Issue link: https://www.ascpskindeepdigital.com/i/86330
ascp and you: finer points Professional Skin Care: Where Are We Now? by Susanne Schmaling This has been an eventful year for America. Most of the time we can put our heads down, close our doors, and enter the solace of our treatment rooms. But every esthetician has times when that seems difficult. The economy, societal events, and the ramped-up media onslaught of an election year can leave many of us feeling scared, frustrated, and generally pessimistic about our businesses and our lives. One of the great gifts the skin care profession offers to its practitioners is the ability to reduce our own stress through service to others. Not only are we reducing a client's stress, we also benefit when we provide caring touch. This is a proven biochemical reaction and its effects are well known to every esthetician. So why is this important to note when looking at the current position of the licensed skin care professional? It is time to understand the value that you have in society and to educate the public, legislators, and state boards so that they understand it, too. As a licensed skin care professional, you impact a large part of the client's life, far beyond the visible outward effects on his or her skin. Sometimes we are the only touch a client receives. We make a difference, not only in how our clients look, but in how they feel. 34 ASCP Skin Deep November/December 2012