PA Esthetician study plan

Distinguish sanitation, disinfection, and sterilization, and classify 25 salon tools and surfaces into the correct required level of decontamination.

Perform the hand-washing and glove donning/doffing sequence and self-score it against a 10-point checklist.

Prepare an EPA-registered hospital disinfectant to label dilution and record the wet contact time required for each implement type.

Sequence the safe handling and disposal of blood- or body-fluid-contaminated linens, single-use items, and waste.

State when to refuse or postpone service based on client or practitioner health screening.

Label the layers of the epidermis and the major structures of the dermis on a blank diagram from memory.

Trace the life cycle of a keratinocyte from the basal layer to desquamation, naming each stage.

Match 15 common skin conditions to the layer, gland, or structure involved.

Sort 12 conditions into treatable-by-esthetician versus refer-to-physician categories and write a one-sentence rationale for each.

Explain how UV exposure and intrinsic aging alter each skin layer.

Order the steps of a basic facial from pre-service consultation through home-care recommendation.

Select a cleanser, exfoliant, mask, and moisturizer for four different skin types and justify each choice in one sentence.

Perform and self-evaluate 10 classic facial massage movements for direction, pressure, and duration.

List contraindications to facial massage and to exfoliation, and state the modified or alternative service for each.

Set up and break down a treatment station in a sequence that maintains sanitation between every step.

Name the bones of the skull and face and locate the muscles of facial expression used during massage.

State origin, insertion, and action for 15 facial and neck muscles from memory.

Describe the hair growth cycle and explain how it determines safe waxing intervals and minimum hair length.

Compare soft, hard, and film waxes and state safe working temperatures and the wrist-test method.

List at least 10 contraindications and precautions for waxing and depilatory use, and describe the required patch-test steps.

Explain pH, acids and bases, and the skin's acid mantle, and predict how an alkaline product changes skin condition.

Classify 20 common cosmetic ingredients by function as humectant, emollient, occlusive, exfoliant, or preservative.

Read three product labels and identify the function of every ingredient listed.

Conduct a structured consultation covering intake form, magnified skin analysis, and written documentation.

Screen a mock client for contraindications and record the resulting service modification.

Match foundation shade and undertone to three skin tones and explain the color correction used for each.

Correct face shape using contour and highlight placement on a labeled diagram.

Describe safe application of strip and individual lashes, including adhesive precautions and patch testing.

Explain the principles and indications of galvanic, high-frequency, and microcurrent devices.

State the safety rules for electrical equipment: grounding, cord inspection, machine sanitation, and client contraindications.

State Pennsylvania licensing, sanitation, and scope-of-practice requirements for estheticians from the board rules.

Identify services that fall outside an esthetician's legal scope and write the correct referral response for each.

Describe record-keeping, advertising, and continuing-education obligations under board rules.

Apply an ethical decision framework to five scenarios covering confidentiality, scope, retail honesty, and refusing service.

Re-attempt previously missed infection-control items and score 90% or higher.

Complete two timed 100-question practice sets and log every missed item by domain.

Re-teach your three weakest domains by rewording missed concepts in your own words without notes.

Rehearse a full mock practical covering setup, service, sanitation, and breakdown against a timed checklist.

Build a one-page master numbers sheet covering contact times, wax temperatures, pH ranges, and patch-test windows.