“Intimate” issues of dermatology and cosmetology

Olga Suganyak, general practitioner, head of the anti-age department of the Academy of Scientific Beauty company (Ukraine)

Progress and globalization sometimes present us with interesting challenges. And if the majority of specialists still declare their unwillingness to “go there,” the most active cosmetologists are already filling the classrooms of special courses, the task of which is to convey information adapted from pure gynecology and endocrinology to doctors in the related field. In fact, we have two opposing fronts of specialists: some are already adopting not only PRP , biorevitalization and peelings of the intimate area, but also correction with autologous fat, fillers, threads and other advanced techniques, the other side firmly stands on its vision that this “area of ​​interest” lies outside their sphere of activity.

Why not a gynecologist?

Gynecology in Ukraine is traditionally divided into two areas: so to speak, operative (childbirth, operations, etc.) and more conservative - therapeutic (those same specialists who conduct basic consultations). Let’s immediately put aside a group of specialists from private clinics, where the management itself makes the decision to introduce a particular procedure into the list of services and is engaged in advertising the procedure (doctors from this category are by default ready for innovation). But such gynecologists are a drop in the ocean, much less than the already active cosmetologists who, with a syringe in their hands, are ready to implement new beauty standards in the intimate area. The rest have already divided their spheres of influence, and the conditions of public service impose strict limits on the list of services that a doctor can provide; The private gynecological service is a fairly small percentage compared to the private cosmetology service.

It is cosmetology, being 99% in private hands, that is the springboard for introducing innovations; the highly competitive market forces doctors to look for new products, endless “tricks” that will make patients return to them over and over again. And the patients themselves are already accustomed to the fact that a cosmetologist is not only and not just facial correction. Patients come to “revive” their hair after stress or sun, actively engage in aesthetic body correction, and ask questions about detox programs and nutrition. A modern cosmetologist himself may not know the intricacies of all diagnostic and therapeutic programs, but he is simply forced to become a kind of consultant and guide to related industries. And he also cannot disown aesthetic gynecology.

More than half of women over 35 years of age, especially in the postpartum period, experience vaginal dryness. And, without even addressing the banal (more precisely, not at all banal) problem of sexual dissatisfaction due to discomfort during sexual intercourse and, as a consequence, a decrease in the overall emotional background, no less important is the excellent opportunity for pathogenetic flora to develop in a disturbed microsphere. We are no longer talking about aesthetics, but about a woman’s health – both physical and psychological.

Peeling of the intimate area? Do you doubt its necessity? Take a closer look at the Slavic ladies on the beach who have an extra 7–8 kg. How bashfully they tie a pareo, as soon as they leave the sea, to hide the dark pigment spots on the inner surface of their thighs. It is difficult to call such sensations characteristic of a confident, healthy woman.

I will not list the entire range of aesthetic correction procedures. As in basic cosmetology, the doctor must feel and know the limits and limits: where he can help, and where the patient should be referred to related specialists, including gynecologists, endocrinologists, and surgeons. There are a number of procedures that are strictly contraindicated to be performed anywhere other than a clinic. But the basic concept of aesthetic gynecology, its understanding and implementation of intimate correction protocols into the routine work of a cosmetologist, I think, is just around the corner, and it’s time to expand your knowledge and opportunities to make your patients happier and healthier.

Often, doctors, even knowing the disappointing statistics on the prevalence of intimate problems among middle-aged patients (and this is precisely the target audience of cosmetologists), nevertheless do not imagine that every second patient is a potential client for one or another intimate correction procedure. A vicious circle of closed relationship between doctor and patient arises. The patient does not know about the possibility of correcting the problem or, even worse, suffers in silence, considering this to be the norm of growing up, or uses Internet tips and life hacks to improve the condition (often with harm to health). Finally, he is simply embarrassed to ask a question (which is also not uncommon among the population raised in a “country without sex”). The doctor does not raise this topic for the reasons “not my field”, “I don’t know how to talk about this with the patient”, “this is a very intimate question”.

First of all, it is necessary to inform the patient that such problems exist and their therapy is the norm, the procedures are performed by you or in your salon.

Don't expect the patient to ask you the question. This topic is not yet sufficiently promoted on the Internet, and word of mouth of “girlfriends’ advice”, due to the delicacy of the topic, also works much weaker. Printed materials and properly filmed videos shown in the waiting area will help you. Naturally, not video procedures with a “before” and “after” view, as can often be seen when promoting beauty procedures. This should be a neat video with information about the problem and correction methods, filmed, for example, in the form of an interview between a doctor and a blogger or journalist and launched with subtitles on the screen in the pre-procedure waiting area. It will force many patients to take the very first and most important step - ask their doctor a question. And your task is to explain to the patient that the problem is widespread, that this procedure is performed by many people - from celebrities to the simplest people, and not by employees of the escort services sector (a common misconception of patients), that this is your direct task, the doctor’s task , - to help the patient regain health, and this is no more intimate and delicate than any other beauty or anti-aging procedure.

The high trust that a patient places in his cosmetologist is a guarantee of success that will allow each of you to introduce intimate correction protocols into your work and make caring for the health of your patients comprehensive and comprehensive.

First published in ​"Les Nouvelles Esthétiques Ukraine" No. 5 (111) 2018