touch me

OK, I could talk about skin and it's anatomy and physiology till I'm blue in the face (many would say I have been known to do so), the benefits of the right facial for skin health can be life changing, however, I want to highlight the 'other' benefits of a facial given by it's ultimate superpower...

The power of touch.

Yep, touch.

In a world with increasingly less need for face to face social connection and interaction, this superpower is often neglected, yet, a wide range of studies and research demonstrates that touch is fundamental to human health!

The effect of skin on skin contact has well documented emotional and physical benefits, research comes from fields of study such as chronic pain, cardiovascular health, Alzheimer's, autism, neonate and preterm infant health, behavioural disorders, anxiety, and depression, to name a few.

Basic warm touch stimulates touch receptors underneath the skin, and activates the body's vagus nerve, this can trigger responses that calm the nervous system, lowering blood pressure and cortisol levels, and triggering release of oxytocin (aka the love hormone) effectively reducing mental, emotional and physical stress and anxiety.

A facial, with it's myriad of skin health benefits, is also an act of deliberate, focused and attentive touch, allowing you to reap all of the 'touch' benefits without distraction.

So there you go... now let me touch you, science says it'll be good for the both of us.

With love,

x L

Cue Nina Jablonski.

Anthropologist, Palaeobiologist, and a heroine in the fields of skin, human diversity and racism.

Nina has been an unknowing mentor to me and is one of my favourite humans! Her 2007 PopTech talk below is a beautifully presented message of the power of touch and how our underappreciated skin holds the key to our humanity.

Check it out.