When choosing skin care training, you should consider your professional goals, the reputation of a training provider, and whether you can afford the time and the money needed to complete the program. As with any educational program, you should learn about the school or organization that provides the training as well as the credentials of its instructors. You should also find out whether the training is suitable for someone with your educational and professional background, as skin care training for facialists will, and should, differ dramatically from classes completed by a health care professional or a sales representative for a skin care line.
Medical doctors and nurses may receive some basic education about skin and its conditions and diseases as part of their regular training. Dermatologists specialize in skin disorders and so are likely to receive more comprehensive skin care training during their residency. Both nurses and doctors who have an interest in skin care from both a medical and aesthetic perspective may be able to take continuing education courses through schools, professional organizations, and product vendors. If you are a health care professional and are interested in taking continuing education courses on skin care, you should make sure that your licensing board or employer will recognize these courses for meeting any licensing or employment requirements that you are obligated to meet.
If your interest in skin care training is to prepare you for a professional career in the beauty industry, you will want to first want decide on the path you wish to take in the personal appearance industry. In the United States, for example, aestheticians specialize in skin care, hair removal, and makeup application, and a significant part of their education is devoted to skin care training. Look for a cosmetology or aesthetics school in your area that is recognized by your jurisdiction's licensing board for cosmetologists and aestheticians. If you are already employed in the beauty industry, you should seek out providers of high-quality continuing education to help further your skin care training. As in any other profession in which continuing education hours are required by law, you should always ensure that the courses that you take are recognized by your licensing board for the renewal of your license.
Skin care consultants who work for or sell on behalf of cosmetic companies may be able to receive skin care training through their employer or a cosmetics manufacturer. This training typically assists the consultant in learning his or her company's product line and in being able to assist customers in determining which products they should be using. If you are employed by a cosmetics company, your employer will typically provide you with or direct you to any necessary training programs.