This informal CPD article ‘The Healing Power of Human Touch: A Beauty Therapist’s Guide’ was provided by Tatiana Vorontsova, Director at Pro-Age Aesthetics Academy, a wellness and beauty education clinic in London.
In a world filled with technology and screens, Instagram filters and AI algorithms, the human touch remains one of the most powerful and profound forms of connection and healing. For beauty therapists, the ability to harness the healing potential of touch is not only a skill but an art form that needs to be practiced and perfected. In this article, we explore the significance of human touch for beauty therapists, its therapeutic benefits, and the art of providing healing touch to clients.
“TOUCH COMES BEFORE SIGHT, BEFORE SPEACH. IT IS THE FIRST LANGUAGE, AND THE LAST, AND IT ALWAYS TELLS THE TRUTH.”
Margaret Atwood
Understanding the Essence of Human Touch
Human touch is one of our fundamental needs as humans and a primal form of communication. From the moment we are born, touch is an integral part of our lives. It is the first sense to develop in the womb, and it continues to play a significant role throughout our lives. For beauty therapists, understanding the essence of human touch is essential to the art of their practice.
Facial massage is not just about manipulating muscles and soft tissues; it's about creating a profound connection with the client through touch. It's about recognizing the human need for physical contact, comfort, and relaxation. This fundamental understanding sets the foundation for a successful therapy practice. Let’s explore just a few benefits that mindful touch provides.
The Therapeutic Benefits of Human Touch
The therapeutic benefits of human touch are well-documented and extend beyond merely the physical realm. For beauty therapists just like any other manual practitioners, these benefits are the core of their practice.
1. Stress Reduction: The power of a comforting touch is unparalleled in reducing stress and anxiety. The release of oxytocin during physical contact promotes relaxation and a sense of well-being. It is a quick way to switch the body into parasympathetic nervous mode response where natural rejuvenation occurs.
2. Improved Circulation: Massage increases blood flow, which aids in the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to cells, helping the body to heal and function optimally. Facial muscles are incredibly responsive to the manual manipulations – that’s one of the reasons facial massage has received a wide-spread recognition over the last decade or so.
3. Skin Quality: With all the heal benefits that facial massage provides, it is impossible for skin to remain dull. Multiple studies have confirmed time and again the positive impact facial massage has on overall skin health including skin tone, elasticity, radiance and overall glow. Remember – if there is flow, there is glow!
4. Enhanced Immunity: Regular massage has been shown to boost the immune system by increasing the production of natural killer cells, strengthening the body's defence mechanisms and stimulating the lymphatic flow which takes away toxins and metabolises cells life waste products faster, improving the overall health of the tissue.
5. Mental Wellness: Human touch is vital for emotional and mental health. It can help with conditions like depression and anxiety by promoting relaxation and a sense of connectedness. Recent pandemic unleashed the universal human need for connection, and humanity began to appreciate the role that touch-based services play. Recent scientific study (1) confirmed that a facial massage can be an effective instrument in correcting the psycho-emotional state of the clients.
6. Improved Sleep: Massage therapy can enhance the quality of sleep, making it an excellent choice for individuals with sleep disorders. It’s a known fact that massage balances the nervous system and has a positive impact on cardio-vascular health as well, decreasing cortisol and increasing dopamine and serotonin levels in the body which promotes general relaxation.
7. Posture and Body Awareness: A beautiful face cannot exist without a beautiful posture. It’s vital to understand that body is one ecosystem and should be viewed and treated holistically for the long term, sustainable results. Massage can improve posture and body awareness, helping clients to better understand and care for their bodies. Most of us travel through life not realising the amount of tension we hold in our bodies, let alone our faces. So, adding a facial massage is one of the ways to bring that awareness and alleviate the residual tension we hold in our faces.
“WHEN YOU TOUCH ONE THING WITH AWARENESS, YOU TOUCH EVERYTHING.”
Lao Tzu