Union of Cosmetology and Science

Unlike internal organs, which function in comfortable conditions with constant humidity, temperature, chemical composition of the environment, the practical absence of harmful factors, mechanical impacts and other inconveniences, the skin is on the border of two worlds: the cozy, warm and calm internal world of the body and the constantly changing, full of dangers external world. Occupying such a strategically important position, the skin is forced to be not only the protector of all other organs, but also a sensitive sensor, reacting to the slightest changes in both the external and internal environment.

Recognizing danger and responding to it involves both central mechanisms (the brain, visual, auditory, olfactory analyzers) and numerous local sentry posts in tissues and organs. And where else would the most important sentry posts be if not on the border with the hostile world, that is, in the skin, and of course, after the skin has perceived the alarm signal, it is simply obliged to send information to the central command posts, because it is quite possible that danger threatens the entire organism. If our hand accidentally touches a sharp object, we will pull it away reflexively, because the pain receptors located in our skin recognize the danger before we realize it with our mind, and it will send a command to the muscles before we have time to think about it. Many people are afraid of insects, but even those who are not afraid of them will immediately throw the bug off their hand upon feeling the tickling of its legs, because the sensory nerves located on the skin have already sent a signal to the brain. Thus, there is no doubt that the skin and the brain, at least through the sensory and motor nerves, are closely interconnected.

Logic suggests that similar relationships should exist between the brain and other sentry posts of the skin. Immune system cells activated in response to the penetration of a pathogen or malignant transformation of a skin cell, and melanocytes, which ensure that the skin is not damaged by UV radiation, and keratinocytes, which mainly make up the skin, somehow inform the brain that a damaging factor is acting on them. And vice versa, if a danger signal has reached the central points (visual or auditory analyzers, the brain), it should also be sent to the skin so that it can prepare for defense.

So the body has a set of various adaptations, with the help of which it notices changes in the external environment and adapts to them. Since the body is a single whole, all structures responsible for responding to external changes and for adapting to them must be closely interconnected. Research in recent years has made scientists increasingly convinced that this is indeed the case - the skin, which is not only a barrier between the external and internal environment, but also the "face" of the body, its window to the outside world, actively interacts with almost all body systems and is itself under their influence. And this means that skin problems can be effectively solved only by taking into account its relationship with all other organs, including the brain, the psyche, or, if you like, the soul of the client.

This approach, which is natural and the only possible one for Eastern doctors, still remains alien to Western doctors. It just so happened that in the West, a different principle of treating diseases is used, when the body is divided into organs and organ systems, with each organ system being treated by a narrow specialist. In the West, doctors try to break down the disease into separate symptoms, which they then fight. In the East, the so-called holistic (i.e. complex) approach to diseases is traditionally accepted, when the doctor does not care so much how exactly the disease manifests itself, the main thing is that the disease exists, and it is necessary to find a way to return the body to a normal state. Therefore, the doctor analyzes the harmful effects to which the body is exposed, determines whether there is a deficiency (or excess) of vital substances, what is the patient's mental state, and many other factors. Having determined the possible causes of the imbalance, the doctor eliminates them, and then applies methods aimed at activating the body's own protective and restorative powers. That is, if a Western doctor seeks to cure a specific disease (even if the treatment leads to damage to other organs), then an Eastern doctor sees his task in restoring health. It is unknown whether holistic principles will soon come to traditional medicine (doctors are extremely conservative), but nothing prevents them from being used in cosmetology practice.

The traditional approach in cosmetology is similar to the traditional approach in medicine. There is a problem - it must be eliminated. For example, if the skin is dry, it must be lubricated with fat so that it retains moisture (even if these are not the fats that the skin needs). If there are wrinkles on the skin, they must be smoothed out (at any cost). If there are pigment spots, bleaching agents must be used (even if they are toxic). "and there is inflammation, then antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory Relationships must be used (even if they have side effects).

Approaching any cosmetic defect from a holistic position, we say - there is a problem, which means that something is wrong with the skin, for some reason its defense and adaptation mechanisms have failed. Our task is to analyze the factors that can have a harmful effect on the skin and, if possible, eliminate them. Moreover, we must be prepared for the fact that the search for these factors can lead us to problems in the digestive system or to the secret depths of the psyche. Unlike methods aimed at eliminating individual symptoms, holistic medicine methods do not provide a quick solution to the problem. But they allow not only to eliminate a cosmetic defect, but also to restore the harmony of the relationship between the skin and the body.

Modern science already provides us with enough facts to understand how the protective systems of the skin function and how they are connected with other systems of the body. It is important that the skin, like other organs and tissues, is able to react to danger, not only to protect itself from it and adapt to it, but also to heal itself, to eliminate damage caused by harmful factors. Throughout life, two processes are going on simultaneously - the accumulation of damage caused by an aggressive external environment, and their elimination (reparation and regeneration). The placebo effect, when recovery occurs due to a firm belief in the healing power of a new medicine, especially clearly shows the possibilities of the internal healing power of the body. And as information comes in about how the unique mechanism of restoration and self-healing of the skin works, how adaptation to harmful effects occurs and what causes failures in this perfect mechanism, cosmetologists have more and more means of gentle and reasonable influence on the skin.

It has now become obvious that intensive cosmetic procedures without taking into account the general condition of the skin and body can lead to the most disastrous consequences. On the contrary, the competent use of general procedures (along with methods of local action on the skin) allows to repeatedly enhance the effect of local action. Modern knowledge has allowed to "rediscover" such time-tested methods of restoring the harmony of the body as massage (manual and vacuum), acupressure, mud therapy, water procedures, aromatherapy, herbal medicine, etc., improving their technique and expanding their capabilities, as well as to develop completely new methods of complex action aimed ultimately at restoring health. Thus, in its desire to preserve and restore the beauty of the body, cosmetology is getting closer to the ideal of holistic medicine - restoring health and harmony by activating the internal healing power, the power of Nature.

The union of cosmetology and science would be wonderful if cosmetics did not have a partner that has accompanied it since time immemorial - commerce. Because cosmetics are a product, almost all information about them available to the consumer is generously seasoned with advertising. Yes, the cosmetic industry now intensively uses knowledge about the skin obtained as a result of serious scientific research. Yes, many cosmetic ingredients are really capable of changing the skin for the better, slowing down its aging, protecting it from damage. Yes, there are cosmetics that really work as stated in their annotation. But at the same time, there are many cosmetics, buying which the buyer first acquires illusions and hopes, then, at best, disappointments, and at worst - new problems.