Skin Care and Services
Structure and function
Know the three layers: epidermis (outer, with the stratum corneum as barrier), dermis (collagen, elastin, nerves, glands, vessels), and subcutaneous (fat, insulation, contour). Healthy skin pH is roughly 4.5–5.5, slightly acidic, which suppresses bacteria and keeps the barrier intact.
Skin types and analysis
Normal, dry, oily, combination, and sensitive. Use the Fitzpatrick scale (I–VI) to judge sun sensitivity and treatment risk. Note the difference between primary lesions (macule, papule, pustule, vesicle, wheal, nodule, cyst, bulla) and secondary lesions (crust, scale, scar, excoriation, fissure, ulcer). Lesions outside your scope are a referral, not a treatment.
Facials: order matters
Cleanse, analyze, exfoliate, steam, extract (only pustules/comedones, with proper technique), massage, mask, tone, moisturize, protect with SPF. Massage movements: effleurage (light gliding), petrissage (kneading), tapotement (percussion), and vibration. Always work upward and outward unless the protocol says otherwise.
Contraindications and traps
No treatments over open lesions, active infection, recent waxing or chemical peel on the area, or a client who is contraindicated by a product. "Extraction of a cyst" is out of scope. "Steam is safe for rosacea" is a trap. "All acne products are noncomedogenic" is false.
Worked example
A client arrives with a red, swollen, weeping lesion on the cheek. You do not extract, do not apply product, note it in the record, avoid the area entirely or reschedule, and refer to a physician.