The last few months have lent themselves beautifully to contemplation and re-evaluation of life, and values which we live by.
Holism and allopathy have been preoccupying my thinking because I feel that they are at the base of many skin/health discussions. It seems like a timely topic to address if even for the sole purpose of consciously reclaiming one or the other for ourselves.
One thing is for sure; allopathy or holism is driving your choices regarding skin care, health care and your perception of life.
We use the term ‘holistic’ or ‘wholistic’ attached to skin care a lot but I can’t help but notice that many are still not completely clear on what exactly is the meaning behind the word ‘holism’. And allopathy may seem like the word which belongs only with western medicine but it actually applies to skin care as well.
So, aware or not, you are either holistic or allopathic in your approach and choosing one or the other consciously will definitely be more productive..
Allopathic medicine or allopathy, refers to science-based, modern medicine, such as the use of medications or surgery to treat or suppress symptoms or the ill effects of disease.
Allopathic medicine is distinct in how it views health, the human body and the world.
In my simple words allopathy likes to dissect and put things apart and then look and analyze the components as separate from each other.
A good example would be my very last visit to a family doctor a few years back.
I went hoping to get my blood work done on the recommendation of my Ayurvedic doctor.
When I tried to explain the multiple symptoms which I was experiencing at that time, the doctor stopped me and said ‘one problem per visit please’. I responded ‘but what if all the symptoms are related?’. The doctor responded ‘as I said we will look at one problem per visit’.
Holism, holistic skin care, holistic health, holistic life are all about embracing the whole and humbly observing the intertwining interactions of all that exists.
One of my teachers says something very important. He says that you can get to know body parts or its systems by dissection but you will never know or understand life in its entirety by this process.
And here holism or a holistic approach offers us a very different way of understanding disease and skin health and ultimately life itself.
The dictionary tells us that ‘holism’ is a theory that the universe and especially living nature is correctly seen in terms of interacting wholes (as of living organisms) that are more than the mere sum of elementary particles.
So let’s look at skin care and the allopathic and the holistic approach.
How does allopathy translate to skin care?
Let’s take an acne client as an example. The allopathic approach focuses on reducing oil production, speeding up skin cell turnover, fighting bacterial infection or reducing inflammation. This is often done with the application of aggressive, suppressive and strong acting products.
If topical treatment by an aesthetician will not bring the desired results then you have the option of seeing your medical doctor to get oral medication which suppresses your symptoms. If this is all that you are looking for than it may be to your satisfaction.
How does holism translate to skin care?
Continuing with our example of an acne client, a holistic skin care professional will take time to investigate what is causing the symptom, in this case acne.
This includes focusing on the underlying imbalances of digestion, hormones, stress and emotions which can also be causing painful or irregular menses, acid reflux, gluten intolerance, allergies or polycystic ovaries… After careful analysis a topical plant based treatment along with a specific face massage technique will be prescribed to support the skin function but most importantly dietary, lifestyle habit adjustments will be recommended to bring about healing. It is very important to note that In the holistic approach, you are an active participant in your healing process.
Your holistic skin care professional of today is often educated in an array of natural medicine modalities including nutrition, plant medicine, Ayurveda, TCM, massage therapy… If they deem your skin health problem beyond their scope of practice or needing broader support, they may refer you to a natural medicine doctor.
I hope that this basic comparison will help you decide consciously which makes more sense to you.
So is it allopathy or holism?
Magdalena xo