MA Esthetician cheat sheet

Levels of decontamination from weakest to strongest: cleaning, sanitation, disinfection, sterilization.

Disinfect nonelectrical implements by full immersion in an EPA-registered hospital-grade tuberculocidal disinfectant for the label contact time (commonly 10 minutes).

Porous items - cotton, gauze, sponges, wooden sticks, pumice - cannot be disinfected and are discarded after a single use.

Wash hands with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds before and after every client; alcohol sanitizer is not a substitute when hands are visibly soiled.

Disinfectant must be EPA-registered, mixed at the label dilution, and changed on the manufacturer's schedule; UV cabinets do not sterilize and do not replace chemical disinfection.

Keep a Safety Data Sheet on site for every product, and label all secondary containers with contents and date.

Blood or body-fluid exposure: stop the service, don gloves, cleanse with antiseptic, cover the area, disinfect all contaminated implements, and document the incident under OSHA bloodborne-pathogen rules.

Never double-dip into a product; remove product with a clean spatula or a disposable applicator.

The Board of Registration of Cosmetology and Barbering, within the Division of Professional Licensure, licenses estheticians, shops, and instructors and enforces the sanitation regulations.

Esthetician scope is cosmetic care of the skin - cleansing, facial treatments, hair removal, makeup; diagnosing disease and prescribing treatment are outside the license.

Both the individual practitioner license and the shop license must be displayed conspicuously and be available for inspection.

Refuse and refer when skin shows infection, infestation, open lesions, an undiagnosed rash, or another contagious condition.

Do not perform services on a client who is impaired or unable to give informed consent; keep all client information confidential.

Advertising must be truthful; a cosmetic service may not be represented as a cure or treatment for disease.

Practicing without a license, or allowing unlicensed practice in a shop, is grounds for discipline by the Board.

Licenses renew on a two-year cycle through the Division of Professional Licensure; the licensee must keep the address of record current.

Epidermal layers deep to superficial: basale, spinosum, granulosum, lucidum (palms and soles only), corneum.

Keratinocytes form in the stratum basale by mitosis, migrate upward, and keratinize; complete turnover takes roughly 28 days.

Melanocytes in the basale produce melanin, package it into melanosomes, and transfer it to keratinocytes for ultraviolet protection.

Dermis has two layers: papillary (thin, capillary loops, nerve endings, loose connective tissue) and reticular (thick collagen and elastin bundles, glands, follicles).

The subcutaneous layer is adipose tissue that insulates, cushions, and stores energy.

Six functions of skin: protection, sensation, heat regulation, excretion, secretion, absorption.

Acid mantle pH is about 4.5–5.5; alkaline products swell the stratum corneum and increase permeability.

Eccrine glands cool the body by sweating; apocrine glands lie in the axillae and groin and activate at puberty; sebaceous glands secrete sebum into follicles.

Skin type is genetic and stable (normal, dry, oily, combination); a skin condition is temporary and treatable (dehydration, sensitivity, acne).

The Fitzpatrick scale (I–VI) predicts burn and tan response and guides treatment intensity and UV precautions.

Wood's lamp in a darkened room: blue-white = normal, yellow = oil, violet-pink = dehydration, brown = pigmentation, coral-red = acne porphyrins.

The intake form must record medications, allergies, pregnancy, recent peels or laser, recent waxing, and isotretinoin use.

Primary lesions include macule, papule, pustule, vesicle, bulla, wheal, nodule, tumor, cyst; secondary lesions include crust, scale, fissure, scar, excoriation, atrophy.

Suspect melanoma using ABCDE: asymmetry, border irregularity, color variation, diameter over 6 mm, evolving.

Document observations, products used, consent, and home-care recommendations in the client record after each visit.

Patch test 24–48 hours before any new tint, adhesive, or chemical exfoliant service.

pH scale runs 0–14; skin sits at 4.5–5.5; lower pH means more acidic, and AHA exfoliation depends on low pH and free-acid value.

A surfactant has a hydrophilic head and a lipophilic tail; foaming cleansers carry more surfactant and suit oily skin.

AHAs (glycolic, lactic, mandelic) are water-soluble surface exfoliants; BHA (salicylic acid) is oil-soluble, pore-penetrating, and anti-inflammatory.

Humectants bind water (glycerin, hyaluronic acid); emollients soften and add pliability (oils, fatty acids, esters); occlusives block water loss (petrolatum, dimethicone, lanolin).

Antioxidants such as vitamin C, vitamin E, ferulic acid, and niacinamide neutralize free radicals and support barrier repair.

Clay masks absorb oil for oily skin; gel masks hydrate; paraffin warms and softens; enzyme masks digest keratin.

Massage contraindications include contagious skin disease, acute inflammation, recent surgery, thrombosis, and uncontrolled hypertension.

Extract only visible comedones and pustules with gentle pressure; never squeeze nodules, cysts, or actively inflamed lesions.

Hair should be about 1/4 inch (6 mm) long, and anagen-phase hair waxes cleanest.

Apply wax in the direction of hair growth, remove against the growth, and hold the skin taut at a low angle.

Hard wax needs no strip, runs at a lower temperature, and suits lip, brow, underarm, and bikini; soft wax requires a strip and a thinner application.

Soft wax is used at roughly 37–40 °C (98–105 °F); test on the inner wrist before applying to the client.

Contraindications: isotretinoin, topical retinoids on the area, recent peel or dermabrasion, sunburn, open lesions, moles, varicose veins, and circulatory disease.

Tweezing is for brow shaping and stray hairs; electrolysis and laser hair removal require separate licensure in Massachusetts.

Post-care: no sun, heat, tight clothing, or exfoliation for 24–48 hours; recommend a soothing lotion.

Folliculitis and ingrown hairs are the most common reactions; advise gentle exfoliation only after 48 hours.

Face shapes are oval, round, square, heart, diamond, and oblong; contouring adds shadow while highlighting adds light.

Warm undertone (yellow, golden) takes a yellow-based foundation; cool undertone (pink, blue) takes a pink-based one; neutral matches both.

Corrective color: green cancels redness, peach or orange cancels blue-purple, yellow cancels purple, lavender cancels sallow yellow.

Brow mapping: start above the tear duct, arch above the outer edge of the iris, and end at the line from nose wing through outer eye corner.

Lash and brow tint requires a patch test 24–48 hours before service; hair dye is never used on lashes.

Sanitation: disposable mascara wands, sharpened or sprayed pencils, product scraped onto a palette, and no double-dipping into creams.

Do not apply makeup over conjunctivitis, styes, eye infections, or open lesions.

Lash extensions use cyanoacrylate adhesive; keep lashes dry for 24 hours and avoid oil-based removers.

Galvanic is direct current: the negative pole produces alkaline desincrustation, the positive pole produces acidic iontophoresis.

High frequency is alternating, high-voltage, low-amperage current delivered through a glass electrode; violet (neon) for acne, orange (argon) for aging skin.

Microdermabrasion is mechanical exfoliation by crystal or diamond tip; contraindicated on rosacea, couperose, active acne, and recent peels.

LED: blue at about 415 nm targets acne bacteria; red at about 630–660 nm supports collagen and healing.

Ultrasound uses sound waves at 1 or 3 MHz with a coupling gel; it is not an electrical current.

Absolute contraindications for electrical devices: pacemaker, implanted electronic device, pregnancy, epilepsy, heart condition, and metal implants in the treatment area.

Remove client jewelry and metal, keep cords and hands dry, and never touch water fixtures while operating a device.

Clean and disinfect electrodes and device surfaces between clients; a UV cabinet does not sterilize glass electrodes.

Massachusetts sales tax is 6.25% on retail product sales; professional esthetic services are generally not taxable.

Service price = product cost + share of overhead + practitioner time or wage + profit margin.

Turnover is revenue divided by number of clients; retention is returning clients divided by total clients.

Retail recommendations follow the skin analysis and disclosed ingredients; no claim may imply that a product treats disease.

Client records, consent forms, and patch-test results are confidential and retained according to shop policy and law.

Publish written policies on cancellations, no-shows, deposits, minors, and refunds, and present them before booking.

Professional boundaries: no dual relationships, no disclosure of client information, and no soliciting a shop's clients for outside work.

Limit home care to two or three products the client will actually use, and follow up at the next appointment.