Terminology

AHA (Eng.) – Alpha Hydroxy Acids. The most important are – glycolic acid, lactic acid. Used in exfoliation. 

Aromatherapy – a method in natural medicine and cosmetology in which natural essential plant oils are used, entered into the organism through respiratory ducts or through the skin.

Balneotherapy – the field in medicine in which natural medicinal materials are applied, such as mineral water contained in some spas as well as peloids. 

Blend – electrolysis and thermolysis. A technique used in hair removal.

Botuline – botulinous toxin. Carefully dozed, injected into the mimic muscles, reduces wrinkles without complications. The result visible after the first injection remains for approximately six months. After each subsequent injection the results remain for a longer period of time.

Cellulite (“orange peel”) – hardening of fatty tissue – changes in the quality of fatty tissue, the layer of skin located underneath the dermis (corium), characterized by the presence of peculiar fatty cells called adypocytes. Cellulite means changes of the microstructure of fatty tissue.

Cellulitis – inflammation of the connective tissue underlying the skin, often confused for Cellulite.

Chromotherapy – colour and light therapy – red and purple are stimulating; blue is calming, anaesthetic, anti-pruritus, sudorific, antipyretic, antiphlogistic and analgesic; violet is calming, inhibiting the motorics of the muscles; yellow affects the central nervous system, alimentary system and lymphatic system; orange affects the respiratory system, has diastolic effect, stimulate functions of the stomach; green regulates functions of the brain, has antiseptic and disinfecting effects; green and yellow colour stimulates metabolism, affects the respiratory system, stimulates growth of bone tissue.

D'Arsonvalization – a medical treatment entailing acting on the skin with electric current of great frequencies.

Iontophoreis – insertion of diluted medicines through the skin by means of electric current. Basic indication to apply ionophoresis with the consideration of the means in use: scars, skin allergies, vascular and motor disorders, in vascular skin and acne. It may be widely used in aesthetic medicine to improve appearance of skin. 

Electrocoagulation – means coagulation of protein of the tissues through its thermal damage. Electrocoagulation employs electrodes of various shapes: needles, needles with a ball, or knives. Indications for electrocoagulation are: common warts, serum warts, closing blond vessels, discolorations, unwanted hair. 

Depilation (Epilation) – removal of hair; there are different kinds of depilation: roentgen depilation, thallium depilation, chemical depilation (cosmetic depilation preparations) and mechanical depilation.

Dermabrasion – deep peeling – used not only to destroy the epidermis but also the upper layers of the dermis. 

Lymphatic drainage – a kind of massage through which lymph is relocated. There is manual drainage (massage), electrostymulating (with micro-current stimulating lymphatic glands), with an appliance for pressotherapy (filling pressure cells with air) which is to push the lymph through by pressing. 

Exfoliation – diluting the epidermis by means of fruit acids, entailing gradual, gentile and differentiated application of subsequent preparations, in order to reduce or eliminate various defects of the complexion, such as: discolorations, common acne, seborrhoea, wrinkles, dry and peeling skin. Exfoliation softens the skin and makes sit more elastic, and closes the pores. Exsfoliators are: a) AHA – Alpha Hydroxy Acids. amongst them are glycolic acid and lactic acid; b) BHA - Beta Hydroxy acids, such as salicylic acid; c) enzymes. 

Electrolipolysis – removal of accumulated redundant fat by means of different types of electric current. 

Electrolysis – needle depilation using galvanic current, entailing the insertion of a needle connected to a cathode into a hair follicle and the coagulation of the follicle. 

Electroporation – entails deep penetration of cosmetic products within the skin layers; this method facilitates penetration of cosmetics by opening skin canals using electric potentials and specific types of treatments. 

Electrotherapy – a field in physical medicine, using direct current and impulse currents of small and medium frequencies for medical purposes. It is applied in galvanotherapy, ionophoresis, electroacoustics, electric and water baths, electrostimulation and diathermia. 

Electrostimulation – treatment using impulse current. The most often, electrostimulation of nerves and muscles is applied. 

Galvanization – type of electrotherapy using direct current. Electric current is led to the body by means of appropriate metallic electrodes. The effect of electric current depends on the type of a pole held to the body, hence the electrode by means of which the current is transferred is called an active electrode, and the electrode closing the circuit is a passive one. It is applied in neuralgia, blond circulation disorders and flaccid paralysis. 

Hyaluronic Acid – a component of the human connective tissue and many biological fluids. It forms a film reducing the evaporation of water on the surface of the skin. It has no ability to penetrate the epidermis. Among other applications, it is used in the cosmetics of wrinkles for hypodermic filling. 

Hyperemia – local increase of blood flow, congestion. 

Hirsutism – excessive hair growth in women, caused by hormonal disorders or hormonal treatments. 

Homeostasis – the condition of biological balance, self-regulation; aiming of the organism to achieve homeostasis by means of neurohormonal mechanisms. 

Infrared – infrared radiation

IPL – removal of hair using optical methods. 

Ionophoresis – a medical method entailing the insertion of electrically charge particles – ions - into the organism through the skin or mucous membrane by means of direct current. Applied in treatments of motor organ disabilities, in damage of the nerves, blood supply disorders.
 
Cavitation – a physical phenomenon of forming bubbles filled with steam or gas, created by local drop of pressure below a specific critical value. In cosmetology – the effect of peeling off dead cells of the epidermis (superficial peeling.) 

Collagen – construction protein of the dermis (corium.) 

Criotherapy – a method of treatment using cold temperatures, entailing local, strong freezing of tissue by means of the so-called "snow" - carbon anhydride (alone or in combination with z acetone), nitrous suboxide (nitrous oxide (I)) or liquid nitrogen. Used in treatment of birthmarks, mainly vascular, warts, or lupus erythematosus.

Sollux Lamp – a lamp used in infrared and visible light phototherapy. Causes local congestion of superficial tissues. 

Lymph – a liquid filling lymphatic vessels, consisting of plasma and suspended in it cellular elements. The lymphatic system, beside the blood system, is the second system responsible for the circulation of internal body fluids.

Lipolysis – removal of accumulated redundant fat. 

Mezotherapy – a method used in medicine for treatments of various skin problems, entailing direct injection of appropriate medical substances into places changed by a disease.

Microdermabrasion - peeling – peeling off of keratinized epithelium of the epidermis or deeper to the dermis (corium.)

Vessel – in colloquial language it means problems with dilated or cracking blood vessels of skin. 

Peeling – peeling off of the epidermis.

Infrared (IR) – infrared radiation of the wavelength from 770 to 15 000 nm (nanometers.) The shorter the infrared waves, the deeper they penetrate the skin. The deepest penetration, to the subcutaneous tissue, have the rays IR-A (770-1500 nm.) Effects: increase of local metabolism, dilation of blood vessels, improvement of blood circulation, perspiration (sweating), decreased tension of muscles, alleviates pains, quickened healing processes, dehydration, loss of electrolytes.

Milium – stasis of a sebolith or a perspiratory gland. A hard, whitish formation visible from beneath the epidermis, of the size of a pin-head. Most often appears on the face.

SPA – the name is an acronym originating from the Latin "Sanus Per Aquam", meaning "Health through the Water."  Care treatments usually based on water therapies and massage, whose purpose is to improve the condition of the entire body (moisturizing, nourishment and forming of skin) and mind (relaxation, elimination of stress, stimulation and tranquillity.) 

Telangiectasis – dilated capillary blood vessels. 

Thermolysis (Diathermia) – using high frequency electric current (the so-called radio frequency, generating heat) for electrolysis and coagulation. 

Ultrasounds – sounds above the range of human hearing, i.e. of a frequency greater than 20 kHz to the area of GHz.

Absorption, resorption – the process of absorbing of solid and liquid particles by the body cells, penetration of various substances into blood and lymph through the skin. Absorption may be passive or active using certain types of energy, such as galvanic current (ionophoresis) or ultrasounds (sonophoresis.)