hy·giene
ˈhīˌjēn/
noun
conditions or practices conducive to maintaining health and preventing disease, especially through cleanliness.
When sitting down to write this article, I had to really stop and examine a few things, and think about why I chose to take it upon myself 12 years ago to advocate for bright, healthful skin and the practices surrounding it.
- Why do I consider facials to be a necessity, and not a luxury service like it’s traditionally been considered?
- How do you educate clients on how vital good skin hygiene is?
What stuck out to me the most in those two thoughts, was the word “hygiene”. Because that, in fact, is what good skin health is all about. Basic hygiene. Healthy skin is a basic hygiene standard, not a beauty standard.
In a society where self-care and strict hygiene practices seem to be normal, when did the cost of great skin only become available to people who had hundreds of dollars to spend at a fancy resort spa? Is it because we think that cleansing and moisturizing, are extravagant steps to take in our daily regimen, and the only time to carve out for those steps is when you’re on vacation and pampering yourself?
Not the case. Skin health is a necessity, because our skin is the largest functioning organ in and our on body, and is directly connected to ALL of the other organs in the body. Good, healthy skin is actually our first line of defense in protecting our overall health.
Now, the second question: how do you educate clients on the importance of this? I’ll make it easy. I’m going to bust out a good ol’ formula we learned long ago in beauty school, and one that I have used time and again as a skin care educator nowadays. It’s the six primary functions of our skin; how it affects the body, and it’s arranged in a cute acronym to make it easier to remember.
PASSER
- P: Protection. Your skin protects harmful foreign invaders (smoke, pollution, unfiltered sun rays, etc.) from physically entering the body. Also keeps your vital organs locked up and from literally falling out of your body.
- A: Absorption. Your skin absorbs essential vitamins, nutrients, and botanicals to survive.
- S: Secretion: Your skin’s way of pushing out oil and sweat combined to form a protective barrier on your skin, making it less susceptible to environmental pollution damage.
- S: Sensation: Your skin’s way of determining heat/cold/pain/pressure.
- E: Excretion. Your skin’s way of pushing out excess amounts of salt or toxins that don’t need to be in your body.
- R: Regulation. Your skin’s way of maintaining your body’s core temperature.
All of these basic skin functions can be compromised due to poor skin health.
Some of the conditions I’ve seen in my career stemming from poor skin hygiene, include:
- Acne (an inflammatory disease, “zits”/”pimples”, can be caused by poor diet, genetics, environmental stress/pollution)
- Dry, scaly patches
- Uneven skin tone; red and flushed in some spots, dark circles under the eyes, even broken blood vessels
- Yeast infections (yes, on the face!)
- Sweat or oil gland disorders (producing too much oil, not enough, sweating profusely which can result in uneven skin tone, not sweating enough which can lead to internal infection or disease)
Are all of these conditions treatable? Yes, to some extent. Am I a doctor and able to diagnose conditions? No. But as a skin therapist, am I able to coach you, the client, on maintaining good basic skin health and taking your lifestyle and commitments into account when making recommendations? Absolutely. So, as a skin therapist, I perform facials to promote great health. Facials include cleansing, balancing, and massaging the skin with a variety of cost-effective products and timeless techniques to restore your skin to ultimate health.
It’s not all candles and aromatherapy and $350 face creams and painting egg whites on your face!
There’s a rhyme and a reason to what we do, and it’s a very holistic health approach that seems to resonate with the relatively common desire to improve self care habits. Next week, I’ll be rolling out a few ideas on how to maintain your skin, and I’ll be listing some of the lifestyle choices that can lend a hand in keeping those skin health results long-lasting. Prefer to speak about it in person as well?