Welcome to the Coastal Laser and Aesthetics blog! Here, you’ll find articles about laser treatments, skin rejuvenation, body contouring technologies, wellness tips and more! Our clinic is committed to providing high quality results using non-surgical cosmetic procedures performed with the latest skincare technology. Refreshed, healthy skin is an important aspect of optimal health and self-esteem. That’s why we’re happy to help our patients achieve their aesthetic goals! Most of our procedures are quick, with minimal downtime and side-effects. Our site features a full list of services, active promotions, discounts, and reviews. We encourage you to take a look around and familiarize yourself with our highly-trained staff.
In our last article, we made a comprehensive list of what your skin needs to stay healthy! Skin health has far reaching benefits, beyond just maintaining a youthful appearance; while failing to protect our skin has far reaching consequences, including an increased susceptibility to skin cancers. The simple fact is: healthy skin is beautiful. Many of the attributes we associate with “good skin” are merely the result of consuming essential nutrients, taking care of our bodies, sticking to a daily care routine, and protecting ourselves from the sun’s harmful rays. Though this sounds simple, we understand implementing these into our day-to-day lives can be difficult. That’s why we broke things down into their simplest parts. We also provided scientific research to support our tips, because sometimes understanding why it’s important to do something helps you remember to actually do it! It’s never too late to start prioritizing your skin’s health and we hope you’ll allow us to assist you along this gratifying journey! You can read our last article here!
Today, we’re discussing the often misunderstood topic that is the link between aesthetic care and mental health. Many people assume cosmetic treatments negatively impact mental health or are exclusively used by those whose self-image is already suffering. We’d like to challenge this myth by citing current scientific research in this area. From our anecdotal experience, aesthetic care has unlocked positive feelings within our patients and enabled them to improve their self-esteem. While most of our treatments take place externally, we acknowledge the huge role emotions play in aesthetic care. The aim of any treatment is to achieve our patient’s aesthetic goal. The achievement of a goal is often associated with feelings of pride and satisfaction. This is what we are privy to. However, scientific evidence suggests there are deeper ramifications on the mental health of those who undergo cosmetic or aesthetic treatment. If you’re interested in learning more about these ramifications, please read on!
The Intersection of Beauty and Mental Health
According to a study published in the Plastic Reconstruction Surgery Global Open in 2021, minimally invasive aesthetic procedures have a measured, significant, positive effect on the psychological and social functioning of patients. Further, their treatment—which included injection with dermal fillers or neuromodulators—resulting in less appearance-related distress. In order to understand the deeply personal effect of cosmetic care, we must first understand the psychological trauma imposed by blemishes (or perceived blemishes) which cannot be corrected by a consistent routine, medication, or time.
Ailments such as acne have been found to contribute to depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, poor self-image, decreased quality of life and feelings of isolation. Likewise, acne scars have been associated with an altered perception from others (i.e. being more likely to be perceived as “stressed” and “insecure”). The psychological impact of acne has been well documented. The psychological impact of fine lines and wrinkles? Less so. However, scientific research has shown a correlation between forehead lines, crow’s feet, and glabellar lines with feelings of unattractiveness and stress. “As documented in social, psychological, and biological research, facial expression and appearance are fundamental to interpersonal communications,” read the study. “FHL [forehead lines] and UFL [upper facial lines] participants defined the psychological impact of facial lines as a negative effect on one’s daily mental and/or emotional state, influencing one’s self-perception as well as his/her views toward the world.”
Now that the link between aesthetics and mental wellness is well-established, we can begin to understand the true impact aesthetic care can have on individuals. For one, any aesthetic practitioner will pride themselves on being a good listener. When a patient enters the aesthetic care clinic, a bond of trust is the first (and most essential) development. From this bond of trust, a patient is able to express how their ailment has affected their life and how their life would be improved by the elimination of this ailment. From there, the aesthetic practitioner is tasked with formulating a plan for making the patient’s dreams a reality.
In this way, aesthetic care is not simply a luxury. In fact, many patients consider their treatment for years leading up to their actual appointment. It’s no easy task, committing to a cosmetic procedure, especially if it’s your first. That’s why this article is vitally important. We want everyone to understand the demonstrated correlation between aesthetic care and improved confidence, heightened self-esteem, improved quality of life, and a renewed sense of self. Perhaps, in part, because so many of us live with the assumption that what we dislike about ourselves is permanent. In reality, there are treatments and procedures which have been specifically formulated for a wide variety of blemishes, textures, fine lines, wrinkles, and more!
What does this mean for you?
Short of undergoing a cosmetic procedure, scientific evidence shows neglecting to follow even a simple cosmetic care routine results in “significant negative psychological impacts.” The pandemic was characterized by multiple weeks spent at home, alone. This isolation led many to ask, “Who cares? No one’s going to see me. Why should I [insert cosmetic care here]?” While the question does have its place in a larger conversation concerning which personal care tasks should be assigned by society at large (particularly to women), the who cares attitude resulted in many simply abandoning their self-care routines. In their study, researchers defined cosmetic care as” activities that include make-up, as well as any cosmetic procedures such as facials, hair styling, and manicures.” These cosmetic care activities had, traditionally, been associated with elevated levels of confidence, assertiveness, and youthfulness within women. Therefore, when over 90% of women surveyed reported they had stopped their cosmetic care habits during the pandemic, this was a cause for alarm. That’s not all, either. Every woman who reported discontinuing their cosmetic care habits also reported negative impacts to their mental well-being, such as loss of self-satisfaction, increased irritability and increased stress.
As evidenced by the study detailed above, there are personal consequences when we neglect aesthetic care. The “self-care” phenomena of recent years has begun to veer away from face masks and bubble baths to pursue a deeper understanding of how we can care for ourselves both physically and mentally. However, we would like to posit: There is an innate connection between self-care and aesthetic care. Between self-care and cosmetic care. One cannot separate the two, because they are linked.
When we dedicate time to caring for ourselves, in any capacity, we are practicing self-care. This practice, in and of itself, conveys self-worth and fosters feelings of self-esteem. That’s why it is of the utmost importance we remember to indulge ourselves in even the most basic of self-care acts, such as washing our faces and brushing our hair, as doing so can gird our mental health. Whatever your aesthetic care routine may be, we only encourage you to continue. And, further, to never allow yourself to be shamed for the attention you pay towards maintaining your outward physical appearance (which, as we’ve shown here, walks hand-in-hand with your mental health).
We want to encourage you to continue reading up on aesthetic care’s benefits. Aesthetic procedures, in particular Botox, can grow in popularity year after year. Due to this growth, further research is currently being done concerning the full psychological impact of aesthetic care. Of course, we also encourage you to prioritize your mental health! The past two years have been particularly difficult and self-care has never been more vital. At Coastal Laser and Aesthetics, we care about the health and wellness of your skin. Our clinic is based around skin rejuvenation techniques and treatments using the latest cosmetic technology. We offer skin resurfacing treatments, laser hair removal, chemical peels, Botox, dermal fillers, IPL photo facials, and more! Beautiful, radiant skin begins with a strong foundation of skin care fundamentals and a set of trusted skin care professionals. You can book your free consultation, read up on our services, and browse our active promotions all on our site! Until next time—thank you for reading!