Issue link: https://www.ascpskindeepdigital.com/i/460894
Create your free business website! www.ascpskincare.com 19 Acne can be a devastating blow for self-image. Severe acne clients tend to isolate themselves from society. Depression, embarrassment, frustration, and low self-esteem can discourage them from pursuing life's opportunities. As a skin care educator, I hear story after story about how estheticians impact not just our clients' skin, but also their perceptions of themselves. The following is one of those stories of friendship, hope, and compassion related to me by a talented (and wise) esthetician, Tammi Halim of The Skincare Extraordinaire in Litchfi eld Park, Arizona. "I met a young man who suffered from severe acne. He had been to a couple of dermatologists and several estheticians with no results. School had been unbearable for him; he had quit at 15. When I fi rst saw him for a consultation at the end of 2012, he was so shy. He came in with his head down, wearing a sweatshirt with the hood on, and wouldn't even look at me. It just broke my heart. "I made up my mind I was going to do everything I could to help him. He asked how long it was going to take; I could only tell him it wasn't going to happen overnight. I told him he had to pinky-promise me that if I could get his skin cleared up, he would either return to school or get his GED. We interlocked our pinkies and he made me that promise. "I put him on a home-care regimen using products designed for acne. He learned how to monitor his skin as it changed and I switched up the routine as we went along. I saw him once a week for three months. Then we went to every other week, then every three weeks, and fi nally he only needed to come in once a month. One year later, at the end of 2013, we had the acne gone and were working to clear up the remaining scars. "I have seen an amazing change in him. He has blossomed into an awesome young man with self-confi dence. He walks upright with his shoulders back and he smiles! He's got quite a sense of humor, and jokes with me. And best of all, he is a man of his word! He studied and got his GED, and now he is looking into a technical school. I'm so proud of him. "When this journey started, I thought to myself, 'I'm going to do this for him,' as if it was my gift to him. I was wrong. Every time I have seen him, every time I think of him, I realize that I'm the one that received the true gift." Yes, this esthetician treated the acne, but more importantly, she treated her client's spirit. There are many caring estheticians who have a similar story. Dave Waggoner is a licensed esthetician with experience as both an educator and practitioner. He has a master's degree in education and currently serves as director of education and public relations at Skin Script Skin Care in Tempe, Arizona. Contact him at education@skinscriptrx.com. The Power of the P inky Promise by Dave Waggoner Skin care is part of the key to boosting our self-esteem, along with exercise, healthy relationships, personal hobbies, and satisfying work, to name a few. There is an obvious connection between our confi dence and the health of our skin, because our skin is what we fi rst see when we look at ourselves, and it's what others fi rst notice as well. Low self-esteem keeps individuals from realizing their full potential. They may hold themselves back in social situations and new environments because they feel unworthy of success. It is a major setback for anyone's personality, growth, and development. People can develop obsessive thinking about their challenges, judging themselves to the point of lowering their self-esteem even more. Three Areas of Health The World Health Organization defi nes health as physical, mental, and social well- being. Skin care makes a very signifi cant contribution to all three areas. PHYSICAL WELL-BEING In addition to improving the skin's physical health, professional skin care plays a role in other positive physical changes. Age spots, breakouts, and other skin challenges can be symptoms of an unhealthy lifestyle. Paying close attention to the skin's harmony may help clients learn about underlying challenges their bodies may be facing. Heightened self-esteem shows in physical ways. We hold our head high, walk with poise, and smile more often. Not hiding our faces or looking down as often as we used to are other physical signs of progress toward greater confi dence. MENTAL WELL-BEING The skin expresses our joy, sadness, stress, or fear to the world and ourselves. If we are overly stressed, it shows through our skin. Our skin also refl ects our diet, lifestyle, and mood.