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Education in cosmetology
Jacek Arct
Recommended citation format: Arct J: Education in cosmetology. Estetol Med Kosmetol 2012; 2(1): 10-13. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.14320/EMK.2012.002
Keywords: cosmetology, higher education
| Reprint (PDF) | Polski | DOI: 10.14320/EMK.2012.002
Development in each field of human activity is based
on suitable specialist training. It applies to all areas in a
modern society - production of raw materials and goods,
building and maintenance of infrastructure, management,
services, etc. None of these areas can function properly
and develop without personnel with suitable education.
At the same time, the extremely fast progress in applied
sciences requires changes in the educational profile.
Demand for narrow-educated specialists is decreasing
and requirements for formal knowledge are frequently
replaced by professional skills. The new approach
to professional education is expressed in the recent
amendments to the Higher Education Act. The act puts
the system of the National Qualification Framework
above formal specialization requirements reflected by
study curricula. Taking into consideration these trends,
educational strategies applied in cosmetology arouse
a range of doubts. Tertiary education in cosmetology
has quite a long tradition in the USA and Latin America.
European institutions teaching cosmetology, located
predominantly in Germany and France, provide
strictly vocational training at the first level of higher
education. A wide range of courses is offered, aimed
at preparing different specialists, depending on the
profile of an institution. Nevertheless, there is a general
tendency to offer wider and wider curricula. Two main
directions could be distinguished in this respect: the
first prepares students for working within the beauty
business, whereas the second is oriented rather towards
the cosmetics industry or aesthetic medicine. The latter
studies are obviously feasible only in countries with legislation allowing cosmetologists to carry out invasive
treatments. The professional profiles of graduates from
tertiary educational institutions significantly differ from
the profile of beauticians, whose qualification allow
them only to perform cosmetic treatments in beauty
salons.
Cosmetology is relatively new to Poland. It was
introduced into the higher education system some
ten years ago, for the last three years it could be
also formally continued at the second level of higher
education (studies with acquisition of the Master of
Science degree). In Poland, two factors have stimulates
the rapid development of cosmetology studies, which
are now offered by more than 60 tertiary education
institutions. The first one is related to the increasing
wealth of Polish society, and the resultant fashion for and
expansion of beauty business. Not unimportant is the
constantly growing production of cosmetics in Poland,
which occupies at present the sixth position in Europe,
just after Europe’s five biggest economies. It seems that
the second factor is sociological in nature and related
to peoples’ aspiration for acquiring a higher education
as a means of confirming one’s social position. It is
manifested by a relatively large number of beauticians
among cosmetology students, especially those enrolled
in part-time programmes.
Such uncontrolled development and lack of contacts with
more advanced foreign education institutions created
the space for the misconception of a cosmetologist’s professional profile being too often perceived as “a
better trained beautician”. This concept is entirely
unjustified from the factual point of view. Moreover,
by depreciating the profession, it has reinforced many
stereotypes, and effectively obstructed the development
of cosmetology as a scientific discipline. It has led
to such derogative epithets for cosmetologists as
“masters of patting” or “bachelors of cream mixing” -
frequently used in prominent scientific circles. For a
full understanding of this profession, a holistic view
on the so-called “beauty business” is necessary. Since
cosmetology encompasses knowledge of both cosmetic
products and their application (these two concepts are
inseparable, and cannot exist as separate entities), a
full picture of the branch appears as a very complex,
multidisciplinary structure. On one hand, it is driven by
developments in the basic sciences, such as skin biology,
medicine, pharmacology, chemistry, physics, etc., and
technologies resulting from these developments. On the
other hand, this multidisciplinary structure is controlled
by macro- and microeconomic factors, understood not
only as profit on sales of raw materials, products and
services, but also as the purchasing power of society,
in which the hierarchy of needs (including those for
particular types of beauty) is derived from the level
of wealth and sociological mechanisms determining
certain patterns (fashion) and niches in the market. Next
to the direct participation in the basic tasks of the branch
- manufacturing and distribution of cosmetic products,
as well as implementing and maintaining services, the
cosmetologist acts as a mediator between the abovementioned
driving factors and executive mechanisms.
This places the cosmetologists in a difficult position,
often being forced to taking decisions at the boundaries
of totally different areas of applied knowledge. In order
to cope with these tasks, education in cosmetology
should also be multidisciplinary.
It is necessary to draw a definite line between
cosmetology and the topically related field of aesthetic
medicine. Nonetheless, the cosmetologist and the
aesthetic physician or dermatologist should co-operate,
since this produces better results (also economically)
than a senseless competition and mutual trespassing
in fields of competence not always well-defined by
the law. Such co-operation requires that both parties
are adequately knowledgeable and exchange their
views and opinions, a basis for which might be a
co-education of interested representatives from both
groups. A cosmetologist ought to understand medical
treatments aimed at beauty preservation and correction
of aesthetic defects, as well as be familiar with the
pathology of the skin and its appendages. On the
other hand, dermatologists and aesthetic physicians
should know the basic rules of cosmetic treatments,
and possess a certain level of knowledge about the
properties of cosmetic products and their applications.
Issues related to cosmetics manufacturing, such as
formulating and production, are defining a second
“pole” of the cosmetologist’s knowledge. This domain
is a traditional field of activity for chemists, pharmacists
and biotechnologists, and here it is considerably
more difficult to divide the competences than at the
boundaries of medicine. This is mainly due to the lack
of proper legislations, but also due to a considerably
wider range of topics shared by both disciplines.
A certain scope of cosmetic chemistry - in particular
problems related to technology, analytical chemistry,
or production of raw materials, is unquestionably
beyond the limits of a cosmetologist’s education, who
should only be acquainted with these issues to an extent
allowing for communication with respective specialists.
Nevertheless, there are also many issues common to
both disciplines, such as properties of cosmetic forms,
certain elements of cosmetic formulation, properties and
activity of raw materials, problems of bioavailability of
active components, methods assessing the efficacy and
safety of final products, etc. In having a broader basic
and specialist education, cosmetologists sometimes may
have the advantage over chemists, and even pharmacists
or toxicologists. Cosmetologists’ knowledge on the
bordering issues should allow them to communicate
effectively with respective specialists.
Finally, there is the third “pole” of cosmetologists’
multidisciplinary education, located at the junction
between the product and the consumer, a field
generally referred to as marketing, a crucial factor
of the economic success and a driving force for the
entire discipline. Effective marketing and advertising
requires the understanding of both the needs of the
target group and the advantages of a product. Only
a cosmetologist is capable of delivering reliable
information about a cosmetic product in a form that
could be understood by marketing or advertising
specialists, whether it applies to the sales of cosmetic
products, or encouraging customers to buying certain
cosmetic services. For only a cosmetologist knows
enough of the properties of cosmetic products, cosmetic
treatments and SPA services to convey the knowledge
to marketing specialists in a form allowing them
to undertake effective and targeted actions, create
appropriate communication with customers, or explore
of new niches on the market. Similar to the previously
described borderline area, proper communication and
mutual understanding are crucial factors. Therefore,
cosmetologists ought to be familiar with marketing
problems to an extent that makes such communication
possible. In practice, they should possess at least basic
knowledge about marketing strategies.
The above-described boundaries of disciplines are
important parameters determining the scope of
cosmetology education. They define the range of basic education - from elements of physics, chemistry and
biochemistry, through basic principles of biology,
anatomy and physiology, to the most important
elements of medical sciences: pharmacology, toxicology,
dermatology, immunology and general medicine.
At the same time, a cosmetologist must also master the
technical knowledge that encompasses the theory and
practice of both cosmetic treatment practice and the
“cosmeticology” (i.e. knowledge about the composition
and activity of cosmetic products). This knowledge has
to be supplemented by knowledge of the functioning
of cosmetic equipment and skills in their use, as well
knowledge of raw materials and formulation of cosmetic
product, legal regulations, methodology of assessing
the efficacy and safety of final products, knowledge
about about the marketing of cosmetic raw materials,
final products and cosmetic services, and finally, the
skills of establishing and managing enterprises within
the beauty business. It seems evident that the education
covering such a broad range cannot be accomplished
during relatively short, six-semester undergraduate
studies in cosmetology, that rather should be focused
on the basic sciences and vocational training covering
the theory and practice of cosmetic treatment, as well
as “cosmeticology”. In order to broaden this knowledge,
it is necessary to continue the education at secondary
level. Therefore, graduate studies, completed with the
Master’s degree, should predominantly be focused on
teaching interdisciplinary knowledge related to aesthetic
medicine, formulation of cosmetics, assessment of
final product efficacy and safety, together with some
elements of the marketing of cosmetic products and
services. As already mentioned, introduction of the
above elements into cosmetology education is not easy,
mainly due to the lack of suitable teaching staff, which
is especially true with regard to “cosmeticology”. It is
not limited to teaching cosmetic chemistry, perceived
as the knowledge on active ingredients and formulation
of cosmetic products, but includes in particular teaching
modern methodology of assessing the efficacy and
safety of the final product. Similar problems may be
encountered in the topics related to the distribution
of the products - marketing techniques, psychology
and advertising. Suitable teaching personnel may be
recruited from two sources: the first from companies
selling and distributing cosmetic products. Their
employees are usually adequately trained and may also
undertake teaching, especially in the light of recent
amendments to the Higher Education Act, which allows
the employment of professionals who do not fulfill the
standard criteria for academic teachers. Quite often,
however, managers of such enterprises are unwilling
to share the knowledge of their employees, because the
company has invested money into personnel training.
This approach is unreasonable. In developed countries,
corporate employees are involved in teaching, and such
collaboration with educational institutions is considered as an element of corporate marketing. A second source
of necessary teaching staff may be the need-centred
education of present academic teachers in national as
well as foreign education institutions, which may be
strengthened by financial support for the participants.
For example, post-graduate programmes in cosmetic
chemistry are offered by the Academy of Cosmetics
and Health Care in Warsaw and the Free University in
Brussels.
Another factor that negatively influences the quality
of teaching in tertiary education institutions (in
particular those that are non-public) is the fear of
discouraging some students by introducing more
challenging curricula, particularly those including
some elements of cosmetic chemistry. The problem
has its roots in the low level of teaching in chemistry
and physics in schools (a traditional weak spot of our
education system). Consequently, academic education
must be started from the basics in general and organic
chemistry which, quite often is not well accepted by the
students. Nevertheless, poorly educated graduates from
secondary schools will not be prepared for following
the curricula in cosmetic chemistry, biochemistry,
pharmacology or skin physiology. Insuff icient
preparation at secondary school level hampers further
education. In the end, the result is that some graduates
holding a Bachelor’s degree demonstrate quite an
embarrassing low level of knowledge. Another source
of misconceptions connected with the definition of
a cosmetologist’s professional profile is the lack of
strict boundaries between cosmetology and aesthetic
medicine. This very controversial issue leads to many
conflicts and hampers co-operation between these two
closely-related professional groups. Frankly, the reasons
for the conflict are also rooted in the profitability of
treatments under dispute. Aesthetic treatments at the
boundaries of both professions, e.g. mesotherapy, tissue
modeling with hyaluronic acid or polylactic acid, as
well as botulin injection, are most lucrative, not only
because of high margins, but also due to high demand
driven by current fashion. This issue is complicated by
the lack of regulations on the legal status of aesthetic
medicine as a medical specialty. It is therefore necessary
to impart the clear message that in principle only
certified medical professionals are allowed to apply
techniques connected with a direct risk to the health of
a patient. These decisions should be made on the basis of
factual discussion involving competent representatives
of both cosmetologists and aesthetic physicians. If
mutual obstinacy and short-sighted competition for
direct profits should obstruct such discussion, the final
decision will be made in the absence of the experts, to
the detriment of both parties.
In conclusion, the future of Polish cosmetology will
be shaped by both the labour market and professional groups. Modern markets, both in Poland and abroad,
are in need of well-educated cosmetologists capable
of working in all areas of the beauty business. By
raising the level of education, we have the opportunity
to face this demand and become a leading country
in the European Union. An alternative would be the
“mass production” of graduates holding Bachelor’s or
Master’s degrees who, for the rest of their lives, could
only work at treatment beds in Polish and foreign beauty
parlours. The demand for such limited education seems
to decrease, especially when taking into account the cost
involved. It is manifested by the decreasing numbers
of students undertaking extramural studies, which
endangers the existence of many institutions of higher
education established with much effort and at great cost.
Let us remember that the long-time winners will be the
tertiary education institutions whose students can easily
find jobs, not only at treatment beds in beauty parlours,
but also in all branches of the beauty business. Such
institutions have the chance of survival in the future
education market.
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