Jenni Gilbert We’ve recently “discovered” that gut health is fundamental to optimum performance of the skin (ergo a youthful, healthy appearance), the brain and body corporeal. Now the mind has been “re-discovered” as the epicentre of how skin behaves – enter psychodermatology. For Matoyla Kollaras*, this thinking has always been a fundamental for experienced skincare professionals.
Former Team SPA+CLINIC member Ashleigh Sharman, heralding in 2015 the trends to watch in the year upcoming, wrote:
“Since I can remember, I’ve been told I have sensitive skin. My mother recounts stories of rashes, lumps and bumps from early childhood, allergic reactions to this and that, which as a teenager would turn into acne, rosacea, dermatitis and more. You get the picture.
“But running as a parallel plot line has been my sensitive nature. Regularly quoted as being a ‘sensitive little soul’, I’m considered emotionally reactive, and an introvert. Many years later, I can’t help but wonder if the two are indeed inextricably linked?”
Like all trends worth embracing, they take a while to gain mainstream acceptance and here, in mid-2017, the unofficial science of “psychodermatology” is coming to pass.
According to US neuropsychiatrist Dr Mohammad Jafferany, this new field is a coming together of internal observations of dermatology, matched with the internal observations of psychology.
“In a majority of patients presenting to dermatologists, effective management of skin conditions requires consideration of associated psychosocial factors,” he says, adding that this skin-mind connection has been, until recently, largely underestimated.
“More than just a cosmetic disfigurement, dermatologic disorders are associated with a variety of psychopathologic problems that can affect the patient, his or her family, and society together.”
Understanding of the principles of psychodermatology is considered most helpful is in chronic conditions such as eczema, psoriasis, dermatitis, rosacea and acne, especially in patients who are female. In such cases it is noted how stress, and subsequent inflammation, although not the primary cause, greatly worsen the condition – no doubt something you have also witnessed in clients.
A shocking 47% of people with a skin disease in the UK have been victims of verbal abuse one or more times from a member of the public.
A total of 729 people were asked a series of questions relating to their skin disease, or that of the person they care for. Questions were asked on the ways skin disease affects daily life, including forming of sexual relations, social life and work life. The results show that the long-term effects of skin disease can have a devastating impact on sufferers’ lives that few would expect.
The skin is extraordinary, and when you learn to read it correctly it is potentially an excellent diagnostic tool; indeed, quite often being the first “red flag” that something is not quite right internally.
The skin is also our largest organ and is, after all, our first point of contact with the outside world.
Granted you are reading this and are not a dermatologist or psychiatrist, so what does this mean for you as an aesthetician/skin therapist?
The need to deal with the whole person when addressing their skincare needs is not a new concept.
Some clients may have already exhausted the medical option, and so seek the help of skincare clinics to solve their issues.
Unfortunately in many cases this is as a last resort, when in fact we can play a life-changing role at the outset. But there are several factors to consider when treating these clients.
As a skincare practitioner you are constantly increasing your knowledge, skills and training to better understand, treat and manage skin conditions, aided by ever-new advances in skincare and device technology.
But as important as understanding and treating the physical manifestations of a skin disorder is the significant impact on the client’s emotional and psychological state.
Unlike most internal illnesses, skin disease is often immediately visible to others and thus can be a hugely stressful and heartbreaking experience for the sufferer
The skin disease/condition often becomes “who they are” to themselves and the world, so the role of empathy for an aesthetician should not be overlooked.
The management of such clients requires great awareness and support, mindfulness, kindness and honesty.
Your initial consultation therefore, is a crucial component of the treatment process:
- Consider whether you can truthfully help this client.
- Do you know how to best approach and treat their skin condition?
You also need to discuss with a client the possibility they may need to concurrently consult health professionals such as a dermatologist, psychiatrist/psychologist, herbalist, naturopath, nutritionist etc.
And the emotional turmoil factor needs always to be factored in to the treatment process. I cite one example of what sufferers of skin disorders deal with on a daily basis:
You become introverted, avoid contact, and become depressed, obsessive in looking at other people, hoping to see someone else who is affected. You undergo a personality change very slowly and, bit by bit, a strong person is reduced to isolation. You become angry, sad and desperate. After time, it becomes an operation just to go out your front door.
– Female, 27, discussing her 15-year vitiligo history.
* Matoyla Kollaras is a qualified therapist and the director of Skin Factors, distributor in Australia of Christina Cosmeceuticals and AHAVA Dead Sea skincare. She is passionate about skin health and treatments and is highly committed to constantly staying at the forefront of research and new advances in skin science and cosmetic ingredients.
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