now Allowing Virtual Aesthetics Training

Person's interested in practicing Medical Aesthetics are required to attend an accredited school and pass their state's licensing board. Each state sets its own standards. In Arizona, the state requires a minimum of 600 hours of certified training before taking the state licensing exam.

In the past, students were required to meet those hours in a classroom. However, due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, Arizona has made some changes to comply with Governor Ducey's stay-at-home orders:

“Arizona is focused on limiting the spread of COVID-19 while providing relief to families, individuals and businesses impacted,” said Governor Ducey.

Currently, schools are designated as "essential services" but in order to allow a safer environment for students studying in the cosmetics field, the Arizona State Board of Cosmetology voted to allow "virtual learning" as part of each students' instruction program.

With the new programs in place, students can learn from home while interacting live with their instructors who are training from the school. This allows students to get 100% credit for the didactic portion of their training.

Most students are finding this alternative method of learning to be both convenient and exciting. They will have to return to the school to complete their hands-on portion of the program.

Aesthetics is centered around treating the epidermis, or the outer layer of skin, but that doesn't mean students aren't trained in areas like color analysis and eyelash extensions. However, training starts with facial and body procedures.

Students learn to treat their customers in the most advantageous way to improve their skin and skin tone. Which may also include makeup applications.

Each school has its own curriculum and training program. Although some use a standard workbook and course structure, they may stress-specific treatments over others.

Schools also offer treatments to models, or customers, in their own spa setting so students can become proficient at each modality of the trade.

Training usually starts with how environment and age impact the skin and leads to treating the skin better and the proper application of facials. Other professional training can include chemical peels, microneedling, and exfoliating body wraps to remove dead skin cells.

Another aspect of training in Aesthetics involves hair removal. Old treatments like electrolysis have given way to temporary solutions such as waxing and sugaring. For long-term and permanent hair removal, students may train in IPL and laser use.

IPL stands for Intense pulsed light. The pulses of non-coherent light have wavelengths of from 500 nm to 1200 nm that reduce hair growth and are typically most effective on coarse, dark hair. Treatments are less effective on blond hair subjects and are not effective if a persons' hair is white.

Laser hair removal uses special lasers that use coherent, monochromatic laser light. In most cases, only half as many treatments are required to remove nearly all hair follicle growth with a laser as compared to IPL treatments.

The top laser schools in Arizona also train students in body sculpting and spot and tattoo removal, a growing share of the overall market.

Prior to the Covid-19 Pandemic, the job market was very good for Aestheticians. Some Aestheticians are self-employed, working in their own shops, which may be impacted by several months of shut-down. However, most are employed at salons and spas. As long as the larger spas reopen soon, there won't be a glut of workers.

However, it remains to be seen if customers will return to spas quickly and in the same strong numbers. Prior to the shut-downs, the projected job growth in Aesthetics was more than 11% over the next ten years (According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2018 - 2028).

As for income levels, top pay is made by experienced Aestheticians who work for high-end properties where tips are a major portion of their pay. Again, according to the BLS, skin care specialists' mean salary (not including tips) for 2018 was $36,350.

Medical Aestheticians often work in hospitals and doctor offices. In these settings, they often work with patients scheduled for plastic surgery to alleviate their fears and provide ideas for their best skincare.

In hospital settings, Medical Aestheticians work with burn victims and critically ill patients. Their bedside manner and ability to deal with patients can go a long way towards helping patients who are dealing with traumatic injury and long-term treatments. Their professional care can also improve their patients' state of mind and help them deal with their illnesses.

Aestheticians working in hospitals and doctors' offices don't receive tips, but often earn a higher salary than new students who first work in health spas and salons. However, both groups tend to make similar paychecks once all forms of income are included.