How to Find the Right Esthetician Classes Near Lewiston Maine
Since you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Lewiston ME, the task starts to search for and enroll in the best program. It's imperative that the program you pick not only furnishes the proper education for the specialty you have chosen, but also prepares you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your initial search, you may be somewhat confused about the contrast between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the titles are pretty much interchangeable and both pertain to the same type of school. If you plan on commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Lewiston home. Tuition will also be an important consideration when evaluating prospective schools. Just remember that because a school is the nearest or the cheapest it's not always the right choice. There are various other qualifications that you should evaluate when reviewing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask about the aesthetician schools you are thinking about later in this article. Before we do, let's discuss a bit about what kinds of programs are offered.
It Takes Just a Few Minutes to Start Your Esthetician Career Below!
Esthetician Training Requirements
Estheticians are highly trained, in-demand skincare experts, which is why an esthetics program requires around 600 hours of hands-on training hours. For licensure, you need to demonstrate a thorough understanding of the skin and the technology used in advanced treatments like lasers, LED lights, oxygen, or ultrasonic waves. Keep in mind that program requirements can vary by state, but most states require at least 600 hours of training to obtain a license in the field. In addition to training, estheticians should also have a professional and friendly personality that instills confidence in their clients. A skilled esthetician must be able to listen and empathize with their clients’ needs and concerns, often personalizing treatment for them.
Esthetician Job Description
An esthetician is a professional skin specialist who identifies cosmetic issues (such as wrinkles, pigmentation, or blemishes) and applies treatments to improve their condition. Most estheticians perform skin treatments like facials, superficial chemical peels, body treatments, skin conditioning, and blemish extraction, but they may also do waxing, lash extensions, and makeovers. Estheticians, unlike licensed cosmetologists, are also able to provide advanced treatments like microdermabrasion, chemical peels, light therapy, and hair removal. They may also educate clients on products, skincare regimens, and the benefits of esthetic procedures. Medical estheticians in clinical settings may help people identify and recover from health issues affecting the skin, such as working with cancer patients or burn victims after surgical procedures. Typically an esthetician works with a client in a spa or salon setting. Some estheticians work in a medical setting to complement medical services, such as in a dermatologist’s office, but they are not medical professionals. Estheticians may also work in locations as varied as Lewiston Maine nursing facilities, luxury resorts, dermatologist offices or hospitals.
Online Esthetics Training
Online esthetician programs are convenient for Lewiston ME students who are working full-time and have family obligations that make it challenging to attend a more traditional school. There are a large number of web-based beauty school programs offered that can be accessed through a home computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More conventional beauty programs are frequently fast paced due to the fact that many programs are as short as 6 or 8 months. This means that a large amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are dealing with the same amount of material, but you're not devoting many hours outside of your home or driving to and from classes. However, it's vital that the program you choose can provide internship training in local salons and parlors in order that you also obtain the hands-on training required for a comprehensive education. Without the internship portion of the training, it's difficult to obtain the skills required to work in any area of the cosmetology industry. So don't forget if you choose to enroll in an online program to verify that internship training is provided in your area.
Questions to Ask Esthetician Schools
Following is a series of questions that you should investigate for any esthetician training school you are considering. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school relative to your Lewiston home, together with the price of tuition, will most likely be your initial qualifiers. Whether you would like to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you must research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have compiled several of those additional questions that you should ask each school before making a final decision.
Is the Esthetician Program Accredited? It's essential to make certain that the esthetician college you select is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards assuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be necessary for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which often are not available for non- accredited schools. It's also a requirement for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, numerous Lewiston ME businesses will not recruit recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have a Good Reputation? Every esthetician institute that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to exceptional reputation within the field. Being accredited is a good beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Verify that the schools have high job placement rates, indicating that their students are highly sought after. Check rating services for reviews in addition to the school's accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Lewiston ME salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the industry, ask them if they are acquainted with the schools you are looking at. They may even be able to propose others that you had not considered. Finally, contact the Maine school licensing authority to find out if there have been any grievances submitted or if the schools are in complete compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? Some esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, providing training in a specific specialty, for example hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often expand into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's imperative that you decide on a school that focuses on your area of interest. Since your objective is to be trained as an esthetician, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and well regarded for that program. If your vision is to launch a Lewiston ME beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will instruct you how to be an owner/operator as well. Choosing a highly ranked school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not deliver the training you require.
Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Practicing and refining esthetician techniques and abilities requires plenty of practice on volunteers. Check how much live, hands-on training is included in the cosmetology lessons you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their growing skills on real people. If a beauty school offers minimal or no scheduled live training, but rather depends predominantly on the use of mannequins, it might not be the best option for acquiring your skills. So look for alternate schools that provide this type of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? When a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it's essential that she or he receives help in finding that initial job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer aid maintain relationships with Lewiston ME employers that are looking for trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are considering have job placement programs and ask which salons and businesses they refer students to. Additionally, ask what their job placement rates are. High rates not only confirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Aid Offered? Almost all esthetician schools provide financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have a financial aid department. Talk to a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you may qualify for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships available to students too. If a school meets all of your other qualifications with the exception of cost, do not drop it as an alternative until you determine what financial help may be provided.
Find Out How to Become an Aesthetician in Lewiston
Enroll in the Right Lewiston Esthetician Training
Locating and enrolling in the right esthetician school is important to receive the proper training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Be sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel confident about your decision. Make sure to consolidate all of the responses you get from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that information to compare schools. A good beginning in your due diligence procedure is to make certain that the college and program you choose are accredited and have excellent reputations within the field. If you start with that base, and answer the additional questions supplied in this post, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the right selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are qualified to begin your new career as a professional esthetician in Lewiston Maine.
Lewiston How To Become An Esthetician | Lewiston Esthetician Courses Online