Skin Care and Facial Treatments
Core Concepts
Facial treatments begin with consultation and skin analysis: observe oiliness, pore size, hydration, sensitivity, texture, and pigmentation under good lighting. Know the basic skin types-normal, dry, oily, combination, and sensitive-and distinguish type from condition. Dehydrated skin is a condition that can affect any skin type; sensitive skin is a reactive state, not automatically a type. Fitzpatrick phototypes I–VI guide sun protection and treatment intensity; Type I always burns and never tans, while Type VI rarely burns. Review contraindications and medications: isotretinoin, prescription retinoids, recent peels or laser, active herpes, open lesions, and pregnancy-related cautions may require modification or referral. Never diagnose a medical condition.
Treatments include cleansing, exfoliation, extraction, massage, masks, moisturizing, and sun protection. Match exfoliation to skin: physical scrubs can irritate sensitive or inflamed acne skin, while chemical exfoliants require timing and caution. Extract only ready pustules or comedones with prepped skin and sanitary technique. Massage follows drainage and muscle direction and is omitted over active inflammation, infection, or recent injury. Choose masks for effect-clay for oil control, hydrating gels for dehydration-and remove before they crack. Finish with moisturizer and broad-spectrum SPF.
Traps
Questions often confuse oily with dehydrated, sensitive with sensitized, and comedogenic with irritating. Another trap is recommending treatment for a condition outside scope, such as cystic acne or suspected skin cancer; refer instead.
Rule of Thumb
If a client reports stinging, burning, or excessive redness during a facial, stop the product, remove it with lukewarm water, and assess before continuing. Use the mildest effective approach and patch-test new products.