IA Esthetician cheat sheet

Epidermis layers deep to superficial: stratum basale, spinosum, granulosum, lucidum (palms/soles only), corneum; keratinocytes migrate upward over roughly 28 days.

Skin pH averages 4.5-5.5 (slightly acidic); the acid mantle comes from sebum, sweat, and stratum corneum breakdown products, and supports barrier lipids and resident flora.

Fitzpatrick phototypes I-VI: I always burns/never tans; VI deeply pigmented, never burns; types III-IV are highest risk for post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation after waxing or extractions.

Sebaceous glands are absent on palms and soles; sebum output is androgen-driven, so oiliness peaks in adolescence and again is influenced by hormonal fluctuation in adults.

Melanin is produced by melanocytes in the stratum basale and transferred via melanosomes; melanocyte number is roughly equal across races, but activity and melanosome packaging differ.

Skin barrier function resides mainly in the stratum corneum (bricks-and-mortar: corneocytes plus ceramides, cholesterol, free fatty acids); barrier damage shows as tightness, stinging, and transepidermal water loss.

Skin types: normal, dry (alipidic), oily, combination, and sensitive; dehydration is a condition, not a type, and can coexist with oily skin.

Wound healing phases: hemostasis, inflammation (days 1-3), proliferation (granulation, collagen, days 3-21), remodeling (weeks to months); esthetic treatments avoid open or inflamed lesions.

Contraindications for facial services include active herpes simplex, impetigo, ringworm, conjunctivitis, recent chemical peel or laser (per provider protocol), and undiagnosed lesions requiring medical referral.

Standard facial sequence: consultation and skin analysis, cleansing, exfoliation, steam or warm towel, extractions, massage, mask, toner, moisturizer, sunscreen, home-care recommendations.

Steam is typically 3-10 minutes at a comfortable distance; prolonged heat increases erythema and capillary dilation and is avoided with rosacea, diabetes, or sensitive skin.

Extractions are limited to pustules and open comedones with visible follicular opening; inflamed cysts, nodules, and deep closed comedones are referred, not squeezed.

Massage movements follow direction of muscle fibers and lymphatic drainage toward nodes; effleurage, petrissage, tapotement, and friction are the classic categories.

Chemical exfoliants: AHAs (glycolic, lactic) act on the surface and need sunscreen; BHAs (salicylic acid) are lipid-soluble, penetrate pores, and are avoided with aspirin allergy.

Patch testing and conservative starting concentrations reduce adverse reactions; a client's retinoid use, recent waxing, or recent exfoliation raises risk of irritation and barrier disruption.

Mask selection: clay for oily/congested skin, hydrating gel or sheet masks for dehydrated skin, cream masks for dry or mature skin, and cooling masks post-treatment for redness.

Sunscreen with broad-spectrum SPF 30 or higher is the final step of every daytime facial; reapplication guidance belongs in the home-care plan.

Documentation should record skin analysis findings, products and concentrations used, device settings, reactions, and aftercare instructions given.

Hair growth cycles: anagen (active growth), catagen (transition), telogen (rest); waxing and laser target anagen hairs, so regrowth timing and repeat sessions depend on cycle length.

Waxing generally requires about 1/4 inch (roughly 6 mm) of regrowth; shaving between appointments is commonly permitted, but trimming is preferred for longer hair.

Hard wax is applied thick, removed without a strip, and suits sensitive or coarse areas; soft wax requires a fabric strip and is applied thinly in the direction of growth, removed against it.

Wax temperature should be tested on the inner wrist or back of hand; overheated wax causes burns, and wax never contacts broken skin, moles, or active lesions.

Contraindications include isotretinoin use (per physician guidance, often 6-12 months after stopping), recent chemical peels or laser, sunburn, active infection, and compromised skin.

Clients using retinoids, AHA/BHA, or blood thinners are at higher risk of skin lifting and bleeding; obtain physician clearance or decline service per scope of practice.

Post-wax care: avoid heat, friction, tight clothing, chlorinated pools, and sun exposure for 24 hours; apply soothing, non-comedogenic products and advise no picking.

Ingrown hairs are prevented by gentle exfoliation and moisturizing between appointments; electrolysis and laser hair reduction are separate modalities with their own training and equipment rules.

Sanitation in hair removal: single-use spatulas and strips, no double-dipping, gloves for each client, and disinfection of beds, tweezers, and hard surfaces between clients.

Iowa licenses barbers, cosmetologists, estheticians, nail technologists, and electrologists through the Iowa Board of Barbering and Cosmetology within the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing.

Licensure requires completing an approved program of the required clock hours, passing the board-recognized examinations, and submitting an application with the required fee.

Licensees must display their license at the work station or in a conspicuous place in the establishment and carry it when providing services outside the shop.

Establishments require a separate shop license; the shop must have a designated licensee in charge and must report changes of ownership, location, or name to the board.

Continuing education and license renewal follow the board's current cycle and hour requirements; verify current rules on the official state site because hours and fees change.

The board has authority to investigate complaints, inspect establishments, and discipline licensees for unsanitary practices, unlicensed practice, or scope-of-practice violations.

Estheticians practice within defined scope: skin care, hair removal by waxing or tweezing, makeup, and related services; medical procedures such as injectables and laser resurfacing belong to licensed medical professionals.

Rules govern minimum equipment, plumbing, ventilation, waste disposal, and record retention; inspections may occur without prior notice during business hours.

Advertising and signage must not misrepresent licensure or claim services outside the licensee's authorized scope.

Three levels: sanitation (cleaning to reduce microorganisms), disinfection (killing most pathogens on hard surfaces with an EPA-registered hospital-grade product), and sterilization (destroying all microorganisms, including spores, via autoclave or chemical sterilant).

Clean before disinfecting; organic debris inactivates disinfectants, so surfaces must be washed and dried, then treated with the product's labeled contact time.

Porous items that contact skin or body fluids (cotton, gauze, wooden sticks, wax strips) are single-use and discarded; they cannot be disinfected.

Implements that contact skin must be cleaned, then disinfected or sterilized between clients; store disinfected tools in a clean, covered container.

Hand washing with soap and water for at least 20 seconds precedes and follows client contact; hand sanitizer is not a substitute when hands are visibly soiled.

Gloves are single-use, changed between clients, and never washed or reused; wash hands after glove removal.

Wax pots, spatulas, and tweezers follow strict rules: no double-dipping in wax, single-use spatulas, and disinfection of tweezers and hard tools between clients.

Blood and body fluid spills are handled with gloves and an EPA-registered disinfectant effective against bloodborne pathogens; contaminated waste goes in a covered, lined receptacle.

Establishments must provide hot and cold running water, soap, single-use towels or clean linens, and covered waste containers; linens are laundered and stored separately from clean supplies.

Scope-of-practice boundary: estheticians do not diagnose, treat, or prescribe; suspicious lesions, changing moles, and undiagnosed rashes are referred to a physician.

Patch test 24-48 hours before first use of tints, adhesives, or high-concentration peels when the product label or protocol requires it; record the result.

Electrical safety: keep cords away from water, inspect for damage, unplug before cleaning, and never use devices with frayed wiring or wet hands.

Ingredient hazards: salicylic acid (aspirin allergy), benzoyl peroxide (bleaching, irritation), essential oils (sensitization), and lash adhesive cyanoacrylates (eye and respiratory irritation) require ventilation and careful handling.

Chemical safety: store products in labeled original containers, keep safety data sheets accessible, never mix chemicals, and know the location of the eyewash station and fire extinguisher.

Ergonomics and body mechanics: adjust bed height, avoid prolonged static posture, and use proper lifting to reduce musculoskeletal strain.

Emergency readiness: keep a first-aid kit stocked, post emergency numbers, and know the protocol for allergic reaction, burns, eye splash, and fainting.

Client screening: obtain a health history, medication list, pregnancy status, and allergy history; document informed consent for each service and update records at each visit.

Infection control and personal protection: gloves for extractions and waxing, eye protection when using devices, and exclusion of staff with weeping lesions or communicable illness.

Epidermis layers deep to superficial: stratum basale, spinosum, granulosum, lucidum (palms/soles only), corneum; keratinocytes migrate upward over roughly 28 days.

Skin pH averages 4.5-5.5 (slightly acidic); the acid mantle comes from sebum, sweat, and stratum corneum breakdown products, and supports barrier lipids and resident flora.

Fitzpatrick phototypes I-VI: I always burns/never tans; VI deeply pigmented, never burns; types III-IV are highest risk for post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation after waxing or extractions.

Sebaceous glands are absent on palms and soles; sebum output is androgen-driven, so oiliness peaks in adolescence and again is influenced by hormonal fluctuation in adults.

Melanin is produced by melanocytes in the stratum basale and transferred via melanosomes; melanocyte number is roughly equal across races, but activity and melanosome packaging differ.

Skin barrier function resides mainly in the stratum corneum (bricks-and-mortar: corneocytes plus ceramides, cholesterol, free fatty acids); barrier damage shows as tightness, stinging, and transepidermal water loss.

Skin types: normal, dry (alipidic), oily, combination, and sensitive; dehydration is a condition, not a type, and can coexist with oily skin.

Wound healing phases: hemostasis, inflammation (days 1-3), proliferation (granulation, collagen, days 3-21), remodeling (weeks to months); esthetic treatments avoid open or inflamed lesions.

Contraindications for facial services include active herpes simplex, impetigo, ringworm, conjunctivitis, recent chemical peel or laser (per provider protocol), and undiagnosed lesions requiring medical referral.

Standard facial sequence: consultation and skin analysis, cleansing, exfoliation, steam or warm towel, extractions, massage, mask, toner, moisturizer, sunscreen, home-care recommendations.

Steam is typically 3-10 minutes at a comfortable distance; prolonged heat increases erythema and capillary dilation and is avoided with rosacea, diabetes, or sensitive skin.

Extractions are limited to pustules and open comedones with visible follicular opening; inflamed cysts, nodules, and deep closed comedones are referred, not squeezed.

Massage movements follow direction of muscle fibers and lymphatic drainage toward nodes; effleurage, petrissage, tapotement, and friction are the classic categories.

Chemical exfoliants: AHAs (glycolic, lactic) act on the surface and need sunscreen; BHAs (salicylic acid) are lipid-soluble, penetrate pores, and are avoided with aspirin allergy.

Patch testing and conservative starting concentrations reduce adverse reactions; a client's retinoid use, recent waxing, or recent exfoliation raises risk of irritation and barrier disruption.

Mask selection: clay for oily/congested skin, hydrating gel or sheet masks for dehydrated skin, cream masks for dry or mature skin, and cooling masks post-treatment for redness.

Sunscreen with broad-spectrum SPF 30 or higher is the final step of every daytime facial; reapplication guidance belongs in the home-care plan.

Documentation should record skin analysis findings, products and concentrations used, device settings, reactions, and aftercare instructions given.

Hair growth cycles: anagen (active growth), catagen (transition), telogen (rest); waxing and laser target anagen hairs, so regrowth timing and repeat sessions depend on cycle length.

Waxing generally requires about 1/4 inch (roughly 6 mm) of regrowth; shaving between appointments is commonly permitted, but trimming is preferred for longer hair.

Hard wax is applied thick, removed without a strip, and suits sensitive or coarse areas; soft wax requires a fabric strip and is applied thinly in the direction of growth, removed against it.

Wax temperature should be tested on the inner wrist or back of hand; overheated wax causes burns, and wax never contacts broken skin, moles, or active lesions.

Contraindications include isotretinoin use (per physician guidance, often 6-12 months after stopping), recent chemical peels or laser, sunburn, active infection, and compromised skin.

Clients using retinoids, AHA/BHA, or blood thinners are at higher risk of skin lifting and bleeding; obtain physician clearance or decline service per scope of practice.

Post-wax care: avoid heat, friction, tight clothing, chlorinated pools, and sun exposure for 24 hours; apply soothing, non-comedogenic products and advise no picking.

Ingrown hairs are prevented by gentle exfoliation and moisturizing between appointments; electrolysis and laser hair reduction are separate modalities with their own training and equipment rules.

Sanitation in hair removal: single-use spatulas and strips, no double-dipping, gloves for each client, and disinfection of beds, tweezers, and hard surfaces between clients.

Iowa licenses barbers, cosmetologists, estheticians, nail technologists, and electrologists through the Iowa Board of Barbering and Cosmetology within the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing.

Licensure requires completing an approved program of the required clock hours, passing the board-recognized examinations, and submitting an application with the required fee.

Licensees must display their license at the work station or in a conspicuous place in the establishment and carry it when providing services outside the shop.

Establishments require a separate shop license; the shop must have a designated licensee in charge and must report changes of ownership, location, or name to the board.

Continuing education and license renewal follow the board's current cycle and hour requirements; verify current rules on the official state site because hours and fees change.

The board has authority to investigate complaints, inspect establishments, and discipline licensees for unsanitary practices, unlicensed practice, or scope-of-practice violations.

Estheticians practice within defined scope: skin care, hair removal by waxing or tweezing, makeup, and related services; medical procedures such as injectables and laser resurfacing belong to licensed medical professionals.

Rules govern minimum equipment, plumbing, ventilation, waste disposal, and record retention; inspections may occur without prior notice during business hours.

Advertising and signage must not misrepresent licensure or claim services outside the licensee's authorized scope.

Three levels: sanitation (cleaning to reduce microorganisms), disinfection (killing most pathogens on hard surfaces with an EPA-registered hospital-grade product), and sterilization (destroying all microorganisms, including spores, via autoclave or chemical sterilant).

Clean before disinfecting; organic debris inactivates disinfectants, so surfaces must be washed and dried, then treated with the product's labeled contact time.

Porous items that contact skin or body fluids (cotton, gauze, wooden sticks, wax strips) are single-use and discarded; they cannot be disinfected.

Implements that contact skin must be cleaned, then disinfected or sterilized between clients; store disinfected tools in a clean, covered container.

Hand washing with soap and water for at least 20 seconds precedes and follows client contact; hand sanitizer is not a substitute when hands are visibly soiled.

Gloves are single-use, changed between clients, and never washed or reused; wash hands after glove removal.

Wax pots, spatulas, and tweezers follow strict rules: no double-dipping in wax, single-use spatulas, and disinfection of tweezers and hard tools between clients.

Blood and body fluid spills are handled with gloves and an EPA-registered disinfectant effective against bloodborne pathogens; contaminated waste goes in a covered, lined receptacle.

Establishments must provide hot and cold running water, soap, single-use towels or clean linens, and covered waste containers; linens are laundered and stored separately from clean supplies.

Scope-of-practice boundary: estheticians do not diagnose, treat, or prescribe; suspicious lesions, changing moles, and undiagnosed rashes are referred to a physician.

Patch test 24-48 hours before first use of tints, adhesives, or high-concentration peels when the product label or protocol requires it; record the result.

Electrical safety: keep cords away from water, inspect for damage, unplug before cleaning, and never use devices with frayed wiring or wet hands.

Ingredient hazards: salicylic acid (aspirin allergy), benzoyl peroxide (bleaching, irritation), essential oils (sensitization), and lash adhesive cyanoacrylates (eye and respiratory irritation) require ventilation and careful handling.

Chemical safety: store products in labeled original containers, keep safety data sheets accessible, never mix chemicals, and know the location of the eyewash station and fire extinguisher.

Ergonomics and body mechanics: adjust bed height, avoid prolonged static posture, and use proper lifting to reduce musculoskeletal strain.

Emergency readiness: keep a first-aid kit stocked, post emergency numbers, and know the protocol for allergic reaction, burns, eye splash, and fainting.

Client screening: obtain a health history, medication list, pregnancy status, and allergy history; document informed consent for each service and update records at each visit.

Infection control and personal protection: gloves for extractions and waxing, eye protection when using devices, and exclusion of staff with weeping lesions or communicable illness.