The aesthetic industry is an incredibly lucrative career path that offers a level of flexibility you can’t get elsewhere. There has never been a better time to become an aesthetic practitioner.

Non-medical aesthetic practitioners focus on noninvasive skincare treatments, while medical aesthetic practitioners perform injectable treatments like dermal filler and Botox.

To be a medical aesthetic practitioner, having a medical background is an absolute must. A medical, dentistry, or nursing degree lays the groundwork for a successful career in aesthetics.

There are four steps to take when pursuing an aesthetic medicine career: choose the right course, determine your practice’s path, market yourself, and continued education.

Taken from : https://smileworks-hub.co.uk/free-resources-news/how-to-become-an-aesthetic-practitioner-uk/

Level 2

The minimum requirement to work as a beauty therapist in a salon or on a self employed basis is a Level 2 qualification. This is usually considered to be “junior” level in a salon environment and enables the therapist to practice some of the most popular beauty treatments such as waxing, manicures and pedicures. In order to progress further within beauty and offer more advanced or specialist treatments, most beauty therapists go on to study Level 3.

At Facethetics, we accept Level 2 beauty therapists on our Dermaplaning course. We also offer our Bridge the Gap course specifically for Level 2 beauty therapists who do not wish to study the full Level 3 syllabus, but wish to move in to advanced skin treatments. This course essentially “bridges the gap” in skin knowledge between Level 2 and Level 3. If you are interested in a career in beauty or skin, but don't currently hold a Level 2 qualification, our VTCT Level 2 Award in Facial Massage & Skincare is a great starting point.

Taken from facethetics training

Level 4

Level 4 covers the more advanced beauty procedures, such as micropigmentation, laser and IPL. If a beauty therapist wishes to specialise in a more technical area of beauty, they will most likely need to study a Level 4 course.

Taken from facethetics training

At the moment, there are ongoing changes being made to this industry, different levels are still available to begin a career in aesthetic practice however this may change to being mandatory to have a degree to become fully qualified in aesthetic practice. 

Health Education England recommended that anyone delivering Botox and dermal fillers should be qualified to Level 7. This is the equivalent of a masters degree and was put forward by HEE as a way of ensuring more standardised levels of training for aesthetic practitioners. 

*It is important to note that Level 7 is not currently a mandatory requirement for practising aesthetics. However, back in March of this year, it was announced that a new mandatory licensing scheme was in the works for the aesthetics industry in England. This would mean that anyone practising aesthetic procedures (such as Botox or dermal fillers) would legally be required to obtain a license. There is currently no information about what the licensing scheme will entail, and it could potentially be up to two years for the details to be finalised* (May 2023)

As of January 2024, the UK still does not require aesthetic practitioners to have any qualifications to perform injectable treatments. Because the industry remains unregulated, this means that anyone can inject, even if they don’t have any training or degree.

This only highlights the need for the next wave of aesthetic injectors to come from medical backgrounds. This ensures safe treatment spaces and beautiful results. As medical professionals, it is our responsibility to restore trust and safety to the aesthetics industry.

For more information :

https://smileworks-hub.co.uk/free-resources-news/how-to-become-an-aesthetic-practitioner-uk/

https://www.hee.nhs.uk/our-work/non-surgical-cosmetic-procedures

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/licensing-of-non-surgical-cosmetic-procedures/the-licensing-of-non-surgical-cosmetic-procedures-in-england

https://professionalaestheticsacademy.org.uk/botox-course/

https://www.facetheticstraining.co.uk

https://dermainstitute.co.uk/aesthetic-courses/

https://cosmeticcourses.co.uk/aesthetic-training-courses/foundation-botox-and-filler-training-course/#toggle-id-3

https://www.policybee.co.uk/blog/can-anyone-train-to-give-botox-uk

Contact you local clinic and enquire to see if they will accept you onto an observation work experience; click here for full details