When to See an Esthetician vs. a Dermatologist
When to visit an esthetician
Estheticians focus on the aesthetics of skin, using tailored facials, peels, lasers, massage, and injections to treat your skin concerns. So if you’re working with things like dehydration, acne scarring, and fine lines and wrinkles, an esthetician is your best bet. To maintain your results, celebrity esthetician Joanna Czech recommends people visit their estheticians every three to six weeks. “This aligns with the skin’s cellular turnover cycle of about 28 days,” she says. “Regular visits help maintain optimal skin health, address emerging issues promptly, and provide ongoing support to achieve and sustain your desired results.” If visiting every three to six weeks isn’t feasible, Czech recommends seeing an esthetician at least once per season, because, as you might notice, our skin changes with the seasons. For example, you might notice more oil production and breakouts in the summer, and more dryness and irritation in the winter. Seeing an esthetician can help soothe these seasonal skin woes.
Just like finding a dermatologist, it’s crucial to do your research when you’re starting your search for an esthetician. Look for a reputable esthetician with proper licensing and credentials, and a philosophy that aligns with your skincare goals. “Picking a facialist is like choosing a hairdresser: you have to click together to understand what you want to get out of this treatment and your provider, and you should be aligned on this,” says New York City-based esthetician Sofie Pavitt. Czech says another green flag to look for is that the esthetician offers individualized facials instead of just promoting one skin-care brand.
“A good esthetician will first do a skin analysis, and then ask you what products you use and what your skin goals are so they can put a plan of action in place not only for your first visit, but others to come,” says Pavitt. Estheticians often talk you through your treatment, explaining what they’re noticing about your skin (oil production, congested pores, fine lines, etc.) and educating—not shaming—you about how to maintain results at home. Czech says that estheticians will often recommend products to you during your treatment, but you should never feel pressure to buy them.
