I just got a message from a Facebook Follower who objected to my article on body wraps. "You, YOU, an esthetician, state that estheticians are NOT trained in massage???? What school did YOU go to? They most certainly are!"
While esthesticians are trained in facial, neck and shoulder massage, legally we aren't allowed to do body massage. We work with the outer layers of the skin to improve its appearance. Estheticians get minimal training in how to do a body scrubs. It's a skin treatment, not a massage, so legally we can do it. But I don't think we do as good a job as massage therapists.
I think they are very different specialities. With few exceptions, I don't like it when massage therapists 'massage' my face....and I haven't found an esthetician who can do as well with an 'application' of lotion as good massage therapist. That's why if I get a body treatment, I request a massage therapist.
For the record, I went to school at Atelier Esthetique in New York City -- 600 hours of learning all about skin, sanitation, product chemistry, client care -- and how to give a facial, wax and do makeup.