Aesthetic Health Initiative
2022 Trends
TREND 1: Defining the Arts & Sciences of Aesthetic Health Paints a Picture of Overall Wellness
The definition of “Aesthetic Health” includes the physical, emotional, and psychological aspects of wellness and wellbeing. Just as the word influences how we feel so does the word influence of how we feel about the way we look. That however is only one perspective, the other is how the way we feel (e.g., healthy, ill, sad, happy, etc.) influences how we look to ourselves and to others and the behaviors, products, and treatments we choose to address those aspects.
The extent of the value of human beauty can be seen in the study of psycho-dermatology. This field addresses the impact of “beauty expectations” held in society, moving across the spectrum to the influence on individual extremes of Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD). Culturally these expectations and biases are pun intended, ‘custom built’ across the world. That is to say that everyone uses appearance as a measure to evaluate and determine safe, healthy, strong, viable people. It is human nature to select a mate who is healthy to ensure continued procreation and survival of the fittest. Influencing the choices we make to achieve and maintain a healthy appearance is part of aesthetic health practices. Many examples are found through reports of the deleterious effects of social media, selfies, and the ZOOM effect on self-perception. These are especially dangerous for those directly engulfed by it. In younger audiences, it promotes cosmetic “self-care remedies” without the assured understanding of professional treatment options offered and care practices that are recommended.
As the social-beauty biases continue to be in focus the value in providing authentic aesthetic health awareness heightens the need to address skin, hair, and dressing biases from an erudite perspective. Where self-judgement and judgements from others affect self-esteem, this one influence alone represents the power of the philosophy of beauty.
As the future of beauty science & aesthetic health is further explored, the chemistry of skin care (i.e., healthy microbiome, endocrine disruptors, holistic skin care, etc.) opens the door to advancing the understanding of gut health and overall inclusive health including what we put on our skin and into our bodies and minds. Where non-surgical beauty, wellbeing and science involve future forecasts of artificial intelligence (AI) & Tech, innovative products such as smart mirrors, wrist monitors, and talking scales act as accountability monitors and encourage self-care, exercise, and body image positivity.. Self-care digital powered instrument growth is leaning exponentially far beyond the known effects of social media influencers.
TREND 2: Walking the Path to Good Health: How our Aesthetic Health Is Impacted by our Environment
The popular movement of “clean beauty” is leading us toward an environmental footprint that supports our world, our health, and our future. The state of our environment’s health is supported through preventative education regarding chemicals, electromagnetic fields (EMF’s), radiation, hybrid electric vehicles (HEV), worldwide water sources and pollution.
As we investigate cosmetics and personal care products we can unearth the connections between our personal health and its response or reactions when considering contact and irritant dermatitis, guttural health and topical influencers on gluten intolerance and the value benefit ratio for veganism and organic food and ingredient choices.
TREND 3: The Future of Work: Establishing Aesthetic Health Guidelines for Practitioners
Due to the recent rise in confidence in self-proclaimed experts who are using their voices to speak to an audience long relying on professional guidance, there is now a sense of shaking ground. The long climb for the related aesthetic fields has lately lost ground to self-training and social media influence. A professional alert is now, how to address consumers ‘self-prescribing’ and amateur research on self-care?
For personal care professionals whose focus is on and in health & beauty wellness, cosmetology (an umbrella for hair, skin, and nail professionals), esthetics, nutrition, at-home caregiving and related areas, the necessity for even more sound training, education and on-going support is being recognized.
As for the issue of safety in beauty spa and wellness, health and safety guidelines including jurisprudence, standards, infection control, disease transmission, sanitation, and ethics all need to be considered. By demand, client education on safety re: grooming practices for
cancer, dermatologic conditions, chronic diseases, trauma, congenital conditions, personal care (aging and special needs), allergies and even dressing for safety are being looked at seriously.
One example is the aspect of caregivers and trust; evidence indicates that the appearance of a caregiver and their wards relay the message of trust vs. lack of respect leading to lack of trust in the ability to care at a meaningful level where either party is concerned. An estimated 90 million people in the US and a billion worldwide will be over the age of 65 by 2030. Additionally, millions of people of all ages are living with the required aid of a caregiver or a personal care service provider (beauty industry or other); this points to yet another area where both our aesthetic physical and mental health needs must be considered for best practices to be provided and received. Here is a study opportunity.
TREND 4: Identifying How Beauty Practices and Procedures Affect Our Health
As they encompass primary wellness and concepts of prevention and safety, cosmetic practices and procedures whether aesthetic medical and esthetic skincare, nutrition & wellness, physical fitness (i.e., physical strength, blood flow, regulation of metabolism), mental health and wellbeing, as well as acute and chronic disease prevention should be considered.
Aesthetic health focuses on helping those who are living with medical conditions such as autoimmune diseases (e.g., lupus, atopic dermatitis (eczema), psoriasis, contact/ irritant allergies, arthritis and other inflammatory diseases, heart disease, diabetes, healthful aging, and cancer) live with the condition in the most productive way possible. Always leading to an understanding that even when there may not be a cure, there is a control, and the individual can be encouraged to find it.
TREND 5: Defined Beauty Holds Real and Needed Social Considerations in Our World: It’s Not Just About the Way You Look to Other People
Social biases are not new, and they do in fact have a valuable purpose and critical meaning throughout history. Here we look at how hair biases and judgements, skin color, age, behaviors and physical capabilities and limitations have long played a role in our communities and cultures. It is important to discover the positive in the obviousness of difference and evolve into supportive practices for society including compassion & communication, volunteerism, community outreach, ‘person to person and virtual touch, etc. The impact of this awareness of the effect on a single individual view of him/herself or an entire society’s sense of esteem is directly related to aesthetic health.
TREND 6: The Psychology of Appearance and Aesthetic Health: Considering the Behavioral, Cognitive, & Biopsychological (Neurological) Considerations; How you feel about the way you look and what you are looking at influences how you feel overall.
Grooming and hygiene are considered aesthetic health behaviors. A few aesthetic behaviors that have been recently revived post-pandemic include regular hand washing, sanitation practices, protection, and safety. Actions taught once as necessary and expected for ensuring health and safety in society had dissipated due to a distance from past threats and a developed false trust that somehow, we were safe from invisible harm.
From healthy protective practices come compromise, a study on the how protective masks impact emotions, and the value of facial recognition has caught the eye of cognitive neuroscience.
In addition to the obvious, the psycho-cybernetic influence has peaked in awareness where physical and emotional combined demonstrate wearing your emotions as displayed in skin conditions like eczema and common emotional response reactions [i.e., blushing, itching (pruritis), hair standing on end (erector pili response)].
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is also showing up in aesthetic health arenas. Smart mirrors and biofeedback are playing big roles in technology and aesthetic health developments.
Sources:
i: Why Are People Biased Against Anomalous Facial Features?
ii: How Do People Think About Beauty and Wellness?
TREND 7: Spiritual Beauty: As Sensed, It’s Much More than Meets the Eye
There is much to be said about spirit and beauty. Poets have captured it in words, photographers in pictures, and artists in the paints and charcoals. Yet, spiritual beauty can also be seen in the actions of people helping others improve their circumstances. The spiritual form of aesthetic health may seem much like the proposed psychology but, it is far different. The exploration of the essence of beauty as seen in others is of specific question here. When beauty is revealed, it is not always by what we consider the most beautiful to behold. It is in fact a feeling; it is a higher sense of beauty that will be explored here.
