Instead of unconscious bias, focus on conscious inclusion

The aesthetics industry has come a long way in recent years regarding diversity, but there is still a long way to go. DD and Med-FX director of aesthetics and beauty Vivienne Braidwood explains to editor Anna Dobbie why the industry needs to shift its focus to ‘conscious inclusion’.

Diversity in the aesthetics industry has improved since Vivienne Braidwood joined 18 years ago. “I recall the first time I noticed more diversity on the catwalk and fashion magazines,” reminisces Braidwood. “For non-white skin there was Naomi, then you had Kate Moss, who was a bit shorter than average. Older models and ones with tattoos, disabilities or various skin conditions now feature regularly.”

Braidwood feels that the aesthetics industry has historically been behind the curve when it comes to the adoption of technology or social changes – taking its lead from fashion and popular culture as trends become more mainstream. “I’ve been in spaces where there’s a cookiecutter look and feel to the people in the room or to the treatments that are being provided. We’re taking steps in the right direction but there’s still some way to go.

“The good news is that people are now starting to celebrate differences, rather than attempting to achieve the same results on different people. If a patient comes in and says, ‘I want so-and-so’s lips’, especially impressionable or younger patients, I think the practitioner has a duty of care to have a conversation to determine the suitability, so the treatment can be tailored to the individual because everybody is unique.”

CELEBRATING DIFFERENCE

This shift in appreciating unique beauty is causing treatments to evolve, according to Braidwood. “We’re moving away from this historically Western ideal of beauty – the more representation of different types of people we have out there, the more these diverse representations of beauty become normalised and even celebrated.

“For example, if you were to collect back issues of Vogue from 10 different countries around the world -Japan, China, Mexico, England, etc - the models on the front covers would all look very similar. However, now they’re celebrating different face shapes, body sizes, skin tones, hair types, and all that good stuff.”

With any industry, the more people that request a product or service, the more innovation there will be in associated tools, products, and technology. However, Braidwood doesn’t accept that increased innovation automatically leads to increased diversity.

“If you think a certain way, the tools of the trade, your skills and the levels of innovation might increase, but you will retain an unconscious bias in your thinking. On Instagram, you can see that some practitioners have a particular style — no matter who the client is, you can tell the person that did that treatment.

“There is a wealth of documented evidence that more diverse teams lead to innovation and improve the business’s bottom line. Many practitioners tend to stick with techniques or products that they are familiar with, confident in and getting great results from. However, this can limit their client base or make them less effective or less confident when treating customers who are not typical ofwhat they are used to. In this industry, we work in isolation so you don’t get as much opportunity to see what your colleagues are doing and how they work.

“If you have diverse teams and create a space for them to share ideas, techniques, outcomes and workshop problems, every member will come away with something different. People will ask, ‘How did you achieve that?’ and then they put that new tool in their toolbox. All rise together.”

AN AESTHETICS HORROR STORY

Braidwood remembers telling her team horror stories of when she was burned and badly hurt by treatments: “The first time I tried IPL a few decades ago, for instance, it just didn’t occur to the practitioner that it wouldn’t work for my skin type. Some of my team said ‘Oh, I’d have done that, and it would have been me hurting my patient’. So, for them, it was interesting to hear about that experience. Similarly with hair – I’ve got Afro hair and people assume it’s really tough, but actually, it’s probably the weakest kind of hair, because the more kinks hair has, the softer you should handle it. If you didn’t know, you’d just drag a comb through it. I love sharing and learning in this way as diverse teams increase the level of understanding and therefore enhance problem-solving and client care.”

A lack of confidence and wanting to look and feel their best is one of the key reasons people seek out aesthetic treatments. The consultation process is therefore very important, so practitioners can listen to what the customer thinks they need and advise accordingly including any further considerations or concerns about what they are asking for.

“I think what’s sexy for 2023 is your own skin, the skin that you’re in. We take better care of our jackets, our dresses, shirts, shoes, handbags, and belts, which can all be replaced.

“People are realising that they’ve only got one skin, they don’t get another. The treatments that are going to take off are the ones that give you the best skin possible and increase your confidence because you feel great in your skin and uniquely beautiful as you are.

“The good news is that treatment plans and skin treatments products and devices are becoming more inclusive as there is such a wide variety of solutions out there and clients now have access to an equally wide variety of innovative, safe, highly effective, ethical post-treatment aftercare that they can maintain and prolong results with at home.”

CONSCIOUS INCLUSION

Looking at inclusion, Braidwood feels that people need to reframe the conversation around unconscious bias. “Unconscious bias is a provocative term that is often perceived as having negative connotations. We are all biased in one way or another – it’s a completely natural phenomenon and we’re often not even aware of it which is why we use the term ‘unconscious’. As soon as you mention it, the walls go up and people start thinking ‘what are you saying that I’m not doing?’ I’m a glass-half-full person and like to focus on what we do have at our disposal, not what’s lacking – hence my preference for the term ‘conscious inclusion’.

“People reading this article may generally accept that it’s something that we all do and that we don’t do it deliberately or with bad intent. I believe most people are good, it’s not like they’re out to intentionally exclude anybody. If you can start from that basis, thinking ‘What is it that I don’t know? What is it that I’m not seeing?’, then the remedy is to practice conscious inclusion.

“Whenever you’re launching a new product or have big decisions that are going to impact your client base, involve them. They are a diverse set of people. How can you have a discussion that impacts your client without including them? You’ll most likely find they’ll come up with things that you hadn’t even thought of.

“I recall one instance where a clinician put SPF on me at the end of the treatment and I looked like a ghost as it didn’t blend into my skin and left a bluish-white residue. You could see the practitioner struggling with words. In that instance, don’t be embarrassed, just have a conversation, ask questions, and look for solutions. The worst that can happen is that you both learn something and find a better solution. People love authentic vulnerability. If you’re genuinely asking somebody something about themselves, that shows them that you care enough to inquire, because you want to give them the very best outcome. I don’t know anyone that wouldn’t respond positively to that.”

“When you say conscious inclusion, what you are saying is ‘this is in your power to change – this is something you can do and it’s a positive’.”