The Beauty Machine
I recently had the pleasure of photographing the annual Clinical Cosmetic Regenerative (CCR) Congress at the ExCel centre in London over two days. The expo is the largest event dedicated to medical aesthetics and regenerative medicine in the UK and showcases the latest innovations and technologies within the beauty and cosmetics industry from around the world.
The event is based on scientific and medical research and takes the form of panel discussions and presentations by doctors and specialists on a diverse set of topics. These range from medical longevity, women’s health and the menopause, to the regenerative potentials of fat grafting. There were even live-streamed demonstrations of cosmetic procedures using injectables.
Alongside what might be considered more mainstream cosmetics like traditional moisturisers and such, there were a lot of high tech machines employing a variety of methods to deliver various promises, like the regeneration of skin cells, retention of epidermal moisture, or removal cellulite etc. Among the treatments on offer methods of delivery included the use of needles, temperature (both hot and cold), magnetic pulses, atmospheric pressure, and breathing oxygen enriched air, often accompanied by lights in different colours. The general goal seemed to be the reduction of visible signs of aging and to achieve the desired look of today’s beauty standard.
I do believe that the majority of treatments being demonstrated would have a genuine beneficial impact on the particular biological processes being targeted. But in some instances it was hard for me to separate the actual science from the pseudo-science on display. The tendency within the beauty and cosmetics industry towards wearing medical style gowns seems to indicate tacit acceptance of a clinical process behind the product on offer, and in so doing confers a degree of medical and/or scientific credibility. That may just be my own interpretation as a photographer searching for a narrative, but combined with the use of scientific terminology and jargon, the messaging within the cosmetics industry offers a narrative of modern scientific and medical breakthroughs rather than a desire to increase sales and profit margins.
Photographically of course, it provided fascinating and at times quirky subject matter. I also spoke to some very interesting people from around the world who were more than happy to explain the positive impact of the procedures they were promoting. To find out more about CCR, visit the Clinical Cosmetic Regenerative (CCR) Congress website.
