The proposed hour requirements that include lymphatic training reflect the same hour and course requirements for a licensed medical practitioner to work with the lymphatic system. Proper lymphatic training obtained through continuing education overseen by a board not even closely related to esthetics and which includes extensive hours and treatments for the torso and limbs is currently offered only to Physicians, nurses, occupational, physical and massage therapists.  Crossing over into a field that includes medical training implies that the schools of cosmetology are now equipped to train students without a medical background to perform a medical technique which in many cases can only be provided with a prescription.

Requiring a master esthetician to accumulate the same number of hours as a Lymphedema Therapist with a medical background is more than just extensive, it is dangerous..  It serves as a burden to the esthetician to get properly trained, and misleads the public into thinking that the training is the same as what Lymphedema therapists with a medical background receive. There are far too many medical history factors and potential medical dangers when dealing with the torso and limbs in doing lymphatic therapies.

I propose that for skin care a basic understanding of lymphatic drainage is sufficient.  However to add the additional required hours and to claim that they are working the torso and limbs indicates that the schools are borrowing content from the more intensive lymphatic training courses open to medical professionals only.  The schools of cosmetology cannot expect to offer this aspect of training unless their own instructors are qualified in medical treatments and in particular certified in Lymphatic Instruction.  If the schools of cosmetology want to increase their hour requirements for a master esthetician they should focus on treatments within their own field, and not borrow content and hour requirements from another profession.

It is my opinion that esthetics should not cross over into massage, or physical therapy. 

Lynn Phillips CLT

Equilibrium Therapy LLC