Never Overload the Autoclave

or... why you should be nice to your beauty therapist.

Here in the states, we say Aesthetician, but in the YOO-kay, I learned this evening, one is a Beauty Therapist. I learned this by recording from the Beauty Therapist textbook, and I want you to know, the ladies you pay to pluck your hair have to learn a lot more than you think they do.

This book was 580 pages long, plus another 20 of notes and bibliography, and everything that was in the back of your textbooks. It was also Level 2, which means there is a prerequisite.

And just because the chapter headings are "Wax," "Manicure," "Nail art," and the like, don't think there are not detailed explanations of anatomy, labor law, workplace safety, chemistry (talk about your side effects), and the like.

If this is what socialised (with an S) medicine (pronounced med-cine) will get you, I'm listening.

Publisher's statement:

Habia is the government approved standards setting body for hair, beauty, nails, spa therapy, barbering and African-Caribbean hair, and creates the standards that form the basis of all qualifications including NVQs, SVQs and Apprenticeships, as well as codes of practice.
Government approved standards.

This is not the kind of post that interests you much, I know, but it fascinates me, and you would probably never spend 11 years of your life reading textbooks for other people's professions.

1. Beauty Therapists speak Latin!

like Paronychia. Naevus vasculosis. Pediculus humanus capitis. that's head lice. See how much more musical the Latinates can be?

2. It's British!

Which gave me the opportunity to say, in my very American accent, "whilst," "in hospital," and "take exercise."

You are already wondering why someone in the states needs to get Habia-certified?

(You are also wondering about blind beauty therapists, but I am ignoring you...lalalalala....)

I have no idea. I just read.

So here's why you need to be nice to your beauty therapist:

- because I had just to describe impetigo, and I need to lie down. I don't have to look at it on others.

- because she just wanted to work in a salon; she didn't know she was going to have to learn about insurance liability.

- because she knows what an autoclave is, AND that there is a difference between sterilising (with an S) and disinfecting.

It's a pressure sterilizer. This is one.

But so is THIS.

If your beauty therapist has the 2nd one, check into another spa.

- because of where she touches you.

- because that book is heavy.