“Beauty is an experience, nothing else. It is not a fixed pattern or an arrangement of features. It is something felt, aglow, or communicated sense of fineness.” – H. Lawrence
The meaning and importance of beauty and aesthetic wellness differs from person to person. What is attractive to me is likely very different than what is attractive to you. And that’s OK.
That said, as one of my 5 Pillars of Health and Wellness©, I believe that aesthetic wellness is a critical component to overall well-being. It’s very important to understand that aesthetic wellness doesn’t mean making you look like the cover model on a magazine. Instead, it’s all about you feeling good about how you look. Like I said, we don’t all look the same (how boring would that be?), but we do want to feel good about how we present ourselves to the world and how other people perceive us.
For some people, their appearance may cause anxiety or depression, which are very real and serious health issues. Lack of aesthetic wellness may also hold people back from being socially engaged and active in their community.
In my family medicine practice, I have found that taking a natural and minimalist approach to aesthetic wellness can overall improve my patients’ mental well-being and self-confidence. This is especially important as we age. Aging is a natural process and we all go through it. But it is possible to age with grace and vigor, which can also keep you feeling mentally young.
There are many techniques that can improve your aesthetic appearance and overall well-being, ranging from skin rejuvenation to laser therapy to PRP (platelet-rich plasma) therapy.
Neuro modulators, such as BOTOX®, can help with diminishing fine lines and wrinkles, along with being used as a preventative tool for developing new lines and wrinkles.
Hyaluronic acid fillers can be used to improve deeper lines and wrinkles, along with filling in areas of fat loss and enhancement of lips, cheeks, liquid nose augmentation, and many other areas.
PRP has also been used in the lips, cheeks and nose areas for a more natural filler. This technique also increases the body’s ability to produce its own collagen and blood vessel formation in the areas of injection. Some PRP procedures, like the “Vampire Facial,” have been used for many years by celebrities and at many aesthetic practices for skin rejuvenation.
“Never lose an opportunity of seeing anything beautiful, for beauty is God’s handwriting.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
In addition to aesthetic procedures, there are many well-known skin care lines and skin care products that have been used in high-end aesthetic practices for many years. I always warn my patients that the quality of these products really matters. Many of these skin care products have xenoestrogens (estrogen mimicking compounds), which can be harmful in many ways to both men and women. I encourage my patients to look into natural skin care product lines, which can be helpful to the skin and less damaging to overall health.
A new approach to aesthetics involves taking a deeper look into patients’ health. Diet and nutrition have a significant impact on whether you have healthy skin and are aging gracefully, or you have unhealthy skin and are aging poorly. Foods high in simple sugars and carbohydrates tend to lead to more inflammation in the body and throughout the G.I. (gastrointestinal) system, which in turn can set off an inflammatory aging process and cellular damage.
Damage to the G.I. system and inflammation can also cause poor circulation and micronutrient deficiencies, which negatively impacts healthy skin reproduction and the building of collagen. Research has also found that certain bacteria and yeast overgrowth in the gut can contribute to unwanted acne, dry skin/psoriasis, skin discoloration, and poor skin tone.
Poor lifestyle habits, such as smoking tobacco and excessive alcohol consumption, can also contribute to a poor aging process. Sun damage is probably the leading cause of aging and skin abnormalities. It is very important to protect yourself from harmful sun rays and use the proper protective sunscreen when necessary.
There are many supplements that have also been shown to improve the anti-aging process on a cellular level and decrease inflammation. Some of my favorite anti-aging supplements include Biocharged (Ozone Capsules), Spermidine, UltraCur, Mitocore, and Bone Broth. (Check out Dr. Cas’ Cabinet for more details on my favorite supplements.) These have all been shown to improve cellular aging and decrease cellular damage by lowering inflammation throughout the body.
Bottom line: We all look different, but we all want to feel good about how we look. By improving confidence in one’s appearance, we can also improve feelings of anxiety and depression, which in turn can help somebody become more engaging and social. There are many ways to achieve aesthetic wellness and we take the approach of being as natural in our process as possible.
“The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched – they must be felt with the heart.” – Hellen Keller