To feel completely comfortable with and in your skin, it is important to take care of it. But skin problems, such as dry skin, acne, rashes and skin diseases can quickly upset the balance of the skin. When is it best to entrust my skin to a doctor, and when does it make sense to go to a beautician? The dream of flawless beauty and clear skin is a relic from ancient times, yet still topical. Reducing wrinkles, acne treatments and skin tightening have never been so popular. Especially anti-aging treatments have a high value in the field of skin care and cosmetics.
Modern cosmetics for the skin
Modern forms of treatment from cosmetics can achieve positive effects not only superficially on the skin, but also promise an intensive effect with deep power. Increasingly popular in cosmetics so also products that can achieve verifiable results through scientific studies, so-called cosmeceuticals or dermacosmetics.
Cosmeceutical is made up of the words cosmetic and pharmaceutical, dermocosmetics has a part of speech from dermatology (the study of skin diseases). Both word creations signal to the consumer that cosmetics and medicine are very close.
In fact, certain concerns from cosmetics merge with the possibilities of medicine. However, it is not always easy for customers and patients to recognize when their skin problem requires medical treatment or when they can expect their desired results with the services of a cosmetician.
Cosmetics and the legal regulation
Cosmetics is regulated by law in Germany by the Cosmetics Ordinance. This states which tasks and which guidelines are to be observed within the framework of cosmetics, which substances and materials may be used. However, there are many legal gray areas in the combination of cosmetics and medicine. Not all activities are clearly defined as cosmetics or medicine.
Especially in anti-aging, there are many offers for treatment on the market, which, in addition to positive effects, can also have side effects that could possibly have a negative impact on health. Of course, a beautician is not allowed to make diagnoses, but she must be able to recognize the condition of the skin to be able to classify it for proper care also in a skin type.
Acne, anti-aging and healthy skin
Acne is one of the most common problems of the skin. Within cosmetics, depending on the severity of acne, it is possible to achieve relief. However, there are, of course, limits in cosmetics for the treatment of acne. Therefore, it makes sense to have skin changes and skin diseases professionally clarified by a doctor before taking any measures in cosmetics. Often a combination of medical treatment and cosmetic supplement is the perfect solution. In anti-aging, plastic and aesthetic operations as well as wrinkle injections with Botox are generally reserved for a doctor.
However, not clearly regulated by law in anti aging are injections of wrinkles with natural or synthetic materials. Very popular in the offer of cosmetics is also the so-called “fat-away injection” and wrinkle smoothing by means of mesotherapy. But here too, caution is advised, in Germany mesotherapy is considered to be one of the healing professions. Only a doctor, non-medical practitioner or a beautician with appropriate additional qualifications may offer these treatments in anti-aging.
Foot care – cosmetic or medical?
Since 2002, the podiatrist law has come into force. Cosmetologists and podiatrists who do not have the appropriate additional training are allowed to offer only cosmetic foot care since then. Diseases of the nail, such as athlete’s foot, or diabetics with foot problems thus belong to the podiatrist or, depending on the severity, treatment by a doctor is also required here.
By the way, cooperations between a doctor and a cosmetic studio are ideal. Many medical practices even offer beauticians their own treatment room for cosmetics in their practice, so that patients and customers can benefit from both expertise.
