Skin care is a wide open field and understanding the terminology is important for safety reasons. There are lots of people offering skin care services who call themselves skin specialists but have no training. One of the skin specialist terms is esthetician. In most states a person who claims to be an esthetician must have completed a specified number of hours of course work and is licensed. Paramedical estheticians assist plastic surgeons and dermatologists by providing pre- and post-operative assistance. A dermatologist is a board certified doctor who has completed specialized training in skin care and is certified by the American Board of Dermatology. Another skin specialist is a plastic surgeon. A true plastic surgeon has completed medical training and is board certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. Each of these skin specialists are thoroughly trained in the procedures they are allowed to complete. Unfortunately there are cases every year where unscrupulous people present themselves as skin care experts and they have no training or certification.