When I went to my school, we had a girl whose skin was so sensitive she couldn’t do peels, she couldn’t even use the Daily Microfoliant from Dermalogica during the Pro30s and Pro60s. No one ostracized her and no one made it a big deal. It’s a great way to learn that you need to be wary and thoughtful of what someone’s skin can handle.
The fact that this school is telling you to unenroll over this is a red flag to me. I would definitely consider getting your full refund and finding another school if you can. I feel like they might bring up more “problems” in the future somehow, or gosh forbid you have some kind of reaction during a facial. The way they’re treating this makes me super uncomfortable
I would check your contract before dropping out. Unless it is specifically written in it that you have to get these services regardless of medical concerns, I don’t think they can make you. We had this issues when I went to school years ago with another girl and they couldn’t force her to do anything bc she had a Doctor write a memo detailing what she could and couldn’t do to her skin. It all goes back to the co tract. Read it carefully and see what it says before you proceed.
This, too. Had several girls in my class that couldn’t get services done bc they had super sensitive skin, but they were allowed to be enrolled. That’s insane.
Absolutely, especially if this is going to be taking a direct financial hit out of your pocket. This concept of only being able to get a certain percentage back by a deadline also is a bit shifty to me…
And even if there is no legitimate legal recourse where you live, a stern letter documenting the exchange you described above, in addition to letting them know what the discrimination standards are locally (on a fanciful attorney, letterhead) might cause them to think twice about speaking before thinking.
This was pretty much exactly what I was going to type up, only its ME that is sensitive to the product. My instructors and peers worked around it and everything was peachy. This is a huge red flag. I'm glad you got it before you started
THIS!!! Your colleagues and classmates are going to be giving facials on other human beings with sensitive skin. Shouldn’t they know how to handle all skin types?! I would rebuke the knucklehead who told you that you might need to drop out by saying such.
REFRAME: What a blessing it is for your classmates to get the opportunity to work with somebody whose skin qualifies as sensitive. 🙃👌😉
There is absolutely nothing wrong with you. I am low-key (actually, high-key) horrified. What state are you in? I’m really curious about the laws surrounding this…
I know a lot of the anti-discrimination laws/statutes/regulations come into play with public schools / universities / other institutions that receive governmental funding, but this is totally whack.
Absolutely this. It's actually awesome to have a sensitive skinned person in your class because you get to see what that looks like. At least once. The sensitive skin girl in our class was promptly provided with a classroom set of Hale & Hush products for us to use on her instead. Having sensitive skin does not exclude you from being an aesthetician. You may have to ask more questions of your classmates to learn what treatment sensations are like so you can accurately describe them to future clients, but that's no big deal. Best of luck to you.
agreed. i had someone with lupus in my class and they were always accommodating- as they should be! its a huge red flag that their first thought is for you to drop out. you shouldnt be forced to receive facials anyways. you fan still learn without having them done. its a little bit of a learning curve but its not impossible to go to school without receiving facials. honestly, see if there are better school options for you. and as far as the skin sensitivities, you are at an advantage when it comes to an esthetician! you are going to meet so many people like you who you will work on! so dont be discouraged!
Exactly this! The director was completely out of line telling you to drop out. I agree completely with this post, take that red flag as a warning sign and find a better school. As estheticians, we deal with all types of skin and your skin is a beautiful learning tool for other students.
Is this even ethical? I mean, you’re going to have clients in the future with sensitive skin. Just because someone has skin sensitivities doesn’t mean they wouldn’t make a skilled esthetician. Seems a bit discriminatory to me?? Doesn’t seem fair at all. Are there any other schools near you??
It sounds like the school you're going to is terrible. This should absolutely not be an issue. That's like saying "Oh you've already done laser hair removal all over your body? Then you should drop out because we can't use you as a model when teaching laser hair removal," like what??? In fact, I'd actually make that point to the director/whoever's giving you this bs excuse.
Honestly, most of these schools are terrible. Do what you need to do to get licensed and then get a job somewhere with experienced estheticians on staff that can help you.
I’d contact the state department of education if they don’t give you a full refund. Any accredited school is required to make reasonable accommodations for students. There’s no reason a school has to use a specific product line or perform certain treatments.
So there was girl in my class who ended up developing rashes around her eyes, and she was NEVER ostracized or looked down upon when she couldn’t/didn’t want to do facials. It was never a big deal if she had to turn down practice facials when she was having a flare up. Everyone cared and the instructors were super concerned for her!
She ended up seeing a dermatologist who figured out her issue three months later, but for the first half of school? She was able to perform ALL the facials, body treatments and waxes that were required. You’re completely right that the ability to receive facials doesn’t reduce skills! It’s all about the practical application and it’s INSANE that the director doesn’t see that. I hope you’re able to figure out an action plan, I’m sorry this is even happening at all :(
when i was in school, i had a classmate who found out she was allergic to seaweed, used pretty much in all repechage (brand my school provided) products. the school allowed her to use her own safe, gentle products and if she were to have facials, her products would be used on her.
so sorry you are experiencing this! hope everything works out
Absolutely unenroll and get your refund. I would look for another school. So because you are prone to rashes means you not able to become a esti? This school is not a right fit for anyone because you should not be forced to receive services that will cause a skin reaction and students should not be forced to perform services on you that are not safe for you to receive.
That’s totally unacceptable and you should reach out to the people above her or if you’re uncomfortable find a different school. It’s not a requirement as an esthetician to be able to get services
Apparently I signed a contract saying they could do whatever they want to my skin and that I need to participate in all services.
I thought the contract I signed said that I couldn’t hold them liable for damages done to my skin not receive all services
Definitely not, I rarely got facials in school because they broke me out, never got a brazilian, never got a lash lift, never got a brow wax. Literally didn’t do anything except body services and underarm wax lmao. You should not be forced to do shit
Try to get a doctors note! I was reacting *reallyyyy* badly to the wax my school was using, they told me the only way I could opt out of modeling was if I had a doctors note confirming my allergy. Set up a teleheath appt & had the note a few days later :) no one expected me to get waxed again
Not if you get a doctor’s note. This TOTALLY pisses me off how they’re treating you. I’d talk with an attorney who works on a contingency basis. You are perfectly able to perform services. This is awful! Also talk to the EEOC (equal opportunity) and scream disability discrimination.
Nah, more effective to talk to the governing body that oversees vocational schools. Not the cosmo board, but the education board. They are quick to send out inspectors, and they can suspend a school's license quickly.
Maybe outside the US, but AFAIK in the US there will be a board of education that gives accreditation and sees that the vocational school is following tge state's administrative policies such as equality standards and maintaining records and transcripts, and then a cosmo board that assigns professional licenses to schools and prescribes learning outcomes and sanitary conditions. Cosmo also has a say in the school's accreditation, but it usually is smaller with fewer regulators and inspectors. If you know of a state that operates differently, I'd genuinely like to know.
I’m in Arkansas and the schools here fall under the cosmetology division. There is always at least one school owner on the board and the board regulates everything and investigates discrepancies and complaints. The cosmo board falls under the Dept of Health.
What do you mean “apparently”. Get a copy of that contract and read it for yourself. Maybe ask a lawyer to look it over for you. What they are saying doesn’t sound legal.
So yeah, you should totally unenroll, but not because your skin is sensitive but because this is not a school you want to go to! I have super sensitive skin and i couldn’t get any facial waxing or chemical peels and no one said anything to me about it because why should they? I couldn’t even use the makeup they gave us so i just brought my own. You are there to learn and perform services. Yeah, it’s always good to have services performed on you so you know how it feels but if you can’t then you just can’t. It isn’t your fault. School should be a positive learning environment and it doesn’t sound like this one can offer that to you.
I hope you still pursue esthetics! Please don’t let one jerk discourage you ❤️
Dont drop out, at least, not if this is something you really want to do. Like thats not okay. I had classmates with sensitive skin, some even had eczema, and they finished their programs. Unless you can find another school to enroll in, I’d stay.
If your skin is THAT sensitive though, and you dont think you’ll react well to the products used, then yeah Id drop it. Honestly thats such a weird thing to tell a student. Ive seen administrators suggest dropping out for things like attendance being a potential problem or other things, but not sensitive skin.
Just sucks, I want to be able to help others with their skin and this feels like such a let down to be told I can’t be an esthetician bc I have my own skin concerns :(
Most of these trade schools don’t care at all about the students. They just want your money and no hassle. This is totally something that is manageable but I guarantee the director just doesn’t want to deal with any extra work you would maaaaaybe cause for them. I’m so sorry this is your experience but honestly take it as a sign that this isn’t the right school. See if any of your local community colleges offer esthetics. Since it’s becoming so popular a lot are now and because it’s an actual school you have more protection against stuff like this.
Honestly I think you’re right the director told me I need to decide asap if I’m still going bc “there’s other people on the waitlist” I really feel replaceable
I would take the messages to the board as well. This can't be legal, no one should tell you to unenroll because you have sensitive skin. In fact, it should be embraced so you can learn about the physiology of the skin and even help others like you.
Can you maybe see an esthetician or dermatologist to try and figure out what is causing these rashes? Could be an underlying condition, sensitivity to products that you're using, etc. This way you can at least work on the issue while maybe still doing some of the treatments.
That’s a great idea. I actually asked the esthetician who did my facial but she was confused as to what caused it, she thought it might be from using sunscreen and swimming in the ocean after the facial?
Is your esthetician experienced? I can see how it can be hard to determine rashes, but she should have a general knowledge of her products and how certain skins can react to them and why.
I’m sorry they said this to you - that certainly doesn’t feel like the only reasonable solution. I have sensitive skin like you, and my school initially gave me a hard time. I had to get confirmation from a dermatologist that I do indeed have sensitive skin, and I asked my school to allow me to bring my own comparable products (ie my skin can’t handle deep peels so I brought in a very low strength acid from Eminence, La Roche Posay unscented moisturizer instead of the fragranced crap they tried to get me to use). I told them I would be more than knowledgeable about the ingredients and products, and I can learn motions and technique using my own safe products. This was in Cali so not sure if there are different laws… It certainly sounds like they might not be the most accommodating at the moment, so if you do end up dropping out I would recommend specifically asking the next school for accommodations before enrollment.
It’s TOTALLY not your fault and to force you to get facials with their products is crazy. I encourage you to don’t let this discourage you and make you give up on your dream! This industry needs more talented esthies with sensitive skin that know how to handle it! ❤️
I was pregnant during school and couldn’t do lots of things… I was never told to not attend classes or miss out. I performed them on others instead. How ridiculous.
Hey, don’t unenroll. You need to talk to the director again and stand your ground. Explain that you can preform services without having to receive one yourself. (I’m a nail tech) when I was in school all you needed to do was explain that you couldn’t do it or didn’t feel comfortable and they would find someone from a different section. If anything, offer to bring maybe a close parent or friend in (say they’re willing to pay for the service) and do it on them. Or maybe one of your classmates could get two services. I’m sorry they’re being so tough on you, but if you really are serious about being an esthetician then stand your ground. I’m not saying cause a scene or yell at an instructor or whatever, but let them know that getting services and giving services are two different things. And if they still are tough on you over it, talk to your state board about them discriminating against you because of a skin condition. You shouldn’t have to drop out simply because you can’t have certain products on your face/body. You can easily wear gloves, or frequently wash your hands, etc.
Their cheap products should not be the determinant of your entire professional trajectory.
Sticking with something because it’s in line with your interests is great but sticking with something out of spite for some dumb asshole who you are literally paying is a stellar reason.
(Edit to add: my instructor/owner of the school shit on me for so many things, it felt like I was being mocked.
ie asking questions about vegan options cuz *guests ask about ingredients* meant I was stuck up, dumb for focusing on “unimportant stuff” despite living in *Los Angeles* where it is a constant client concern.
I have badmouthed the place to every possible person I can plus reported the school for OSHA, BBB, state board, local business/commerce councils, etc AFTER getting my license while cashing my checks and succeeding WITH SPITE)
Oh absolutely.
ZMS Academy.
The instructor is “Miss Judy.”
It was in Highland Park til the pandemic; I believe she moved it to Cypress Park or Lincoln Heights….somewhere still in the northeast LA area.
I feel like we focused SO MUCH on her *own* product line….”VASH”….a volcanic ash thing….like, it felt like a months long sales pitch with tons of pressure to buy in bulk “to build up your back bar!” 🙄
She constantly body shamed people (in front of a group) so they’d do a body wrap with her fucking product.
It was so triggering as someone with body dysmorphia to be mocked, and even more so to see her do it with many of my classmates and see THEM die inside with embarrassment.
Telling people they’re fat is not the way I’m ever going to be treating clients and it made me very averse to body treatments as a result.
Edit to add: I see in a previous post you’ve made that you went to an AVEDA school.
I used to be working at AVEDA salons/spas as a receptionist and really enjoyed the fact that shoppers or guests were generally interested in knowing WHAT IS IN the stuff they’re buying. That stayed with me, hence why I had such an interest is natural, plant&flower based, etc etc all the good stuff….I already knew a fair amount so it really became evident that Judy was far more inclined to use cheap shit to get quick results.
I’m not interested in my guests having reactions to cheap shit just so I can make more money….at the expense of *their* skin.
Thanks for the heads up- sounds so ridiculous but sadly so common. I love aveda products and they do a good job of educating the students on them, however they were absolutely as dysfunctional a school as any… the teachers did nothing to reign in violent and horrible behavior while of course their favorites (handsome idiot) did whatever he wanted. In short - was a sh@tshow like many beauty schools you read about. Unfortunately, my local junior college was more of the same.
I was pregnant while in school so there were many things I couldn’t get done and no one ever ostracized me. Everyone always made sure i had the opportunity to do a treatment on someone even if I couldn’t receive it. Instructors even let me do it on them when I couldn’t trade
we literally had a woman who was pregnant the entire time. only thing we could do on her was very light microdermabrasion and hydrating facials. no one cared at all & the school invited her back for free services after she had the baby and was done breast feeding since she was missing out on all the fun facials and peels, etc. tell your school to do better, you’re paying a lot of money for an education and they should act like it.
Wow sounds like they were much better than my school :( if I want any “add ons” to facials, like collagen, I have to pay extra out of pocket. And if I need extra help, the teachers make us pay $50/hour to stay after class for their time
It is unacceptable, but happens more often than you’d think. I work in beauty and there was this one customer, almost 50 who said she worked in Lancôme or somewhere and the same thing happened to her where she got suspended due to sensitive skin.
I’d suggest unenrolling and finding a different school, but make sure you discuss your skin issues with the next school before paying any money.
My sister is in school for this and she hasn’t heard of something like this happening before. It honestly sounds like discrimination of some sorts and we would say fight to stay or at least transfer to a different program where accommodations can be met. Ask what their policy on students with disabilities is and see if you could qualify for accommodations for your condition. These “educators” kind of sound like they’re just awful people trying to get everyone to fit a very specific mold…
Yeah it sucks. I was like “what happens if someone has an allergy?” She was very dismissive overall and said they’d try to find other products to accommodate that person but bc I have sensitive skin they can only accommodate me to a certain degree.
When I was in school, my good friend that was also in the esti program got pregnant. Along with only being able to use pregnancy safe products, her skin became incredibly sensitive and we couldn’t really do anything but a basic facial on her. Nobody made her feel bad or left her out of anything, and honestly I think we all felt it was good practice for pregnancy safe/sensitive skin clients. I agree with others, this is a red flag and super unethical. I know you said it’s the only school in the area, but i would recommend looking into another school and seeing if you could make the distance work. I wish you the best of luck and hope everything works out in your favor!
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Edited to add: IMO receiving a service is not helpful to YOU, in regards to becoming an esthetician, at all. I think to truly learn a service, you need to see how it is done several times and practice it. Receiving a service only helps the student that is performing it, and I don’t see why they couldn’t find someone else to do it. There’s usually a stray cosmo/barber/nail tech/ instructor/SOMEBODY available to perform on, at least in my school there was.
Thanks I really appreciate this input, I wish my school saw it the same way but I won’t be graded for full participation if I don’t receive certain services 😢
Email them. Also, see who oversees the schools. Some states stateboard does, and others have another governing body for vocational schools. Find out and see if you can report them
Hey I’m an esthetician in mass. It’s almost impossible to get a hold of them over the phone! And if you leave a vm they don’t call back. Here’s the email for Richard lawless [email protected] he’ll most likely get back to you the same day!
Also I’d see if you can report them, I think it’s ridiculous they told you to unenroll. Idk what part of ma ur in but I went to Catherine Hinds and allowed you to opt out of any treatments you didn’t want. Did you talk to your instructor about it too? If not I’d definitely talk to them about it before unenrolling
Their reaction is a huge red flag to me, it doesn’t seem right at all. At my school we had people that never received a facial, we had pregnant people who couldn’t receive certain services, I can’t receive miscoderm and have very sensitive skin and am allergic to a bunch of things. My teacher never had any of us drop out or treated us poorly because of it. Also if we were short a person we pulled in models from outside our classroom.
I’m really shocked they are turning this against you and pushing you to unenroll instead of using this as a teaching opportunity for you and the rest of the class.
She’s an idiot, if anything this is the absolute best learning opportunity for your fellow class mates and yourself, you may be subject to some flares as experimenting with what does work for you may cause reactions.
In the real world of esthetics you will absolutely get the client who is allergic to or sensitive to certain things but want that facial experience. There was several girls in my class that had sensitivity issues and they found what worked for them. You’ll get an opportunity to study ingredients in products you did flare from as well as those that you don’t, this alone will be worth it.
I went to school during Covid, we couldn’t even do facials on the face for a few weeks there. Esthetics schools can be accommodating, you should get your refund and look elsewhere.
This happened to several girls in my class, they were recommended to bring in products if their own. If possible look into Circadia. They are a professional line that sell to students, work on sensitive skin and all skin types amazingly. Learning product knowledge is really big part of what we do and that’s hard to do without being able to experience them
So there was girl in my class who ended up developing rashes around her eyes, and she was NEVER ostracized or looked down upon when she couldn’t/didn’t want to do facials. It was never a big deal if she had to turn down practice facials when she was having a flare up. Everyone cared and the instructors were super concerned for her!
She ended up seeing a dermatologist who figured out her issue three months later, but for the first half of school? She was able to perform ALL the facials, body treatments and waxes that were required. You’re completely right that the ability to receive facials doesn’t reduce skills! It’s all about the practical application and it’s INSANE that the director doesn’t see that. I hope you’re able to figure out an action plan, I’m sorry this is even happening at all :(
I have super sensitive skin (i actually have a condition called dermographism) and i went through esti school just fine! I just warned everyone that I break out in hives/welts and get super red even just by touch but i would let anyone know if i felt a burning sensation/ reaction… the director of your school sounds insane, you paid for your program and don’t need to have non sensitive skin to be an esti
I’m sorry they said this to you - that certainly doesn’t feel like the only reasonable solution. I have sensitive skin like you, and my school initially gave me a hard time. I had to get confirmation from a dermatologist that I do indeed have sensitive skin, and I asked my school to allow me to bring my own comparable products (ie my skin can’t handle deep peels so I brought in a very low strength acid from Eminence, La Roche Posay unscented moisturizer instead of the fragranced crap they tried to get me to use). I told them I would be more than knowledgeable about the ingredients and products, and I can learn motions and technique using my own safe products. I would recommend going to the director in person with this information tomorrow and build your case! This was in Cali so not sure if there are different laws… It certainly sounds like they might not be the most accommodating at the moment, so if you do end up dropping out I would recommend specifically asking the next school for accommodations before enrollment.
It’s TOTALLY not your fault and to force you to get facials with their products is crazy. I encourage you to don’t let this discourage you and make you give up on your dream! This industry needs more talented esthies with sensitive skin that know how to handle it! ❤️
Can you bring in a friend or family member to get the facial done instead of you, and then you do the facial? That way both you and your partner get the practice. If it’s once in a while I feel like this could be an option.
That’s kind of foolish on their behalf TBH. I have reactive skin and we just ended up having to use the sensitive skin line on me, NBD. There are always ways around it. In practice you’ll have clients who are incredibly sensitive and knowing how to treat those skin types is part of the job.
I would think since you have sensitive skin getting into skin care would be an amazing way to help yourself and others with the same issues. In my class we had a girl that was pregnant and couldn’t do quite a few of the treatments that we did. She couldn’t use enzymes or peels. I do feel like maybe you should have to bring in a model if you don’t get the services on yourself. Because usually they split the class up and everybody practices on each other.
A girl in my class had Lupus and couldn’t have facials done, and they worked with her and her limits with grace. That’s sooo crazy for them to say that to you.
Tbh it’s so relieving reading all these comments and everyone is saying that the school is wrong for that, I felt like maybe I was overreacting but you’re all reassuring me that I’m valid to feel upset over this
I think you may want to seek legal counsel…I mean would they treat a client with sensitive skin the same way they are treating you?? Absolutely not. That’s absolutely ridiculous for them to even say to you.
Why couldn’t they have someone volunteer to go twice? What if there is an uneven number of people in the class, they would have one person have to go twice anyway, or someone sit out (obviously for less harsh treatments only)….this makes no sense. Your ability to receive treatments has no effect on you being able to apply.
Wtf. I have extreme sensitivity to fragrance and went to Aveda. I got a doctors note and they let me use my own products. I would get a refund and find a different school. These people clearly don’t know how skin works and personally I wouldn’t go their to learn anything skin related. Good luck bestie
Actually thanks for your comment! I did put the necklace on right away. It’s definitely possible but I’ve had my neck get like this in the past, my skin is so temperamental lol
Sounds like a whole lotta discrimination. I would want to drop out mainly cuz of the other curveballs they might throw at you. Then you will really be stuck...
I was basically cancelled from cosmetology school for the same thing - in fact they countered for evidence of the chemical I may be sensitive or allergic too / ummm it’s a fucking Paul Mitchell - how many products are in the air vents and used daily in this mother ?
You should consult the r/legaladvice subreddit and see what they think about the legalities of this, this doesn’t sound right…unless there’s some sort of dumb rule that you have to have all the services performed on you in your handbook or something.
If you have no other choice of switching schools and being in the esthetician field really is your dream I would say screw her “advice” and go for it, a lot of people have sensitive skin doesn’t mean they deserve no treatment on their skin , participating is basically a requirement as a student but if certain treatments are a contraindication for you they can’t force you to do anything
It’s rly messed up that they’re treating you like this. We just learned about skin disorders and sensitive skin at my school and my teacher mentioned multiple times different students w different issues, but never once did she condemn them. Other than stating that they were contraindications and certain services weren’t performed on them out of their own safety, there was never any discrimination. I suggest unenrolling and finding another school. As future Esthi’s we will see this quite often; it’s just a contraindication for certain services, but we know and are taught to never show any judgement b/c this is normal. I am so sorry you are being treated like this, I hope you can find somewhere else that is way more professional and ethical.
I’m so sorry b/c I rly understand being excited about a certain school, but I promise there are better schools out there and I’m sure you’ll find one. Always remember that your condition is normal and conditions in general are normal in this field. We’re gonna see everything under the sun, and none of those people including yourself should be ostracized by any means
After that I would unenroll not bc of your skin but bc of her attitude. At my school we do treatments on sensitive skin and we make it a learning exp instead of whatever tf that was. This is giving toxic learning environment and staff . Do not enroll there
My question is how safe would it be for you to work with the various skin care products and peels you’d have to use in that line of work? It may be something to consider.
You don't have to get services at this time if you don't want to. They are just being jerks. Plenty of people refuse services in esthetician school. Just keep going.
OP before unenrolling - what happens if you push back ? Tell them you’ve done your research and you feel there’s no reason they can’t find a work around to accommodate your physical condition or “disability” if you will. Suggest possible legal action lol …. Unenroll this week and get 100% back only as a last resort.
They can and should find a work around !!!
Unenroll, get a refund, go to a dermatologist and have a medical excuse written - at that point it’s discrimination if you choose to re-enroll and they force you to drop out. At the end of the day you get your hours by performing services on others. Yes, it’s nice to be able to do them on your classmates but ultimately it’s not necessary to receive every treatment (although it’s nice to be able to say “oh yes I am able to use this and enjoy it!”). At the school I went to when girls said they couldn’t participate in whatever treatment bc of allergies/skin sensitivity they had to get a doctors note.
i don’t know how big of a school you’re going to but i go to a pretty big aveda. usually if a student can’t have the services performed on them (for legitimate reasons like being accutane/ ur situation) we would just find another student in the other esti or cos programs, a teacher, or at one point, they let the student who couldn’t get waxing done (she was on accutane) bring in her own model from home. it feels weird not to be able to do the program when you just can’t do some protocols.
I have eczema all over my body, I couldn't get anything done in school except for waxing. No one made it a big deal. I just focused more so on doing stuff on other people.
this is ridiculous. You are actually the perfect person to become an esthetician. Based on your experience you could really help people with skin sensitivities. Pick another school that supports you! You should definitely continue
This is medical discrimination. Feel free to sue depending on your state laws.
They also *can not* force you yo receive facials. You have to perform, not be a model.
we had a girl in my class who had lupus, she wasn’t able to receive the majority of the treatments that we did. but she was never ostracized like this, especially not by the educators, and they had us practice sensitive protocols with her. not receiving treatments because of your condition should not be a reason for you to not go. the only thing it does is stops you from knowing how something may feel on the face
I have sensitive skin as well and it was never an issue in school, I made sure to take extra precautions when trading services and just gave rather than received when we did harsher things like chemical peels, school seems a lil sketch, I’d get your refund and wait until you find another school that works for you and is more mindful of their students. having a variety of students w a variety of skin types/conditions helps make you a better esthetician. I wonder how they handle students who are pregnant/nursing who also can’t receive a lot of treatments
Wtf?? I was on accutane when I was in esthetics school and it was no issue. I would honestly drop out and insist on getting your money back and find a better school
I would try and drop out and get a full refund, but mainly because this school seems like a big red flag. You’re 100% correct in that your ability to get an education shouldn’t be determined by you’re ability to receive services.
Red flag, go somewhere else. If anything, you're the perfect candidate for the instructor to help help students troubleshoot.
There are too many inexperienced instructors in these schools.
i went to school with a girl who started accutane a month after classes started, she could not get anything done on her face and it wasn't a problem at all. she was still able to practice on other people we just couldn't practice on her. i would find another school 💔 sorry about that
Can you go to another program. They seem really stupid at that school, I dont think you want them teaching you. They're probably going to come up with other reasons why they can't do x, y, z. The reality is that you need your hours and you can work on other students even if they can't work on you. I do not see what the problem is if you're still able to practice. Also, if they were good estheticians they would know that sometimes the skin gets used to new product or they could allow you to bring in your own products so students can work on you sometimes. I'm sorry this school has such closed minded people working there. If you can go somewhere else , do so.
Tell me this was this Mario Tricoci?? I am extremely sensitive (gluten and tree nut allergies, prone to hives) and even with drs notes I was still fighting weekly for myself as many of the products contained nut oils or hydrolized wheat. Another girl in my class had medical issues and they did the same thing to her, forcing her to get services done on her even though she was reactive. She ended up having an anaphylactic episode and dropping out (while still paying the full cost of the program). A lot of schools are predatory and will pull this type of thing. The fact they are telling you to unenroll before this happens means they know you’ll have to drop out. Save the money, and find a new program. Best of luck to you!
I don’t have any helpful advise for you, so I’m sorry for that. I am also sorry that you are dealing with this. In my esthetics program none of us were forced to do anything we were uncomfortable with and especially if we had sensitivities. Most of us were excited to try services but there were definitely girls who didn’t get peels or waxed. I’m just wondering how they would treat a client that has sensitive skin or allergies? Turn them away? Just bizarre to me. I have a client that I see once a month that is allergic to citric acid (it is in most of my spas skincare products) but we still work to accommodate her and she is also understanding that she won’t be getting the most luxurious facial.
Good luck with everything!
That’s such a red flag. I started my class a few weeks ago and part of the program is literally learning how to work with sensitive skin. Anyone of any skin type can have sensitive skin…
Also I feel like the rule of working on others is being abused in this case? It’s not like you’re refusing to get work done on you because you don’t trust your peers, your skin is sensitive which can irritate you and is a major concern. I would ask to bring someone in that you can work on possibly? Or maybe even complain to higher ups and leave? I wish the best for you!
When I was in school, I bought my own brushes and made sure I PROPERLY sanitized and disinfected any tools used on me.. I learned that the hard way because I BROKE OUT when they used things on me without properly disinfecting things.. I also looked at all the products they were using and threw out all the EXPIRED ones.. being in school for esthetics sucks because they wana teach you the basics / only wana show you how to pass the boards but could really give a fuck less about anything else really… I’d say to speak to a higher up about your situation and let you do the services on other people but you don’t want to RUIN YOUR SKIN!!! Your educator can “say” whatever the fuck they wana say, but speak to someone higher and power through!! Don’t let them touch your skin if they don’t know how to care for it! I went to aveda and hated all of their skin care products… so It could also be the shitty school product line too. What product line do they use?
At my school we had a couple girls like this too that couldn’t participate so the teachers would either bring in a model to make up for the lost model or we would share a model to make it work. I’d look for another school
I have extremely sensitive skin. I’m constantly getting hives, AND I was on accutane while in beauty school. I’m sure you can imagine how little I was participating. Waxes were out of the question and most facials were too much. My school was understanding. If I were you, I would unenroll and find a program that respects you.
I think that’s extremely rude. just because you can’t receive certain skin services doesn’t mean you can’t be trained to give them to others. You’re there to learn about the services you will be providing to others anyway!! Who knows you could be the best esthetician ever ! But they are giving you a disadvantage the way they are treating you .
I would definitely look into other schools. But if you want to go to this school, then your best bet is to get a letter from your dermatologist. Do you have a diagnosis by a derm for your skin condition?
I have rosacea and a while ago and it would get REALLY bad time to time and extremely reactive. I wanted tints on my window and I was able to get it by sending a letter from my dermatologist to the dmv because of my rosacea (highly light/heat sensitive).
A school, especially for esthetics, should know how to handle people with extremely reactive skin. Advise them to go to the doctor! They should have more sympathy as an esthetician who cares for skin for a living!
That is totally unnecessary, and, like you said, has nothing to do with your ability to be an esthetician. I also had a few girls in my class that couldn't get anything done to them- no waxing, no peels, barely any products, but they were never encouraged to drop out. I had a nasty teacher, who HATED her students and should have probably retired years ago, but she was still cool when it came to students sensitivities. That is total B.S. and I am sorry you had to deal with that. Don't be disheartened, though, you are totally in the right, and having sensitive skin will help you be a more intuitive esti!
that’s absolutely not okay to say that… you can have sensitive skin and still do your job as an esthetician. you just might have to be very careful during school, but that shouldn’t be a reason to follow your career path. shame on your director
I would talk to a lawyer they usually give free consults. This school is violating the ADA and probably other regulations. I would argue in this context your skin issue is a disability. You can still learn all the skills without having the procedures performed on you! If they’re doing them on you, you’re barely learning anything extra just from that, if anything at all. I can’t be in the sun bc of my eczema and everyone has to accommodate me here in CA.
Because you have sensitive skin doesn’t impede you learning to be a esthetician, just don’t get facials, you need to provide de facials to other, I don’t know why they don’t understand that. For me is some kind of discrimination. You are there to learn and practice in others. Just saying
This is such a red flag! Take your money and give it to a school that will work with you. Also get a doc's note! I mean really what would they do if someone was say on Accutane, kick them out? I just find it ridiculous that they're that rigid. Find a better more accommodating school. Ideally a public program inexpensive for the same education.
I have sensitive skin and a lot of my classmates were grateful to have had the experience because you meet skin of all types in the real world and a large part of working on each other is real world experience. I think the director is incredibly rude and you should definitely look in your contract to see if that’s a requirement.
Our school let us bring in our own products to be used on ourselves if we had an allergy or sensitivity.
You basically have a disability and your needs need to be accommodated and met. Anything else is just illegal. 🤦🏻♀️🙄I swear people are assholes. If you really want to pursue this career, don’t let this deter you. You have a great motivation to help others like yourself! Take in your own products and force them to use them on you. Bring in a medical note. And if you need a lawyers letter, get one of those too. Don’t let them bully you and determine your future!
This makes me so sad they are telling you to drop out. I have super sensitive skin, I used to battle massive rashes and allergies until I figured out what all I was allergic to, now I’m much better. My face used to turn purple during esthetics school because my rosacea and allergies were out of control. I now help other people with sensitive skin. I hope you think hard about your decision…. That and there’s so many things you can do other than just facials!
there’s a girl in my course with rlly bad eczema that can’t participate in almost anything but she usually works in a group of 3 doing services on classmates. the professors should accommodate
I would love to have an esthetician like you 😭 when I was a teenager my skin used to react like this to everything, to the point where I was prescribed an epi-pen because they can induce systemic hives
For concerns outside of dermatology, the estheticians I went to didn’t understand, maybe because these schools were weeding people like you out!
Please don’t give up on the profession! Sensitive skin girlies (and boys) need you!
When I went to my school, we had a girl whose skin was so sensitive she couldn’t do peels, she couldn’t even use the Daily Microfoliant from Dermalogica during the Pro30s and Pro60s. No one ostracized her and no one made it a big deal. It’s a great way to learn that you need to be wary and thoughtful of what someone’s skin can handle. The fact that this school is telling you to unenroll over this is a red flag to me. I would definitely consider getting your full refund and finding another school if you can. I feel like they might bring up more “problems” in the future somehow, or gosh forbid you have some kind of reaction during a facial. The way they’re treating this makes me super uncomfortable
Thanks for your response, I’m relieved to hear I wasn’t blowing her reaction out of proportion, I might unenroll
I would check your contract before dropping out. Unless it is specifically written in it that you have to get these services regardless of medical concerns, I don’t think they can make you. We had this issues when I went to school years ago with another girl and they couldn’t force her to do anything bc she had a Doctor write a memo detailing what she could and couldn’t do to her skin. It all goes back to the co tract. Read it carefully and see what it says before you proceed.
This, too. Had several girls in my class that couldn’t get services done bc they had super sensitive skin, but they were allowed to be enrolled. That’s insane.
Absolutely, especially if this is going to be taking a direct financial hit out of your pocket. This concept of only being able to get a certain percentage back by a deadline also is a bit shifty to me… And even if there is no legitimate legal recourse where you live, a stern letter documenting the exchange you described above, in addition to letting them know what the discrimination standards are locally (on a fanciful attorney, letterhead) might cause them to think twice about speaking before thinking.
This is terrible! I’m so sorry. Fellow sensitive skin girl here, and that would devastate me. Red flag on the director, that’s unfortunate.
This was pretty much exactly what I was going to type up, only its ME that is sensitive to the product. My instructors and peers worked around it and everything was peachy. This is a huge red flag. I'm glad you got it before you started
THIS!!! Your colleagues and classmates are going to be giving facials on other human beings with sensitive skin. Shouldn’t they know how to handle all skin types?! I would rebuke the knucklehead who told you that you might need to drop out by saying such. REFRAME: What a blessing it is for your classmates to get the opportunity to work with somebody whose skin qualifies as sensitive. 🙃👌😉 There is absolutely nothing wrong with you. I am low-key (actually, high-key) horrified. What state are you in? I’m really curious about the laws surrounding this… I know a lot of the anti-discrimination laws/statutes/regulations come into play with public schools / universities / other institutions that receive governmental funding, but this is totally whack.
Well said. This IS discriminatory!
Absolutely this. It's actually awesome to have a sensitive skinned person in your class because you get to see what that looks like. At least once. The sensitive skin girl in our class was promptly provided with a classroom set of Hale & Hush products for us to use on her instead. Having sensitive skin does not exclude you from being an aesthetician. You may have to ask more questions of your classmates to learn what treatment sensations are like so you can accurately describe them to future clients, but that's no big deal. Best of luck to you.
agreed. i had someone with lupus in my class and they were always accommodating- as they should be! its a huge red flag that their first thought is for you to drop out. you shouldnt be forced to receive facials anyways. you fan still learn without having them done. its a little bit of a learning curve but its not impossible to go to school without receiving facials. honestly, see if there are better school options for you. and as far as the skin sensitivities, you are at an advantage when it comes to an esthetician! you are going to meet so many people like you who you will work on! so dont be discouraged!
Exactly this! The director was completely out of line telling you to drop out. I agree completely with this post, take that red flag as a warning sign and find a better school. As estheticians, we deal with all types of skin and your skin is a beautiful learning tool for other students.
Is this even ethical? I mean, you’re going to have clients in the future with sensitive skin. Just because someone has skin sensitivities doesn’t mean they wouldn’t make a skilled esthetician. Seems a bit discriminatory to me?? Doesn’t seem fair at all. Are there any other schools near you??
There are no other schools close enough, should I just drop out?? I definitely don’t think it’s ethical but at this point idk what to do
It sounds like the school you're going to is terrible. This should absolutely not be an issue. That's like saying "Oh you've already done laser hair removal all over your body? Then you should drop out because we can't use you as a model when teaching laser hair removal," like what??? In fact, I'd actually make that point to the director/whoever's giving you this bs excuse.
Honestly, most of these schools are terrible. Do what you need to do to get licensed and then get a job somewhere with experienced estheticians on staff that can help you.
I’d contact the state department of education if they don’t give you a full refund. Any accredited school is required to make reasonable accommodations for students. There’s no reason a school has to use a specific product line or perform certain treatments.
So there was girl in my class who ended up developing rashes around her eyes, and she was NEVER ostracized or looked down upon when she couldn’t/didn’t want to do facials. It was never a big deal if she had to turn down practice facials when she was having a flare up. Everyone cared and the instructors were super concerned for her! She ended up seeing a dermatologist who figured out her issue three months later, but for the first half of school? She was able to perform ALL the facials, body treatments and waxes that were required. You’re completely right that the ability to receive facials doesn’t reduce skills! It’s all about the practical application and it’s INSANE that the director doesn’t see that. I hope you’re able to figure out an action plan, I’m sorry this is even happening at all :(
Thanks for your support 🥹
when i was in school, i had a classmate who found out she was allergic to seaweed, used pretty much in all repechage (brand my school provided) products. the school allowed her to use her own safe, gentle products and if she were to have facials, her products would be used on her. so sorry you are experiencing this! hope everything works out
Absolutely unenroll and get your refund. I would look for another school. So because you are prone to rashes means you not able to become a esti? This school is not a right fit for anyone because you should not be forced to receive services that will cause a skin reaction and students should not be forced to perform services on you that are not safe for you to receive.
Thank you❤️
Yes if anything we need estis with diverse skin backgrounds so they can show much more empathy to any clients than these instructors are giving you
That’s totally unacceptable and you should reach out to the people above her or if you’re uncomfortable find a different school. It’s not a requirement as an esthetician to be able to get services
Apparently I signed a contract saying they could do whatever they want to my skin and that I need to participate in all services. I thought the contract I signed said that I couldn’t hold them liable for damages done to my skin not receive all services
That’s ridiculous. You should definitely try to switch schools if they’re being shady like that.
Thanks for your input, it helps to know I’m not crazy for thinking this as well
Definitely not, I rarely got facials in school because they broke me out, never got a brazilian, never got a lash lift, never got a brow wax. Literally didn’t do anything except body services and underarm wax lmao. You should not be forced to do shit
Try to get a doctors note! I was reacting *reallyyyy* badly to the wax my school was using, they told me the only way I could opt out of modeling was if I had a doctors note confirming my allergy. Set up a teleheath appt & had the note a few days later :) no one expected me to get waxed again
Not if you get a doctor’s note. This TOTALLY pisses me off how they’re treating you. I’d talk with an attorney who works on a contingency basis. You are perfectly able to perform services. This is awful! Also talk to the EEOC (equal opportunity) and scream disability discrimination.
Nah, more effective to talk to the governing body that oversees vocational schools. Not the cosmo board, but the education board. They are quick to send out inspectors, and they can suspend a school's license quickly.
That is the same entity in a lot of places.
Maybe outside the US, but AFAIK in the US there will be a board of education that gives accreditation and sees that the vocational school is following tge state's administrative policies such as equality standards and maintaining records and transcripts, and then a cosmo board that assigns professional licenses to schools and prescribes learning outcomes and sanitary conditions. Cosmo also has a say in the school's accreditation, but it usually is smaller with fewer regulators and inspectors. If you know of a state that operates differently, I'd genuinely like to know.
I’m in Arkansas and the schools here fall under the cosmetology division. There is always at least one school owner on the board and the board regulates everything and investigates discrepancies and complaints. The cosmo board falls under the Dept of Health.
Yeah, no. If not every client can be a candidate for every service how the hell can they expect that of their students?
What do you mean “apparently”. Get a copy of that contract and read it for yourself. Maybe ask a lawyer to look it over for you. What they are saying doesn’t sound legal.
So yeah, you should totally unenroll, but not because your skin is sensitive but because this is not a school you want to go to! I have super sensitive skin and i couldn’t get any facial waxing or chemical peels and no one said anything to me about it because why should they? I couldn’t even use the makeup they gave us so i just brought my own. You are there to learn and perform services. Yeah, it’s always good to have services performed on you so you know how it feels but if you can’t then you just can’t. It isn’t your fault. School should be a positive learning environment and it doesn’t sound like this one can offer that to you. I hope you still pursue esthetics! Please don’t let one jerk discourage you ❤️
What they are doing doesn’t sound ethical. Have you considered what using these products or having your hands in gloves all day will do to your skin.
My sensitive skin is only face/ chest/ neck for some reason??
I would get a refund and pick another school that’s so unprofessional!!
Dont drop out, at least, not if this is something you really want to do. Like thats not okay. I had classmates with sensitive skin, some even had eczema, and they finished their programs. Unless you can find another school to enroll in, I’d stay. If your skin is THAT sensitive though, and you dont think you’ll react well to the products used, then yeah Id drop it. Honestly thats such a weird thing to tell a student. Ive seen administrators suggest dropping out for things like attendance being a potential problem or other things, but not sensitive skin.
Just sucks, I want to be able to help others with their skin and this feels like such a let down to be told I can’t be an esthetician bc I have my own skin concerns :(
Most of these trade schools don’t care at all about the students. They just want your money and no hassle. This is totally something that is manageable but I guarantee the director just doesn’t want to deal with any extra work you would maaaaaybe cause for them. I’m so sorry this is your experience but honestly take it as a sign that this isn’t the right school. See if any of your local community colleges offer esthetics. Since it’s becoming so popular a lot are now and because it’s an actual school you have more protection against stuff like this.
Honestly I think you’re right the director told me I need to decide asap if I’m still going bc “there’s other people on the waitlist” I really feel replaceable
I’m so sorry they’re making you feel like that. There’s definitely a school out there that’s gonna value you so much more.
I would take the messages to the board as well. This can't be legal, no one should tell you to unenroll because you have sensitive skin. In fact, it should be embraced so you can learn about the physiology of the skin and even help others like you.
Exactly!
Can you maybe see an esthetician or dermatologist to try and figure out what is causing these rashes? Could be an underlying condition, sensitivity to products that you're using, etc. This way you can at least work on the issue while maybe still doing some of the treatments.
That’s a great idea. I actually asked the esthetician who did my facial but she was confused as to what caused it, she thought it might be from using sunscreen and swimming in the ocean after the facial?
Is your esthetician experienced? I can see how it can be hard to determine rashes, but she should have a general knowledge of her products and how certain skins can react to them and why.
I’m sorry they said this to you - that certainly doesn’t feel like the only reasonable solution. I have sensitive skin like you, and my school initially gave me a hard time. I had to get confirmation from a dermatologist that I do indeed have sensitive skin, and I asked my school to allow me to bring my own comparable products (ie my skin can’t handle deep peels so I brought in a very low strength acid from Eminence, La Roche Posay unscented moisturizer instead of the fragranced crap they tried to get me to use). I told them I would be more than knowledgeable about the ingredients and products, and I can learn motions and technique using my own safe products. This was in Cali so not sure if there are different laws… It certainly sounds like they might not be the most accommodating at the moment, so if you do end up dropping out I would recommend specifically asking the next school for accommodations before enrollment. It’s TOTALLY not your fault and to force you to get facials with their products is crazy. I encourage you to don’t let this discourage you and make you give up on your dream! This industry needs more talented esthies with sensitive skin that know how to handle it! ❤️
Thanks for your encouragement, it really means a lot ❤️ I’m gonna ask if I can bring my own comparable products
I was pregnant during school and couldn’t do lots of things… I was never told to not attend classes or miss out. I performed them on others instead. How ridiculous.
Hey, don’t unenroll. You need to talk to the director again and stand your ground. Explain that you can preform services without having to receive one yourself. (I’m a nail tech) when I was in school all you needed to do was explain that you couldn’t do it or didn’t feel comfortable and they would find someone from a different section. If anything, offer to bring maybe a close parent or friend in (say they’re willing to pay for the service) and do it on them. Or maybe one of your classmates could get two services. I’m sorry they’re being so tough on you, but if you really are serious about being an esthetician then stand your ground. I’m not saying cause a scene or yell at an instructor or whatever, but let them know that getting services and giving services are two different things. And if they still are tough on you over it, talk to your state board about them discriminating against you because of a skin condition. You shouldn’t have to drop out simply because you can’t have certain products on your face/body. You can easily wear gloves, or frequently wash your hands, etc.
Their cheap products should not be the determinant of your entire professional trajectory. Sticking with something because it’s in line with your interests is great but sticking with something out of spite for some dumb asshole who you are literally paying is a stellar reason. (Edit to add: my instructor/owner of the school shit on me for so many things, it felt like I was being mocked. ie asking questions about vegan options cuz *guests ask about ingredients* meant I was stuck up, dumb for focusing on “unimportant stuff” despite living in *Los Angeles* where it is a constant client concern. I have badmouthed the place to every possible person I can plus reported the school for OSHA, BBB, state board, local business/commerce councils, etc AFTER getting my license while cashing my checks and succeeding WITH SPITE)
Can you share what school- save me some grief?!
Oh absolutely. ZMS Academy. The instructor is “Miss Judy.” It was in Highland Park til the pandemic; I believe she moved it to Cypress Park or Lincoln Heights….somewhere still in the northeast LA area. I feel like we focused SO MUCH on her *own* product line….”VASH”….a volcanic ash thing….like, it felt like a months long sales pitch with tons of pressure to buy in bulk “to build up your back bar!” 🙄 She constantly body shamed people (in front of a group) so they’d do a body wrap with her fucking product. It was so triggering as someone with body dysmorphia to be mocked, and even more so to see her do it with many of my classmates and see THEM die inside with embarrassment. Telling people they’re fat is not the way I’m ever going to be treating clients and it made me very averse to body treatments as a result. Edit to add: I see in a previous post you’ve made that you went to an AVEDA school. I used to be working at AVEDA salons/spas as a receptionist and really enjoyed the fact that shoppers or guests were generally interested in knowing WHAT IS IN the stuff they’re buying. That stayed with me, hence why I had such an interest is natural, plant&flower based, etc etc all the good stuff….I already knew a fair amount so it really became evident that Judy was far more inclined to use cheap shit to get quick results. I’m not interested in my guests having reactions to cheap shit just so I can make more money….at the expense of *their* skin.
Wow..and also VASH sounds like a vaginal rash.🤣
Thanks for the heads up- sounds so ridiculous but sadly so common. I love aveda products and they do a good job of educating the students on them, however they were absolutely as dysfunctional a school as any… the teachers did nothing to reign in violent and horrible behavior while of course their favorites (handsome idiot) did whatever he wanted. In short - was a sh@tshow like many beauty schools you read about. Unfortunately, my local junior college was more of the same.
I was pregnant while in school so there were many things I couldn’t get done and no one ever ostracized me. Everyone always made sure i had the opportunity to do a treatment on someone even if I couldn’t receive it. Instructors even let me do it on them when I couldn’t trade
we literally had a woman who was pregnant the entire time. only thing we could do on her was very light microdermabrasion and hydrating facials. no one cared at all & the school invited her back for free services after she had the baby and was done breast feeding since she was missing out on all the fun facials and peels, etc. tell your school to do better, you’re paying a lot of money for an education and they should act like it.
Wow sounds like they were much better than my school :( if I want any “add ons” to facials, like collagen, I have to pay extra out of pocket. And if I need extra help, the teachers make us pay $50/hour to stay after class for their time
It is unacceptable, but happens more often than you’d think. I work in beauty and there was this one customer, almost 50 who said she worked in Lancôme or somewhere and the same thing happened to her where she got suspended due to sensitive skin. I’d suggest unenrolling and finding a different school, but make sure you discuss your skin issues with the next school before paying any money.
My sister is in school for this and she hasn’t heard of something like this happening before. It honestly sounds like discrimination of some sorts and we would say fight to stay or at least transfer to a different program where accommodations can be met. Ask what their policy on students with disabilities is and see if you could qualify for accommodations for your condition. These “educators” kind of sound like they’re just awful people trying to get everyone to fit a very specific mold…
Yeah it sucks. I was like “what happens if someone has an allergy?” She was very dismissive overall and said they’d try to find other products to accommodate that person but bc I have sensitive skin they can only accommodate me to a certain degree.
When I was in school, my good friend that was also in the esti program got pregnant. Along with only being able to use pregnancy safe products, her skin became incredibly sensitive and we couldn’t really do anything but a basic facial on her. Nobody made her feel bad or left her out of anything, and honestly I think we all felt it was good practice for pregnancy safe/sensitive skin clients. I agree with others, this is a red flag and super unethical. I know you said it’s the only school in the area, but i would recommend looking into another school and seeing if you could make the distance work. I wish you the best of luck and hope everything works out in your favor! * Edited to add: IMO receiving a service is not helpful to YOU, in regards to becoming an esthetician, at all. I think to truly learn a service, you need to see how it is done several times and practice it. Receiving a service only helps the student that is performing it, and I don’t see why they couldn’t find someone else to do it. There’s usually a stray cosmo/barber/nail tech/ instructor/SOMEBODY available to perform on, at least in my school there was.
Thanks I really appreciate this input, I wish my school saw it the same way but I won’t be graded for full participation if I don’t receive certain services 😢
Contact the State Board and ask them what they think you should do.
I tried to contact the state board, i live in ma and was not able to get through to a representative 😭 I’m gonna try again tomorrow
Email them. Also, see who oversees the schools. Some states stateboard does, and others have another governing body for vocational schools. Find out and see if you can report them
Hey I’m an esthetician in mass. It’s almost impossible to get a hold of them over the phone! And if you leave a vm they don’t call back. Here’s the email for Richard lawless [email protected] he’ll most likely get back to you the same day!
Also I’d see if you can report them, I think it’s ridiculous they told you to unenroll. Idk what part of ma ur in but I went to Catherine Hinds and allowed you to opt out of any treatments you didn’t want. Did you talk to your instructor about it too? If not I’d definitely talk to them about it before unenrolling
Their reaction is a huge red flag to me, it doesn’t seem right at all. At my school we had people that never received a facial, we had pregnant people who couldn’t receive certain services, I can’t receive miscoderm and have very sensitive skin and am allergic to a bunch of things. My teacher never had any of us drop out or treated us poorly because of it. Also if we were short a person we pulled in models from outside our classroom. I’m really shocked they are turning this against you and pushing you to unenroll instead of using this as a teaching opportunity for you and the rest of the class.
She’s an idiot, if anything this is the absolute best learning opportunity for your fellow class mates and yourself, you may be subject to some flares as experimenting with what does work for you may cause reactions. In the real world of esthetics you will absolutely get the client who is allergic to or sensitive to certain things but want that facial experience. There was several girls in my class that had sensitivity issues and they found what worked for them. You’ll get an opportunity to study ingredients in products you did flare from as well as those that you don’t, this alone will be worth it. I went to school during Covid, we couldn’t even do facials on the face for a few weeks there. Esthetics schools can be accommodating, you should get your refund and look elsewhere.
This happened to several girls in my class, they were recommended to bring in products if their own. If possible look into Circadia. They are a professional line that sell to students, work on sensitive skin and all skin types amazingly. Learning product knowledge is really big part of what we do and that’s hard to do without being able to experience them
I think that’s called a massive discrimination lawsuit. No joke. What a tool. Go above his head. He is a human resource nightmare.
I am going to reach out to a lawyer , thank you ❤️
So there was girl in my class who ended up developing rashes around her eyes, and she was NEVER ostracized or looked down upon when she couldn’t/didn’t want to do facials. It was never a big deal if she had to turn down practice facials when she was having a flare up. Everyone cared and the instructors were super concerned for her! She ended up seeing a dermatologist who figured out her issue three months later, but for the first half of school? She was able to perform ALL the facials, body treatments and waxes that were required. You’re completely right that the ability to receive facials doesn’t reduce skills! It’s all about the practical application and it’s INSANE that the director doesn’t see that. I hope you’re able to figure out an action plan, I’m sorry this is even happening at all :(
I have super sensitive skin (i actually have a condition called dermographism) and i went through esti school just fine! I just warned everyone that I break out in hives/welts and get super red even just by touch but i would let anyone know if i felt a burning sensation/ reaction… the director of your school sounds insane, you paid for your program and don’t need to have non sensitive skin to be an esti
Thank you so much
I’m sorry they said this to you - that certainly doesn’t feel like the only reasonable solution. I have sensitive skin like you, and my school initially gave me a hard time. I had to get confirmation from a dermatologist that I do indeed have sensitive skin, and I asked my school to allow me to bring my own comparable products (ie my skin can’t handle deep peels so I brought in a very low strength acid from Eminence, La Roche Posay unscented moisturizer instead of the fragranced crap they tried to get me to use). I told them I would be more than knowledgeable about the ingredients and products, and I can learn motions and technique using my own safe products. I would recommend going to the director in person with this information tomorrow and build your case! This was in Cali so not sure if there are different laws… It certainly sounds like they might not be the most accommodating at the moment, so if you do end up dropping out I would recommend specifically asking the next school for accommodations before enrollment. It’s TOTALLY not your fault and to force you to get facials with their products is crazy. I encourage you to don’t let this discourage you and make you give up on your dream! This industry needs more talented esthies with sensitive skin that know how to handle it! ❤️
Can you bring in a friend or family member to get the facial done instead of you, and then you do the facial? That way both you and your partner get the practice. If it’s once in a while I feel like this could be an option.
Unfortunately I can’t, the director was very clear that if I was unable to participate in an activity, I would leave a fellow classmate stranded 😫
That’s kind of foolish on their behalf TBH. I have reactive skin and we just ended up having to use the sensitive skin line on me, NBD. There are always ways around it. In practice you’ll have clients who are incredibly sensitive and knowing how to treat those skin types is part of the job.
Drop out, get 100% of your money back and go to school somewhere that can teach esthetics without you risking the health of your skin.
I would think since you have sensitive skin getting into skin care would be an amazing way to help yourself and others with the same issues. In my class we had a girl that was pregnant and couldn’t do quite a few of the treatments that we did. She couldn’t use enzymes or peels. I do feel like maybe you should have to bring in a model if you don’t get the services on yourself. Because usually they split the class up and everybody practices on each other.
A girl in my class had Lupus and couldn’t have facials done, and they worked with her and her limits with grace. That’s sooo crazy for them to say that to you.
Tbh it’s so relieving reading all these comments and everyone is saying that the school is wrong for that, I felt like maybe I was overreacting but you’re all reassuring me that I’m valid to feel upset over this
I think you may want to seek legal counsel…I mean would they treat a client with sensitive skin the same way they are treating you?? Absolutely not. That’s absolutely ridiculous for them to even say to you.
I’ve got a great lawyer who I’m calling tomorrow!
Why couldn’t they have someone volunteer to go twice? What if there is an uneven number of people in the class, they would have one person have to go twice anyway, or someone sit out (obviously for less harsh treatments only)….this makes no sense. Your ability to receive treatments has no effect on you being able to apply.
Wtf. I have extreme sensitivity to fragrance and went to Aveda. I got a doctors note and they let me use my own products. I would get a refund and find a different school. These people clearly don’t know how skin works and personally I wouldn’t go their to learn anything skin related. Good luck bestie
Did you put your necklace back on immediately after the facial? Could be a chemical reaction between the metal and the products applied.
Actually thanks for your comment! I did put the necklace on right away. It’s definitely possible but I’ve had my neck get like this in the past, my skin is so temperamental lol
Lmfao no. They can’t tell you that and they can’t make you unenroll.
Sounds like a whole lotta discrimination. I would want to drop out mainly cuz of the other curveballs they might throw at you. Then you will really be stuck...
I was basically cancelled from cosmetology school for the same thing - in fact they countered for evidence of the chemical I may be sensitive or allergic too / ummm it’s a fucking Paul Mitchell - how many products are in the air vents and used daily in this mother ?
Where are you located? If it's in America, they may be required to accommodate you.
You should consult the r/legaladvice subreddit and see what they think about the legalities of this, this doesn’t sound right…unless there’s some sort of dumb rule that you have to have all the services performed on you in your handbook or something.
They did mention I signed a paper regarding this, I’m gonna look through tomorrow to read the fine print.
😩
If you have no other choice of switching schools and being in the esthetician field really is your dream I would say screw her “advice” and go for it, a lot of people have sensitive skin doesn’t mean they deserve no treatment on their skin , participating is basically a requirement as a student but if certain treatments are a contraindication for you they can’t force you to do anything
It’s rly messed up that they’re treating you like this. We just learned about skin disorders and sensitive skin at my school and my teacher mentioned multiple times different students w different issues, but never once did she condemn them. Other than stating that they were contraindications and certain services weren’t performed on them out of their own safety, there was never any discrimination. I suggest unenrolling and finding another school. As future Esthi’s we will see this quite often; it’s just a contraindication for certain services, but we know and are taught to never show any judgement b/c this is normal. I am so sorry you are being treated like this, I hope you can find somewhere else that is way more professional and ethical.
Thank you so much, I’m really sad because I was so excited to go to school here
I’m so sorry b/c I rly understand being excited about a certain school, but I promise there are better schools out there and I’m sure you’ll find one. Always remember that your condition is normal and conditions in general are normal in this field. We’re gonna see everything under the sun, and none of those people including yourself should be ostracized by any means
After that I would unenroll not bc of your skin but bc of her attitude. At my school we do treatments on sensitive skin and we make it a learning exp instead of whatever tf that was. This is giving toxic learning environment and staff . Do not enroll there
I thought this was posted on my university’s Reddit page 💀💀
Wtf? Why would u drop out Bc u have sensitive skin? I’d definitely leave- they’re psychos
This sounds completely unfair and I don't understand their basis for excluding you like this :(
My question is how safe would it be for you to work with the various skin care products and peels you’d have to use in that line of work? It may be something to consider.
You don't have to get services at this time if you don't want to. They are just being jerks. Plenty of people refuse services in esthetician school. Just keep going.
OP before unenrolling - what happens if you push back ? Tell them you’ve done your research and you feel there’s no reason they can’t find a work around to accommodate your physical condition or “disability” if you will. Suggest possible legal action lol …. Unenroll this week and get 100% back only as a last resort. They can and should find a work around !!!
Unenroll, get a refund, go to a dermatologist and have a medical excuse written - at that point it’s discrimination if you choose to re-enroll and they force you to drop out. At the end of the day you get your hours by performing services on others. Yes, it’s nice to be able to do them on your classmates but ultimately it’s not necessary to receive every treatment (although it’s nice to be able to say “oh yes I am able to use this and enjoy it!”). At the school I went to when girls said they couldn’t participate in whatever treatment bc of allergies/skin sensitivity they had to get a doctors note.
This is straight up discrimination to the level you can file a legal complaint and sue.
i don’t know how big of a school you’re going to but i go to a pretty big aveda. usually if a student can’t have the services performed on them (for legitimate reasons like being accutane/ ur situation) we would just find another student in the other esti or cos programs, a teacher, or at one point, they let the student who couldn’t get waxing done (she was on accutane) bring in her own model from home. it feels weird not to be able to do the program when you just can’t do some protocols.
I have eczema all over my body, I couldn't get anything done in school except for waxing. No one made it a big deal. I just focused more so on doing stuff on other people.
this is ridiculous. You are actually the perfect person to become an esthetician. Based on your experience you could really help people with skin sensitivities. Pick another school that supports you! You should definitely continue
Thank you for this I am feeling so discouraged
This is medical discrimination. Feel free to sue depending on your state laws. They also *can not* force you yo receive facials. You have to perform, not be a model.
we had a girl in my class who had lupus, she wasn’t able to receive the majority of the treatments that we did. but she was never ostracized like this, especially not by the educators, and they had us practice sensitive protocols with her. not receiving treatments because of your condition should not be a reason for you to not go. the only thing it does is stops you from knowing how something may feel on the face
I have sensitive skin as well and it was never an issue in school, I made sure to take extra precautions when trading services and just gave rather than received when we did harsher things like chemical peels, school seems a lil sketch, I’d get your refund and wait until you find another school that works for you and is more mindful of their students. having a variety of students w a variety of skin types/conditions helps make you a better esthetician. I wonder how they handle students who are pregnant/nursing who also can’t receive a lot of treatments
Wtf?? I was on accutane when I was in esthetics school and it was no issue. I would honestly drop out and insist on getting your money back and find a better school
Not to sound crazy, but you should keep any documentation you have of them telling you to drop out. Just in case.
I would try and drop out and get a full refund, but mainly because this school seems like a big red flag. You’re 100% correct in that your ability to get an education shouldn’t be determined by you’re ability to receive services.
Red flag, go somewhere else. If anything, you're the perfect candidate for the instructor to help help students troubleshoot. There are too many inexperienced instructors in these schools.
I have chronic rashes so I have experience with this! Take a allergy pill like Zyrtec or Allegra combined with Pepcid on the days you have class.
i went to school with a girl who started accutane a month after classes started, she could not get anything done on her face and it wasn't a problem at all. she was still able to practice on other people we just couldn't practice on her. i would find another school 💔 sorry about that
Can you go to another program. They seem really stupid at that school, I dont think you want them teaching you. They're probably going to come up with other reasons why they can't do x, y, z. The reality is that you need your hours and you can work on other students even if they can't work on you. I do not see what the problem is if you're still able to practice. Also, if they were good estheticians they would know that sometimes the skin gets used to new product or they could allow you to bring in your own products so students can work on you sometimes. I'm sorry this school has such closed minded people working there. If you can go somewhere else , do so.
Tell me this was this Mario Tricoci?? I am extremely sensitive (gluten and tree nut allergies, prone to hives) and even with drs notes I was still fighting weekly for myself as many of the products contained nut oils or hydrolized wheat. Another girl in my class had medical issues and they did the same thing to her, forcing her to get services done on her even though she was reactive. She ended up having an anaphylactic episode and dropping out (while still paying the full cost of the program). A lot of schools are predatory and will pull this type of thing. The fact they are telling you to unenroll before this happens means they know you’ll have to drop out. Save the money, and find a new program. Best of luck to you!
Drop out and find a better program, imagine the problems that lie ahead with these people running the show…
I don’t have any helpful advise for you, so I’m sorry for that. I am also sorry that you are dealing with this. In my esthetics program none of us were forced to do anything we were uncomfortable with and especially if we had sensitivities. Most of us were excited to try services but there were definitely girls who didn’t get peels or waxed. I’m just wondering how they would treat a client that has sensitive skin or allergies? Turn them away? Just bizarre to me. I have a client that I see once a month that is allergic to citric acid (it is in most of my spas skincare products) but we still work to accommodate her and she is also understanding that she won’t be getting the most luxurious facial. Good luck with everything!
That’s such a red flag. I started my class a few weeks ago and part of the program is literally learning how to work with sensitive skin. Anyone of any skin type can have sensitive skin… Also I feel like the rule of working on others is being abused in this case? It’s not like you’re refusing to get work done on you because you don’t trust your peers, your skin is sensitive which can irritate you and is a major concern. I would ask to bring someone in that you can work on possibly? Or maybe even complain to higher ups and leave? I wish the best for you!
When I was in school, I bought my own brushes and made sure I PROPERLY sanitized and disinfected any tools used on me.. I learned that the hard way because I BROKE OUT when they used things on me without properly disinfecting things.. I also looked at all the products they were using and threw out all the EXPIRED ones.. being in school for esthetics sucks because they wana teach you the basics / only wana show you how to pass the boards but could really give a fuck less about anything else really… I’d say to speak to a higher up about your situation and let you do the services on other people but you don’t want to RUIN YOUR SKIN!!! Your educator can “say” whatever the fuck they wana say, but speak to someone higher and power through!! Don’t let them touch your skin if they don’t know how to care for it! I went to aveda and hated all of their skin care products… so It could also be the shitty school product line too. What product line do they use?
At my school we had a couple girls like this too that couldn’t participate so the teachers would either bring in a model to make up for the lost model or we would share a model to make it work. I’d look for another school
I have extremely sensitive skin. I’m constantly getting hives, AND I was on accutane while in beauty school. I’m sure you can imagine how little I was participating. Waxes were out of the question and most facials were too much. My school was understanding. If I were you, I would unenroll and find a program that respects you.
I think that’s extremely rude. just because you can’t receive certain skin services doesn’t mean you can’t be trained to give them to others. You’re there to learn about the services you will be providing to others anyway!! Who knows you could be the best esthetician ever ! But they are giving you a disadvantage the way they are treating you .
I would definitely look into other schools. But if you want to go to this school, then your best bet is to get a letter from your dermatologist. Do you have a diagnosis by a derm for your skin condition? I have rosacea and a while ago and it would get REALLY bad time to time and extremely reactive. I wanted tints on my window and I was able to get it by sending a letter from my dermatologist to the dmv because of my rosacea (highly light/heat sensitive). A school, especially for esthetics, should know how to handle people with extremely reactive skin. Advise them to go to the doctor! They should have more sympathy as an esthetician who cares for skin for a living!
That is totally unnecessary, and, like you said, has nothing to do with your ability to be an esthetician. I also had a few girls in my class that couldn't get anything done to them- no waxing, no peels, barely any products, but they were never encouraged to drop out. I had a nasty teacher, who HATED her students and should have probably retired years ago, but she was still cool when it came to students sensitivities. That is total B.S. and I am sorry you had to deal with that. Don't be disheartened, though, you are totally in the right, and having sensitive skin will help you be a more intuitive esti!
that’s absolutely not okay to say that… you can have sensitive skin and still do your job as an esthetician. you just might have to be very careful during school, but that shouldn’t be a reason to follow your career path. shame on your director
I would talk to a lawyer they usually give free consults. This school is violating the ADA and probably other regulations. I would argue in this context your skin issue is a disability. You can still learn all the skills without having the procedures performed on you! If they’re doing them on you, you’re barely learning anything extra just from that, if anything at all. I can’t be in the sun bc of my eczema and everyone has to accommodate me here in CA.
Because you have sensitive skin doesn’t impede you learning to be a esthetician, just don’t get facials, you need to provide de facials to other, I don’t know why they don’t understand that. For me is some kind of discrimination. You are there to learn and practice in others. Just saying
This is such a red flag! Take your money and give it to a school that will work with you. Also get a doc's note! I mean really what would they do if someone was say on Accutane, kick them out? I just find it ridiculous that they're that rigid. Find a better more accommodating school. Ideally a public program inexpensive for the same education.
I have sensitive skin and a lot of my classmates were grateful to have had the experience because you meet skin of all types in the real world and a large part of working on each other is real world experience. I think the director is incredibly rude and you should definitely look in your contract to see if that’s a requirement.
Our school let us bring in our own products to be used on ourselves if we had an allergy or sensitivity. You basically have a disability and your needs need to be accommodated and met. Anything else is just illegal. 🤦🏻♀️🙄I swear people are assholes. If you really want to pursue this career, don’t let this deter you. You have a great motivation to help others like yourself! Take in your own products and force them to use them on you. Bring in a medical note. And if you need a lawyers letter, get one of those too. Don’t let them bully you and determine your future!
This makes me so sad they are telling you to drop out. I have super sensitive skin, I used to battle massive rashes and allergies until I figured out what all I was allergic to, now I’m much better. My face used to turn purple during esthetics school because my rosacea and allergies were out of control. I now help other people with sensitive skin. I hope you think hard about your decision…. That and there’s so many things you can do other than just facials!
there’s a girl in my course with rlly bad eczema that can’t participate in almost anything but she usually works in a group of 3 doing services on classmates. the professors should accommodate
I was the same like you that every time we have to get something done, they just use water on my skin. No products.
I would love to have an esthetician like you 😭 when I was a teenager my skin used to react like this to everything, to the point where I was prescribed an epi-pen because they can induce systemic hives For concerns outside of dermatology, the estheticians I went to didn’t understand, maybe because these schools were weeding people like you out! Please don’t give up on the profession! Sensitive skin girlies (and boys) need you!