If you hear the terms certified and qualified aesthetic practitioners, you may think they are the same thing. But what if we told you that while they may appear to be the same because of the way they are names, they are not?
Now you might be wondering, how on earth is this possible? Well, it is very crucial to understand why and how these two vary. Especially if you are someone who wants to have safe, effective treatments in the future and to make an informed decision.
Certified and Qualified aesthetic practitioners, both play a significant role in the aesthetic field and ensure safe and effective treatments however, they are different as they both represent different levels of training and expertise.
Understanding the Difference Between Certified vs. Qualified Aesthetic Practitioners.
By understanding the difference, you can make an accurate decision about who will work best for your treatment. A certified aesthetic practitioner is someone who has completed a specialized training course from any institution. A certified aesthetic is trained and they gain a foundational level of knowledge and skills related to aesthetic treatments like Botox or dermal fillers.
A certificate is issued when a particular individual completes its hands-on training and assessment. Which also acts as a certified license in the cosmetic industry. One of the main concerns or you can say objection, regarding the certificate is that it needs to be renewed and a person has to keep himself regarding new updates and practices in the cosmetic industry.
Whereas qualified is a broader and more general term, it indicates large-scale education and skill set. A qualified aesthetic practitioner is considered someone who has gone through some serious and accurate training, which is considered at a medical level because a qualified aesthetic practitioner is not just taught about aesthetic treatments at the beginner level only but they are also given insight about the medical terms like anatomy, pharmacology, and patient safety.
When there is a qualification term involved it means that this particular individual has a formal medical background from any reputable organization. This also means they have to gain particular expertise, and practical experience and have equipped themselves with particular skills that are required to perform and handle complex medical and cosmetic procedures.
A Quick Guide about Certified Practitioners and Qualified Practitioners
Certified Practitioners: The Basics of Training
A person having experience in completing specialized courses from any reputable institute, where he/she has learned basic knowledge such as foundational aesthetic skills is considered a certified practitioner. A Certified practitioner mostly learns about specific procedures like Botox injections, dermal fillers, or microneedling, which are basically and commonly a part of their certification.
During their learning experience, they have not only theoretical knowledge but also practical knowledge about procedures like Botox injections, dermal fillers, or microneedling. They are also taught about how to perform aesthetic treatments safely and carefully.
Key Elements of Certification
Focused Training
One of the main advantages of the whole certification process is that a person gets an opportunity for focused training and may be able to learn a few things but in a better way. Such as if you are someone that is eager to have expertise in aesthetic techniques, like Botox injections or dermal fillers only then a certification will be a better option for you.
A certification process mostly revolves around gaining treatment-specific knowledge and gaining a strong foundation related to safe procedures, training during a certification process gives you an insight about understanding the basic things that are required for successful treatment such as how you can deal with your client expectations, and an insight about the basic anatomy that will help you in delivering better aesthetic treatments to your client and enhance their experience and trust on you.
Hands-On Practice
Hands-on practice is a crucial and essential component when learning a new skill, which also helps in building your confidence in your skill. Without getting hands-on experience, you cannot have any expertise in your skills.
While getting hands-on practice experience, you get the opportunity of supervised sessions and live training that helps you gain insight and depth about your essential skills and learn about the right techniques from experts that are required for a safe and accurate treatment. Hands-on practice is not just only about gaining and enhancing your theoretical knowledge but it will also be beneficial when you perform these skills and treatment in a clinic.
Standardized Assessments
The purpose of Standardized Assessment is to give insight into what an individual has learned so far in the certification program. It also indicates any achievement and accomplishment that has occurred that has occurred during this whole learning process. Written exams and practical demonstrations are commonly part of standardized Assessments. Protocols, anatomy, and techniques are included that help in indicating if this particular practitioner is ready to enter the competitive aesthetic industry where he/ she can deliver quality treatments with care.
This is the main reason that Standardized Assessments are considered an important component in the certification program. They give an idea about whether that particular practitioner equipped himself with the skills that are essential for performing the treatments safely and effectively.
Qualified Practitioners: Advanced Medical and Aesthetic Expertise
Qualification as discussed earlier is a broader term that indicates that this practitioner has gained skills and training which also includes medical background from a reputable institute. A person called Qualified practitioner is someone who is considered to have in-depth medical knowledge about major medical terminologies like anatomy, pharmacology, and patient care. The major benefit of getting a qualification program is that you learn how to handle complex medical treatments from the experts in your respective field and get rid of any complications before and after the procedure.
Key Elements of Qualification:
Medical Background
The key component or you can say the main advantage of qualification is that you also get an insight into the medical background, which is unlike certification programs. This also helps you to get in-depth and comprehensive knowledge related to your field such as you get detailed knowledge about human anatomy, pharmacology, and physiology which also leads you to perform better and precise treatment to your clients with less possible risk and complications.
Enhanced Risk Management
The other main benefit of qualification is that you learn major skills like risk management, which is highly crucial for someone who has a medical background and wants to aspire to the aesthetic or medical field. In risk management, a person learns how to deal with complicated and critical situations which is highly crucial for success in your respective field.
Higher Level of Competence
Qualification also enables practitioners to enable themselves with a higher level of competence and it is gained by the training during the learning process of becoming a qualified practitioner. This helps in gaining expertise in both general and specialized medicine. This high level of competence enables a practitioner to get their grip on advanced treatments and complex cases.
Which Practitioner Is Right for You?
If you are wondering about which practitioner is tailored best for yourself. Well, it all depends upon your treatment reason, goal, your health requirement, and the complexity of the procedure you want for yourself. For basic and non-invasive treatments, a certified practitioner can work best, whereas for complex procedures a qualified practitioner can provide better treatment.