How Long Is an Esthetician Program

Working as an esthetician can be a very rewarding and lucrative career. Skincare specialist job openings are expected to grow by 29% through 2030 at a rate far higher than the average career.

Plus, working as an esthetician can be quite exciting and personally rewarding. Estheticians have the opportunity to work with their clients and deliver real results, helping them look and feel their best. But, if you have considered the first steps towards this field yourself, you are likely wondering how long it takes to complete an esthetics program?

To become a licensed esthetician, you must complete the state-regulated program from an accredited beauty school. This means that the length of the program as well as the process towards becoming a licensed esthetician changes depending on your location.

Let’s dive into what the esthetician program at Avalon Institute includes!

What Will I Learn As An Esthetics Student?

An esthetician or skincare specialist is an individual who provides services and treatments to improve the condition and appearance of their client’s skin. They also offer advice and recommendations on products or treatments to address specific skin concerns, aging, or discoloration. It can be an excellent career for individuals who like to work with people, have good social skills, and have an interest in beauty and personal care.

An esthetician program can prepare students to perform a variety of treatments on their clients, and maintain the required level of professionalism and sanitation. During their training, estheticians learn about:

• Anatomy and physiology
• Facials
• Pore cleansing
• Exfoliation
• Reflexology
• Clinical therapies
• Hair removal
• Makeup application
• Body treatments

All these treatments are designed to improve the quality of the patient’s skin and promote a pampering experience.

Science, Advanced Treatments, and More!

Estheticians also learn about skin and body biology and learn how to identify common skin problems, such as acne, skin cancer, warts, and other skin-related diseases and conditions. Although estheticians are not allowed to treat some of these problems, they may refer their clients to a dermatologist or specialist.

Some esthetician schools offer advanced programs for a medical esthetician who has an expanded role in the care of the patient’s skin. Licensed estheticians may work in spas and salons, while medical estheticians may be employed in the offices and clinics of dermatologists and plastic surgeons.

The advanced program will train the students in several additional medical-focused courses, such as chemistry, skin pathology, anatomy, bacteriology, and anatomy.

It should be noted that not all states recognize the medical esthetician program as separate or different from the esthetician program. It is important to check state licensing requirements to ensure that you are taking the right course for the career of your choice.

How Long Is a Typical Esthetician Program?

As mentioned before, every state has different requirements for the number of hours an esthetician program must be. In the majority of U.S. states, an esthetician program averages about 600 hours, which takes between four and six months to complete depending on the curriculum.

Arizona, Utah, and Colorado both have a 600-hour training requirement for esthetician students. However, some states have slightly different requirements for training. For instance, Nevada beauty schools are required to provide a 900-hour esthetician program.

The time it takes to complete the esthetician training also depends on the class schedule. Most beauty schools offer both full-time and part-time enrollment options to accommodate students with busier schedules.

So, while a 600-hour training program will take a full-time student around 6 months to complete, it could take a full year for a part-time student. Part-time student courses are often offered in the evenings or weekends and may be structured differently than full-time classes.

But students do not become licensed estheticians immediately after they complete their required hours of training. The next step is to apply for the state exam.

How Long Does it Take to Get an Esthetician License?

Again, every state has slightly different rules when it comes to licensure procedures. However, most states offer a licensing exam in two parts: a practical and a written exam.

During the practical exam, students will be observed as they go through the steps of various skin treatments they have studied in the program. This includes:

• Setting up a work area
• Client preparation
• Facial procedures
• Eyebrow tweezing and shaping
• Body hair waxing
• Microdermabrasion
• Makeup application

The written exam includes several multiple-choice questions based on skin care services and scientific concepts. This includes:

• Infection control methods and procedures
• Safety guidelines
• Skin disorders and diseases
• Basic chemistry
• Human anatomy
• Client consultation
• Skin analysis
• Treatment protocols and procedures
• Makeup application theory
• Services related to body treatments

Once this portion of the exam has been completed and graded, those who have passed will immediately be issued a state license. Most esthetician licenses are valid for up to two years, after which they will need to be renewed with the state.

Are You Ready To Learn More?

If working in the beauty industry sounds great to you and you have a passion for making others look and feel great, becoming an esthetician could be ideal. But your first step is to find a great beauty school that will provide you with the education you need to get your license.

At Avalon Institute, we focus on providing our esthetician students with a well-rounded educational approach to support their futures. We have campuses located in Nevada, Colorado, Arizona, and Utah! Contact us today to learn more about our esthetics programs or to schedule a tour of one of our campuses.