So what’s the difference between clinical and medical aesthetics? A huge number of industry business are popping up everywhere and it can be overwhelming and confusing to potential clients who are seeking to get advanced aesthetic treatments, where do they go, a clinic, a spa, or a wellness center? Good question.
I am going to explain the difference between clinical and medical aesthetics to help you better understand what choices to make when it comes down to deciding on a treatment procedure and facility.
First off let’s quickly go through the history of aesthetics, the word aesthetic is part of history it is the study of the mind and emotions in relation to the sense of beauty. A love of beauty that was very strong in the renascence time all the way through today. We all have a different notion and perception to what is beautiful in our eyes, perhaps a celebrity we want to model after, perhaps a powerful leader or maybe even just our mother. Beauty is what is aesthetically pleasing to the eye.
So now that we know that aesthetics is beauty, we can better understand why we seek certain treatments, services or enhancements to make us feel beautiful. So where do you go? What service should you seek? Well knowing the difference in the treatments that fall under each category will help you decide.
Clinical aesthetics
Clinical aesthetics is the practice of using clinical skin care lines, products and or equipment to safely and effectively treat skin concerns in general. Some skin concerns may include mild acne, superficial pigmentation issues, clogged pores, uneven skin texture, skin firming treatments and so forth. Most of the professionals in this line of industry have taken esthetic training or have done single course classes on specific treatments they offer.
Clinical estheticians can legally preform the following in most provinces throughout Canada, clinical facials using microdermabrasion machines, high frequency equipment to tighten the skin, they can perform extraction on the face during a facial, and they are also able to provide other services under the aesthetician umbrella as long as they are certified, such as lash services, brow tinting, waxing, and brow tattooing also known as (microbladding).You can find these types of services in spas, wellness facilities and or in esthetic schools.
Medical aesthetics
Medical aesthetics is the practice of using modalities that are more intense that help in correcting issues such as, acute acne, deep pigmentation and or sun damaged skin, moles and skin tags, deep wrinkles and loss of collagen. These types of concerns need deeper treatments and require some supervision under the direction of a medical doctor. Medical estheticians are trained and educated under more medical devices and may also have more clinical background such as in medical laser training, LPN or be an RN. You’ll find treatments such as dermaplaning, skin tightening, laser hair removal, laser acne treatments, deep fractional skin treatments, Co2 laser, fat reduction, assisting in botox and other dermatological areas.
You can find most of these services and procedures in medical clinics, a dermatology practice, dental office, surgeon’s office, in medical spas and or at a holistic doctor’s office. Always do your research and have realistic expectations. The ultimate goal is to obtain beauty through your eyes, happy hunting.