L ubov Malysh, cosmetologist-body esthetician, leading specialist in working with exclusive French equipment LPG-system of the multidisciplinary medical diagnostic center BMDC, member of the Association of Cosmetologists and Aromologists of Ukraine (Ukraine)

Having studied the demand, needs and approach of clients to silhouette correction services for many years, I came to the following conclusions.

Clients can be divided into two categories: those who monitor their figure all year round and regularly use the services of beauty salons, cosmetology clinics, fitness centers, and those who are interested in temporary results - this category of clients visits aesthetic specialists irregularly, “ raids,” usually in the season before the holidays, and requires results in a short period of time. There is also a third category of clients - women who prefer only salon body care services and are not particularly fond of fitness. These are clients who, with a skillful approach, will provide you with a stable income, and for them you can also develop your own set of services.

For a successful business, we must provide a range of services that cover the needs of clients with different needs and desires. We all understand that achieving lasting and stable results takes time, we all know how important it is to approach the issue in a timely manner, but, unfortunately, the human factor dictates its conditions.

I propose to consider methods that are widely used today and have proven themselves well.

All existing methods and approaches to figure correction can be divided into:

• surgical methods;
• diets, sports;
• cosmetological methods.

Let's leave surgery to surgeons, proper nutrition and sports to nutritionists and fitness instructors, and let's talk about the cosmetological approach, which, in turn, consists of manual techniques, hardware and injection techniques, as well as a huge section of spa treatments using skincare cosmetics.

Manual techniques

So, the leader among manual techniques is massage. Today, manual massage is still very popular and the most sought after among aesthetic procedures. There are a great variety of massage techniques, including exotic ones. The most popular is the lymphatic drainage technique, which eliminates swelling and stagnation, removes waste and toxins from the body, and triggers lipolysis processes. Any massage regimen aimed at eliminating cellulite and improving skin tone and turgor begins with lymphatic drainage techniques.

I would call lymphatic drainage according to the Pascal Cosh method one of the most effective techniques. This massage gives visible results after the first procedure. It is performed exclusively in the direction of lymph flow, and the client should not experience pain or discomfort. The techniques of such lymphatic drainage consist in the fact that the specialist forms a transverse fold of the skin and, using the rolling method, moves in waves along the lymph flow.

The “lomi-lomi” massage (Hawaiian technique) is very effective, most of the techniques of which are pressure and rubbing, performed mainly with the forearms. This massage promotes deep relaxation of the body, modeling of the silhouette and amazing healing of the body.

Classic anti-cellulite massage techniques mainly use kneading, rubbing and pinching techniques. If there is skin atony with local fat deposits, then you need to work not only in the direction of lymph flow, but also along Langer’s lines (the line of least resistance of the skin).

Previously, in manual anti-cellulite massage techniques, strong and harsh techniques were allowed, even the appearance of small hematomas was considered normal. However, recent research in this area has shown that this approach is erroneous and even harmful to the body. The body, feeling pain and discomfort, reacts by contracting and spasming tissues and preventing normal microcirculation and the removal of decay products; in addition, microtraumas caused during the procedure in the future aggravate the appearance of the skin and worsen the relief of subcutaneous fat.

Spa treatments

The last and most pleasant of all methods is spa treatments using cosmetics and aromatic oils. The use of cosmetics in body shaping is a very broad topic that requires separate consideration.

Today, the Ukrainian market offers a huge number of cosmetic body care products. Among them are products for home care and professional products for work in salons, beauty clinics and spa centers. The use and direct sale of cosmetics provides the lion's share of the salon's profits and has a wide range of uses.

Cosmetics can be either applied to the skin or administered transdermally. Thanks to its rich composition and many patented formulas, it can significantly improve the appearance of the skin, remove dead cells of the stratum corneum, thus improving the permeability of the dermis for other cosmetics - creams, serums with a fine and lamellar structure that penetrate deeply and can eliminate many aesthetic problems. Cosmetics are widely used in preparing the skin for procedures, as well as in hardware techniques that promote deeper penetration of its active components. Additional cosmetics are good to use in combination with ultrasound, cavitation, RF, microcurrents, manual techniques, in post-procedure care for speedy rehabilitation after aggressive influences, as well as to maintain the result.

Cosmetics are used during massage, in various types of wraps and when using bandages. They can improve skin tone and turgor, have moisturizing and nourishing properties, eliminate irritation and flaking, improve blood microcirculation and, together with massage, give a good anti-cellulite effect. Essential oils in cosmetics can have a systemic effect on the entire body.

A contraindication to the use of cosmetics is the presence of allergic reactions to the components in the product, therefore, an allergy test must be performed before prescribing and using cosmetics.

First published in ​"Les Nouvelles Esthétiques Ukraine" No. 3 (109) 2018