Dermatologist or Medical Aesthetician is a question we get asked often. In fact, oftentimes we see patients after they’ve been to their Dermatologist/Physician and “tried it all” and are left unhappy and still battling with acne, melasma, rosacea, you name it! Sound familiar? Let’s clarify the difference.
First things first, what is the difference between the two? In brief…
Dermatologists prescribes topical or oral medications to treat skin diseases.
Medical aestheticians take into consideration everything from genetic predisposition, skin history, homecare products, diet and supplements in order to provide non-prescription advice and solutions.
The biggest difference in which professional you choose ultimately comes down to what your concern is. Raised or suspicious moles, skin tags, rashes, infections, open wounds/lesions or other forms of growths or dermatitis are often best left to your dermatologist. On the other hand, if you are concerns with acne, anti-aging, skin tightening, dark spots (sun damage, melasma, etc.), rosacea or sensitivities, then a medical aesthetician is your new best friend.
Symptom suppression vs support
When you see a dermatologist to treat acne, for example, your solutions might be accutane or antibiotics and possibly the recommendation of “a gentle cleanser and sunscreen”. These are not necessarily solutions. Medications act as a way to suppress the symptoms, but don’t address the cause of the problem. In other words, treatments such as Accutane are not long term solutions and can have negative long-term effects on the body. A dermatologist will not have the broad knowledge of commonly-known comedogenic or pore-clogging ingredients, which is why they may recommend drugstore brands.
Medical aestheticians treat a lot of acne cases as uniquely specific, using a variety of treatments and products combined. The naturopathic element implements specific supplements like botanical extracts and natural sources to treat from the inside. The treatment element uses laser technology to treat deep into the skin and rebuild. The product element gives you with a custom at-home routine of medical grade skin care and a precise in-clinic treatment plan to give you the skin of your dreams.
How to pick the right Medical Spa for you?
It’s no secret that med spas and skin clinics are a dime a dozen, so how can you tell you’re choosing the right one for your needs? Our best suggestion is to look for a clinic that is owned and managed by a Medical Aesthetician/Laser Technician. While a Physician Directed practice might sound fancy, have you ever actually encountered a physician doing a laser treatment? Probably not.
So why is a technician-run clinic better? Well, simply put, because the person in charge of hiring and training the staff, knows their shit. Treatment protocols have been mastered and fine-tuned to absolute perfection with total safety in mind over the course of years of hands on experience. If your boss has rarely ever — or even never — performed a procedure, how could they possibly offer you support or training? Ellie, our phenomenal clinic founder, has worked herself in physician directed clinics and more or less learned as she went, teaching herself by studying and practicing hours on end, day in and out, to find the best techniques while keeping safety and comfort as an absolute top priority.
With her expertise and experience fuelling all that we do, NuAGE has grown its group of babes to be absolute experts in their field and some of the best technicians in Vancouver. We believe in mastering what you do, and because of that each of our technicians has a treatment or condition that they specialize in, meaning that you always get the absolute best, safest, most effective care during your time with us.
