October 23, 2026 · Information
Lecture schedule · Understanding Problem Skin
The full schedule of Understanding Problem Skin, the course for skin therapists and aesthetic practitioners. This page is open to everyone.
Understanding Problem Skin is an 18-session live course by Clara Song, Ph.D., formulator and medical aesthetician, for skin therapists and aesthetic practitioners. It covers the five conditions that most often walk into the treatment room looking like "sensitive skin": rosacea, contact dermatitis, seborrheic dermatitis, psoriasis and folliculitis. Each topic moves from what the condition is, to why it flares, to what the clinic does, to what the treatment room can and must not do, with cases and the signs that call for a referral.
Each session opens to everyone on its lecture day. Approved students can read every opened session at any time.
Lecture handout
Tuesdays · 90 minutes per session
Starts on Tuesday, November 17, 2026 · 18 sessions
5 topics · 3 to 4 sessions per topic
Sessions 1 to 4 run every Tuesday from November 17. Dates for sessions 5 to 18, and the lecture time, will be announced once they are confirmed.
Rosacea (4 sessions)
| Session | Date | Topic |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tue, Nov 17, 2026 | What is rosacea? Identifying the redness |
| 2 | Tue, Nov 24, 2026 | Why does it turn red? Triggers and aggravation mechanisms |
| 3 | Tue, Dec 1, 2026 | What is done: dermatology treatment and the role of the treatment room |
| 4 | Tue, Dec 8, 2026 | In practice: consultation, home care and cases |
Contact dermatitis (4 sessions)
| Session | Date | Topic |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | To be announced | Irritant or allergic: the two faces of contact dermatitis |
| 6 | To be announced | Tracing the cause: cosmetics, metals and occupational exposure |
| 7 | To be announced | Treatment and recovery: patch testing and barrier repair |
| 8 | To be announced | In practice: reading ingredient labels and handling a product reaction |
Seborrheic dermatitis (4 sessions)
| Session | Date | Topic |
|---|---|---|
| 9 | To be announced | What is seborrheic dermatitis? From dandruff to facial redness |
| 10 | To be announced | Malassezia and sebum: why it keeps coming back |
| 11 | To be announced | Treatment and care: antifungals and scalp care |
| 12 | To be announced | In practice: scalp and facial protocols |
Psoriasis (3 sessions)
| Session | Date | Topic |
|---|---|---|
| 13 | To be announced | What is psoriasis? An autoimmune disorder of keratinisation, and how to tell it apart |
| 14 | To be announced | The immune axis, comorbidities and an overview of treatment |
| 15 | To be announced | In practice: the Koebner phenomenon and absolute contraindications |
Folliculitis (3 sessions)
| Session | Date | Topic |
|---|---|---|
| 16 | To be announced | What is folliculitis? Telling bacterial, fungal and mechanical causes apart |
| 17 | To be announced | Malassezia folliculitis or acne |
| 18 | To be announced | In practice: care after hair removal and infection control |
Dates and weeks off
Dates for sessions 5 to 18, and any weeks off for public holidays, will be published here once they are confirmed.
The schedule may change, for example when the instructor travels abroad. Any change will be announced in advance, and the session concerned will move to the next available week.
This course is for educational purposes. Diagnosis and treatment belong to medical professionals; any individual symptom must be checked by a medical provider.
Copyright in this material belongs to Complete Elixir and Clara Song. Unauthorised copying, distribution, transmission, adaptation or commercial use is prohibited. It may be used only for the enrolled student's own study.
Complete Elixir Academy training material, for in-clinic education only.