Advanced Diploma of Skin Therapy study guide
Advanced Diploma of Skin Therapy · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
The Advanced Diploma of Skin Therapy (ADST) is a vocational qualification for practitioners who want to move beyond entry-level facial work into advanced skin analysis and technology-assisted treatment. Typical candidates are already working as skin therapists, beauty therapists or dermal clinicians, or are completing a lower-level qualification and want a credential that signals deeper clinical knowledge and independent judgement with clients. The Advanced Diploma of Skin Therapy study guide has 8 sections and about 2,277 words.
01Anatomy, Physiology and Skin Science
Candidates need a working model of the skin as a layered, living organ. Know the epidermis (stratum corneum, granulosum, spinosum, basale), the dermis (papillary and reticular, collagen and elastin, ground substance, blood vessels, nerves), and subcutaneous fat.
305 words, about 2 min02Skin Analysis
Skin analysis combines observation, palpation, questioning, and measurement. Candidates should describe Fitzpatrick phototype, Glogau photoaging scale, and Baumann-style attributes (oiliness, sensitivity, pigmentation tendency, wrinkles).
279 words, about 1 min03Consultation and Treatment Planning
A consultation is a structured process: consent, history, assessment, goal setting, plan, and documentation. History covers medical conditions, medications (including isotretinoin, anticoagulants, photosensitisers), allergies, pregnancy, past aesthetic procedures, and social factors such as sun exposure and occupation.
247 words, about 1 min04Advanced Facial and Body Skin Treatments
This domain covers chemical peels, microdermabrasion, dermaplaning, extraction, massage, masks, and body treatments such as wraps and keratolytic regimens. Know peel depth categories - superficial (stratum corneum to papillary dermis), medium, and deep - and the acids used, their concentrations, pH, and neutralisation requirements.
270 words, about 1 min05Advanced Skin Technology and Devices
Candidates must explain the principles behind common devices: intense pulsed light, lasers (ablative and non-ablative), radiofrequency, ultrasound, LED photobiomodulation, microneedling with and without radiofrequency, and cryolipolysis or body contouring where in scope. Know the target chromophores - melanin, haemoglobin, water - and how wavelength, pulse duration, and fluence interact through selective photothermolysis.
248 words, about 1 min06Aesthetic and Cosmetic Procedures and Their Skin Implications
This domain covers injectables (neuromodulators, dermal fillers), threads, and adjunct procedures, focusing on skin implications rather than technique. Know common sequelae: bruising, swelling, nodularity, Tyndall effect, and vascular occlusion as an emergency.
260 words, about 1 min07Infection Control, Safety and Professional Standards
Candidates need standard precautions: hand hygiene, personal protective equipment, environmental cleaning, waste segregation, and safe handling of sharps where applicable. Understand sterilisation versus disinfection versus sanitisation, and which items require which level.
229 words, about 1 min08Client Communication, Ethics and Business Practice
Effective communication includes active listening, plain-language explanation, teach-back, and managing expectations. Ethics covers autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, justice, honesty in advertising, and conflict-of-interest management.
439 words, about 2 min