MD Esthetician study guide
MD Esthetician · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
The Maryland Esthetician license is the state credential that allows a practitioner to perform skin care services for the public - cleansing, exfoliation, facial massage, temporary hair removal, makeup application, and related treatments - under the supervision framework set by the Maryland Board of Cosmetologists. It is the entry-level credential for people coming out of an approved esthetics program, and the upgrade path for licensed cosmetologists who want to add skin care to their service menu. The MD Esthetician study guide has 8 sections and about 2,450 words.
01Maryland Cosmetology Law, Board Rules, and Scope of Practice
Maryland licenses the practitioner and, separately, the establishment in which services are performed. Those are independent approvals: a licensed esthetician cannot legally practice in an unlicensed or unsanitary shop, and a shop license never authorizes an unlicensed person to touch a client.
320 words, about 2 min02Infection Control, Sanitation, Disinfection, and Salon Safety
Cleaning removes visible soil with soap or detergent and water. Disinfection uses an EPA-registered, hospital-grade product on a pre-cleaned nonporous surface to destroy most pathogens.
330 words, about 2 min03Anatomy and Physiology of the Skin and Supporting Structures
Five strata, deep to superficial: basale, spinosum, granulosum, lucidum (palms and soles only), and corneum. The basale is the mitotic layer; it holds melanocytes (melanin) and Merkel cells (light touch).
290 words, about 1 min04Skin Analysis, Disorders, Diseases, and Contraindications
Assess under good light with magnification: oiliness, pore size, texture, hydration, pigmentation, vascularity, laxity, and Fitzpatrick type I–VI (UV response). Sort the skin into dry, oily, combination, normal, or sensitive.
282 words, about 1 min05Skin Care Products, Chemistry, and Ingredient Function
Skin sits near pH 4.5–5.5; bar soap is alkaline and stripping, most gel cleansers are closer to skin. An emulsion is oil plus water held together by an emulsifier, either oil-in-water (light, spreadable) or water-in-oil (rich).
286 words, about 1 min06Facial Treatments, Cleansing, Exfoliation, and Facial Massage
Consult and analyze, cleanse, exfoliate, extract if indicated, massage, mask, tone and treat, moisturize, protect with SPF, then review home care. Work with clean hands, a headband, and proper draping, and keep the room warm and quiet.
312 words, about 2 min07Temporary Hair Removal and Advanced Skin Care Services
Hair cycles through anagen (growth), catagen (transition), and telogen (rest). Waxing removes hair at or slightly below the surface; it does not destroy the follicle, so regrowth is inevitable and no waxing method is permanent.
301 words, about 2 min08Makeup Application, Client Consultation, and Salon Business Practices
Open with an intake form: medical history, medications, allergies, prior reactions, and goals. Patch test where indicated, obtain informed consent, and record products used, observations, services rendered, and home-care recommendations.
329 words, about 2 min