Commonly Used Medical Aesthetics Terms

Qualified medical professional with formal education, licensing, certification and training in proper techniques, knowledge of facial anatomy, and familiarity with the safety risks and benefits of injectable products. Work with patients and provide full assessment of their needs to ensure understanding of procedures planned. Aesthetic Injectors can work in a variety of practices, such as a dermatology or plastic surgery office or a med spa. They are knowledgeable of the products' use, efficacy, and safety profile and refine their skills through continual training, mentorship, and shadowing of an experienced injector.

While requirements vary by state, typically Aesthetic Injectors must be licensed as an MD, DO, RN, APRN, NP, or PA.

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Aestheticians are licensed professionals who provide skincare services and beauty treatments, such as facials, makeup applications, and hair removal through waxing. Depending on your state and licensing laws, aestheticians can also provide micro needling, dermaplaning, or microblading.

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Specialist trained in body contouring through fat freezing, radiofrequency, or electromagnetic therapy where fat is heated to eliminate stubborn pockets of fat and contour different areas of the body. 

Depending on state licensing and certification laws, body contouring must be performed by a licensed medical professional or delegated to a licensed technician who is properly trained and supervised.

Chemical peels involve removing the top layers of the skin with a chemical solution in order to reveal smoother younger skin.

A chemical solution is applied to the skin to cause it to blister and peel, revealing a new layer of skin; treatment is used to improve the appearance of the skin, reducing lines, wrinkles, age spots, and other problems.

A dermatologist is a medical doctor who specializes in conditions involving the skin, hair, and nails. Dermatologists have extensive training, going to school for 12 years or more to learn to diagnose and treat more than 3,000 diseases of the skin, hair, and nails as well as cosmetic concerns. Dermatologists also help patients with cosmetic concerns, including addressing issues with their aging skin, treating wounds caused by surgery to remove a skin cancer, helping to diminish acne or other scars, or helping patients restore a healthier appearance.

Schooling: Four years of college to earn a bachelor’s degree and four years of medical school to become a medical doctor

Internship: A year-long internship

Residency: Three years of residency, working alongside experienced doctors and completing 12,000 to 16,000 hours of treating patients

Fellowship: Advanced training length of time depends on the particular area of focus

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Provides administrative and scheduling assistance in healthcare facilities, like doctors’ offices, med spas, and hospitals. Is often the patient's first contact with the practice, who engages with the patient by answering phones, booking appointments, and welcoming the patient into the office. Ensures excellent customer service and sustains a positive patient relationship through follow-ups and scheduling next appointments. Plays a role in setting the tone for the visit and the overall experience from beginning to end. Depending on practice, also known as Receptionist.

Intense pulsed light (IPL) is a light treatment that penetrates the second layer of skin (the dermis)—without harming the top layer of skin—to soften wrinkles and remove pigmentation, including age spots, freckles, sun damage, and broken blood vessels in three to six sessions.

A device that emits broadband light to improve the look of the skin or remove unwanted hair.

Skincare specialists who focus on performing laser treatments including laser hair removal, tattoo removal, and reductions in age spots or freckles. Technicians may also offer related skin treatments, like skin tightening, skin resurfacing, and skin rejuvenation. Since using laser technology for medical purposes can be dangerous, technicians must be trained in laser safety.

Laser technician certifications depend on state licensing and certification laws with many states requiring a medical doctor, or a physician assistant or registered nurse under the supervision of a medical doctor to perform the procedure.

Medical Aesthetics is the practice of performing medical procedures to help achieve the patient’s aesthetic goals. Many aesthetic procedures are quick, minimally invasive, and have little downtime.

Some examples of Medical Aesthetic procedures are:

• Facial Injectables
• Chemical Peels
• Microdermabrasion
• Laser Treatments
• Body Contouring
• Treatment of Cellulite
• Cosmetic Surgery

Essential support workers who provide both clinical and administrative support for physicians and other healthcare providers. Possible responsibilities may include: prepping procedure room, checking-in patients and assessing their medical history during the beginning of consultation, confirming pre and post treatments. They are cross-trained to perform administrative and clinical duties to provide overall patient satisfaction.

Depending on state licensing and certification laws, medical assistants should have a CMA or RMA degree or certificate. 

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Microdermabrasion mechanically exfoliates skin for a smoother, brighter, more even-toned complexion in which practitioners use a hand-held device with microcrystals to gently buff away the top layers of skin.

A cosmetic procedure in which tiny crystals under high pressure are sprayed on the face. This buffs away the outer layer of skin, eliminates fine lines, and improves the look of the skin.

Provides patient assessment through objective data with subjective experience of a patient’s biological, physical, and behavioral needs. Ensures that every patient receives the best possible care. In the United States today, nursing roles can be divided into three categories by the specific responsibilities they undertake: Registered nurses (RN), Advance Practice Registered Nurses (APRN), and/or Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN), also known as Licensed Vocational Nurses (LVNs). Additionally, Aesthetic Nurses are registered nurses with specialized training in aesthetic and cosmetic services. They’re qualified to provide a wide variety of services to patients, including photo facials, injection of neurotoxins and dermal fillers, tattoo removal, dermabrasion, and nonsurgical body contouring among others.

Potential Schooling:

• Undergraduate Diploma in Nursing
• Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) is a two-year degree offered by community colleges and hospital-based schools
• Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BS/BSN) is a four-year degree offered at colleges and universities
• Graduate degrees offer additional routes to advancing the expertise of registered nurses

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Healthcare providers that assess patients, order and interpret diagnostic tests, counsel on a variety of procedures, perform those procedures, and care for patients as they recover. In Medical Aesthetics, they’re qualified to provide a wide variety of services to patients, including photo facials, injection of neurotoxins and dermal fillers, tattoo removal, dermabrasion, and nonsurgical body contouring, among others. 

Potential Schooling:

• Master's or doctoral degree program and have advanced clinical training 
• Didactic and clinical courses prepare nurses with specialized knowledge in preferred specialty
• Must have initial professional registered nurse, RN, degree
• RN licensure is a prerequisite to receive a Nurse Practitioner, Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (NP, APRN) license 
• RN licensure and APRN licensure are not always held in the same state; some states require an RN will upgrade his or her status from RN to APRN licensure

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Handles many of the functions of a fully trained doctor in the absence of a doctor and exercises autonomy in medical decision making. All PAs work under the ultimate supervision of a licensed physician, who is responsible for all decisions made regarding patient care. If certified, PAs can perform cosmetic injections as well as provide diagnostic, therapeutic, surgical, and preventative care under the supervision of a physician or surgeon. 

Schooling: Bachelor’s Degree and approximately four and a half years of healthcare experience prior to entering a PA program.

Surgical: Graduation from an ARC-PA accredited surgically focused PA Program OR Completion of a surgical residency for PAs (after attending PA school) OR On the job training (after graduating from an ARC-PA accredited Program)

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A plastic surgeon deals with the repair, reconstruction, or replacement of physical defects of form or function involving the skin, musculoskeletal system, craniomaxillofacial structures, hand, extremities, breast and trunk, external genitalia or cosmetic enhancement of these areas of the body. Cosmetic surgery is an essential component of plastic surgery. The plastic surgeon uses cosmetic surgical principles both to improve overall appearance and to optimize the outcome of reconstructive procedures.

• Special knowledge and skill in the design and surgery of grafts, flaps, free tissue transfer and replantation is necessary. Competence in the management of complex wounds, the use of implantable materials, and in tumor surgery is required.
• Plastic surgeons have been prominent in the development of innovative techniques such as microvascular and craniomaxillofacial surgery, liposuction, and tissue transfer. Anatomy, physiology, pathology, and other basic sciences are fundamental to the specialty.
• Competency in plastic surgery implies an amalgam of basic medical and surgical knowledge, operative judgment, technical expertise, ethical behavior, and interpersonal skills to achieve problem resolution and patient satisfaction.