Beauty Expert Talk: Restoring body balance after a flight

Air travel has long become part of everyday life, especially for those living in the fast pace of business and frequent trips. Yet behind this apparent ease of mobility lies a significant strain on the body. We spoke with Yulia Podgornaya, founder of the premium beauty and aesthetics salon Unique Persona in Dubai, about why flying is a physiological stress, how to recover properly, and why modern aesthetics is inseparable from body care.

Why does the body perceive flying as stress?

The body experiences air travel as a form of stress: dry cabin air, pressure changes, long hours of sitting, and disrupted sleep all affect microcirculation and the lymphatic system. This is often compounded by changes in diet and activity during travel. As a result, a person returns not only to a different time zone, but also in a state of physical overload.

You use the term “post-flight rehabilitation.” What does it mean?

It’s a systematic approach rather than a one-time treatment. It’s not just about reducing swelling, it’s about restoring lightness, energy, and a sense of balance. We treat the body and face as one integrated system, without medication working through the lymphatic system, tissues, microcirculation, and skin.

Why is the lymphatic system so important?

The lymphatic system is responsible for removing excess fluid and metabolic waste. During a flight, its function slows down, which we feel as heaviness, fatigue, and reduced concentration. That’s why lymphatic drainage is not just about “beauty,” but about overall well-being and internal resources.

Today, time is everyone’s most limited resource. How is this reflected in your approach, and what does a basic post-flight program include?

Time is indeed the key resource, which is why we combine face and body treatments. In just two hours, a client achieves results that would traditionally require multiple visits. This is not about rushing, it’s about a carefully designed recovery architecture.

Lymphatic drainage with thermal wraps, manual drainage and infrared blankets help the body eliminate 1–1.5 liters of excess fluid in a single session, provided proper hydration is maintained. For the face, treatments like HydraFacial and device-based methods such as Endospheres Evolution are used. The “magic wand” is the iCOON Laser which quickly reduces puffiness, improves contour and skin tone, and creates a feeling of lightness, energy, and a visibly slimmer silhouette.