What is Advanced Esthetics?
What is Advanced Esthetics, and is this field right for you?
AESTHETICS INSTITUTE
What is Advanced Esthetics?
Advanced Esthetics refers to the higher level of continuing esthetics education in the state of Oregon.
Below, we will dive deeper into what services an Advanced Esthetician can provide and the career paths available to those with an Advanced Esthetics Certification.
Esthetics is a comprehensive field that includes all areas of skin health.
The skin is the largest organ in the body and the first line of defense against outside microbes and bacteria from entering the body.
Esthetics includes treatments and products that help the skin function the way it is designed.
In the state of Oregon, the field of esthetics is broken up into two distinct categories, Esthetics and Advanced Esthetics.
Once you attend an esthetics program and receive your Oregon esthetic’s license, you are eligible to enroll in and complete an advanced esthetics program.
As of 2024, there are six advanced esthetics programs available in the state of Oregon.
The Aesthetics Institute has been teaching advanced esthetics since when the program was created and is one of three schools that offer this program that is located in the Portland metro area.
Advanced Esthetics specifically refers to treatments that go beyond the outermost layer of the skin to target and correct concerns in the skin, such as anti-aging, pigmentation, and scarring.
There are seven treatment types that are included in Advanced Esthetics: skin rejuvenation, body contouring, dyschromia reduction, cellulite reduction, hair removal or reduction, and nonablative tattoo removal.
Keep reading to learn more about the advanced esthetics industry and whether it fits your professional goals.
Careers in Advanced Esthetics
There are several ways to pursue a career in the Advanced Esthetic field. These options range from working for yourself to working for a business to retailing products or devices for a larger distributor.
Working for yourself has many benefits but also requires that you follow specific guidelines set by the state to maintain the safest possible practice for yourself and your clients.
As an Advanced Esthetician, you are required to have a Collaborative Agreement with a medical provider.
The purpose of the agreement, per ORS 676.655(3), is to provide a Certified Advanced Esthetician with a licensed healthcare professional to whom he or she may refer a client. This information is provided to the Health Licensing Office on the advanced esthetics application forms.
The agreement must be with a physician licensed under ORS chapter 677 or a nurse practitioner under ORS 678.375-678.390, or a licensed health care professional who works at the same location as the certified advanced esthetician and who has the authority to prescribe drugs listed in Schedule III, IV or V.
This information is subject to change, and we encourage you to see Oregon’s Health Licensing Office website to read more about these agreements.
Working for Yourself
You can work for yourself and perform all of the state-approved Advanced Esthetic treatments as long as you have a written Collaborative Agreement with a healthcare professional.
To work for yourself, you would need to take all the proper steps to run a business, like investing in insurance for yourself and all of the devices you will operate.
You can purchase FDA-approved devices for your business and operate them as long as you stay within your scope of practice.
You can also work as an independent contractor for an existing business. With this option, you are responsible for your client scheduling and taking care of laundry, but you work in a location where you rent a space to practice.
You would need to work with the existing business to figure out if you would bring your own equipment or rent theirs. You would also need to know who would be providing insurance and what it covered.
In this business model, you technically work for yourself and make your own rules and hours.
Two common contracted positions are as a trainer or as a provider. As a trainer, you would be hired to train employees on a new device or new technique, either with the help of the company that sells or manufactures the device or on your own.
Large equipment companies often will hire trainers directly and then send them to new accounts, but it’s also common to have accounts reach out directly for training. Sometimes, places will purchase a device and only need someone to work the device but not be involved with the day-to-day operations of the business.
In this scenario, you would be working in a facility with their device but on your own terms.
Working for Someone Else
If you don’t want to work for yourself, you can work as an employee for a medspa, plastic surgeon’s clinic, or dermatology office.
Working for someone else has its own benefits. You get to clock out at the end of the day, you typically have an existing client base, and your pay is regular.
You can either be hourly or salaried, depending on where you work and what you do.
Each of these options is slightly different and has its own benefits and challenges. Medspas typically pay more but regularly have a sales requirement for the position.
This job can often include commission-based pay, and they don’t always have the most inclusive benefits.
In these workplaces, you will typically offer a variety of facial and body treatments and have a provider that offers things like injectables that are outside your scope of practice.
Plastic surgeon’s offices typically offer a fast-paced work environment and great in-house and health benefits. In these workplaces, you will typically offer many types of services that range from basic facials to body treatments.
Dermatology offices usually include all of the services related to skin that the providers don’t offer. Dermatologists typically diagnose and treat skin issues but will also offer more aggressive esthetic treatments, like full-field ablative resurfacing and injectables.
There is typically a sales requirement and commission-based pay for these positions.
" The Aesthetics Institute provided a safe and positive learning environment with enough hands-on experience to make me feel confident in the field of Esthetics and Advanced Esthetics. I find myself referring people here often for both enrollment and treatment."
Joan Sands
Masters & Advanced Esthetics 2023
Masters & Advanced Esthetics 2023
" The Aesthetics Institute provided a safe and positive learning environment with enough hands-on experience to make me feel confident in the field of Esthetics and Advanced Esthetics. I find myself referring people here often for both enrollment and treatment."
Joan Sands
Masters & Advanced Esthetics 2023
Masters & Advanced Esthetics 2023
Sales Representative Roles
Another option is to become a sales representative.
As a sales rep, you are responsible for recruiting new accounts to purchase your product or device, visiting existing accounts to make sure they are doing well, supporting current accounts with new launches and events, and attending corporate conferences and events.
Oftentimes, this is a salaried position with a sales commission on top.
This job typically requires a lot of traveling, as you usually cover a large area. It takes a very self-driven person to do well as a sales rep, as you spend a lot of time on your own and have to set your own schedule and goals.
Are You Ready to Become an Advanced Esthetician?
A career in advanced esthetics can be challenging but also very rewarding.
Depending on your interests and professional goals, becoming an advanced esthetician may help you create a long and successful career in the beauty industry.
The Aesthetics Institute has been offering formal advanced esthetics training since the program was officially created by the state and is leading the way for our graduates to become top practitioners and leaders in the beauty industry.
If a career in advanced esthetics interests you, we invite you to come to our campus for a tour and admissions counseling session.
We will answer all your questions and discuss any concerns you may have with pursuing your advanced esthetics education.
We are a family-owned and operated school, and our advanced classes regularly have only six to eight students in attendance. We pride ourselves on offering individualized education in a warm and friendly environment.
With nearly 40 years of experience, we look forward to continuing to serve the Portland community.
