ASCP Skin Deep

SPRING 2024

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ASCP SkinPro got a glow-up! Check out new app content at ascpskincare.com/skinpro 73 O ORIGINALLY FROM INDIA, Rani1 was in her mid 40s when we met. Her dark skin was mottled by vitiligo and pink scarring from healed lupus lesions, her nose had diminished cartilage from scleroderma, and her fingers were thin, yet swollen from both the hardening and tightening of her connective tissues from scleroderma and Raynaud's disease. Hidden from view was the stiffness she felt in her joints, discomfort from similar behaviors of the linings of her internal organs, and the mental and physical exhaustion from living with collagen vascular disease. This beautiful woman was experiencing a cascade of autoimmune diseases weighing on her. Rani's heartfelt words painted the picture more clearly when she said, "The reason I am here for help with my appearance and my skin care is because this is not about vanity—this is about my identity." These conditions were part of who she was and how she defined herself. I realized my background in esthetic health and dermatologic rehabilitation, and my knowledge of her conditions, comforted her. Together, we could work on how she would live with these conditions that threatened her health and happiness and how we could improve her quality of life. Improving the appearance of skin is one of the most common driving factors in caring for it. There's also an emotional component when the reason for change in appearance is linked with a deeper health condition that cannot be identified, or is identifiable but not curable. For many, the key is learning to live with the condition. The task is not for you as the skin care professional to diagnose the condition, but to help a client improve their quality of life. The knowledge of how to recognize a skin disorder will help you know how to respond to that condition safely and responsibly. It will also give your client the sense they are not alone. Having this understanding will help you know who to refer your client to if the condition is out of your scope of practice. Let's take a closer look at the diseases of the skin that are tied to the immune system.

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