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The Aesthetics Edit

Welcome to The Aesthetics Edit™ - our educational platform at the intersection of art, beauty, medicine and science.


Explore by category and read our latest articles below,

or see a full list of all of our pieces here

 

Latest articles

Madam C.J. Walker
Medical History Dr Emmaline Ashley Medical History Dr Emmaline Ashley

Madam C.J. Walker


We all know I love a little bit of medical history - but I thought I would change it up a little in this article and focus on a pioneering woman in beauty history.


In the late 19th century, Sarah Breedlove—later known as Madam C.J. Walker—emerged as the first self-made female millionaire. The first child in her family born into freedom after the Emancipation Proclamation, Sarah’s early years were steeped in adversity. Yet, from these humble beginnings, she rose to become an emblem of resilience, ingenuity, and empowerment for African American women across the nation.

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The History of Lasers
Medical History, Lasers Dr Emmaline Ashley Medical History, Lasers Dr Emmaline Ashley

The History of Lasers

Ever wondered how lasers went from a sci-fi fantasy to an everyday reality in medicine and beauty? Let's dive into an incredible journey from their theoretical beginnings to the cutting-edge technology we use today. Swipe through to uncover the fascinating story of lasers and how they’ve transformed the world of dermatology and beyond. It's time to shine a light on the past, present, and future of lasers.

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The Original Facial Sculptor
Medical History Dr Emmaline Ashley Medical History Dr Emmaline Ashley

The Original Facial Sculptor

In the depths of World War I's brutality, where the relentless fury of warfare left countless soldiers disfigured and shattered, one woman emerged as a the original facial sculptor.


Anna Coleman Ladd, an extraordinary artist, dedicated her life transforming the lives of countless soldiers. She created intricately detailed facial masks, allowing them to regain their identities and reclaim their place in society.


In this article, we delve into the inspiring tale of Anna Coleman Ladd, whose artistry sculpted not just faces but also a profound legacy of resilience and compassion.

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The Guinea Pig Club
Medical History, Plastic Surgery Dr Emmaline Ashley Medical History, Plastic Surgery Dr Emmaline Ashley

The Guinea Pig Club

There are so many incredible stories in medical history, especially when it comes to plastic surgery and cosmetic medicine. As I’ve discussed previously, the origin of a lot of aesthetic medical techniques come from the horrific injuries sustained during the World Wars and the innovation and brilliance of the clinicians who tried to treat them.


One of my favourite stories is about the Guinea Pig Club.

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Eternal Beauty: Exploring the Aesthetic Concepts That Stand the Test of Time
Cosmetic Doctors Dr Emmaline Ashley Cosmetic Doctors Dr Emmaline Ashley

Eternal Beauty: Exploring the Aesthetic Concepts That Stand the Test of Time

Certain timeless aesthetic trends continue to inspire and influence us. These enduring trends have remained popular throughout history and continue to shape the way we think about beauty today. They are good guiding principles when you start treatment planning for any patient.

In this article, we will explore some of the aesthetic trends that stand the test of time.

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Deadly Beauty: The History of Radiation in Cosmetic Medicine
Medical History Dr Emmaline Ashley Medical History Dr Emmaline Ashley

Deadly Beauty: The History of Radiation in Cosmetic Medicine

Sometimes when we look back in the history of cosmetic medicine, we can appreciate how far we have really come. In the early 20th century amazing scientific discoveries were made - but how dangerous they could be was not always fully appreciated at the time. One classic example of this was the use of radiation in aesthetic medicine - a deadly beauty trend with mortal consequences.

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A Brief History of Sunscreen
Medical History Dr Emmaline Ashley Medical History Dr Emmaline Ashley

A Brief History of Sunscreen

Sunscreen has a long and rich history, dating back thousands of years to ancient civilizations. While we have perfected it in the 21st century and innovations are ongoing, protecting your skin has never been a new thing.


Let’s take a whirlwind tour through this fascinating topic!

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The Spies who Underwent Plastic Surgery
Medical History, Plastic Surgery Dr Emmaline Ashley Medical History, Plastic Surgery Dr Emmaline Ashley

The Spies who Underwent Plastic Surgery

t sounds like something out of a Hollywood film, but it really did happen! In the shadowy world of wartime espionage, an elite group of spies and secret group of plastic surgeons worked together to sculpt new faces and new identities during World War II.


Recently de-classified documents from Britain’s Special Operations Executive (SOE) have revealed this fascinating chapter in medical history.

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Life in Plastic: The True Origin of Cosmetic Medicine
Plastic Surgery Dr Emmaline Ashley Plastic Surgery Dr Emmaline Ashley

Life in Plastic: The True Origin of Cosmetic Medicine

My first love was plastic surgery - and I always find it interesting to see the connotation associated with it today. People call women “plastic” as an insult, evoking the image of a Barbie doll, shaped and unnaturally molded to a male-centric ideal.

That is not what plastic surgery (or aesthetic medicine) is, was, or should be.

Plastic comes from the Greek “plastike”(teckhne) the art of modeling or sculpting, meaning return to form and function.

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Madame Anna Ruppert: The Beauty Doctor’s Dangerous Legacy
Medical History Dr Emmaline Ashley Medical History Dr Emmaline Ashley

Madame Anna Ruppert: The Beauty Doctor’s Dangerous Legacy

The story of Madame Anna Ruppert is a fascinating one. She was clearly an enterprising and ambitious woman, but one who did not let her lack of medical training get in the way of selling beauty to others. For a brief time she reached dizzying heights of fame and renown, lecturing to sold out crowds (an unheard of feat for most women of the time), enduring attempts on her life via poisoning, and finally ending her career exposed as a fraud.

She is a fascinating and complex woman - clearly someone ahead of her time and determined to forge her own way in the world. But she has also left behind a dangerous legacy, one that is echoed in the current landscape of the UK aesthetics world today.

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“Fox Eyes:” My Eyes Are Not Your Beauty Trend
Aesthetic Medicine, Medical History Dr Emmaline Ashley Aesthetic Medicine, Medical History Dr Emmaline Ashley

“Fox Eyes:” My Eyes Are Not Your Beauty Trend

The first second I saw #foxeye trending, an instant little curl of disgust went through me. Whether it was through posing, make-up, or thread lifts, I was bombarded with image after image of mostly white women pulling up and slanting their eyes as if it were a fashion statement.

Some of my earliest memories from school are of fellow students pulling up their eyes in the same gesture towards me - this time not as a beauty trend but as a taunt and insult.

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A Trip Back in Time: 100 Years of Cosmetic Medicine
Medical History Dr Emmaline Ashley Medical History Dr Emmaline Ashley

A Trip Back in Time: 100 Years of Cosmetic Medicine

Modern practices of cosmetic medicine can be traced back to the turn of the 20th century, but these stories and the people they are made up of are often relegated to being curious footnotes in medical history.

I want to take you on a little trip back in time, 100 years ago, to see the birth of modern cosmetic medicine in the States and the UK. You’ll read about non-medical charlatans, and some of the pioneers of this medical specialty. Of greater interest, you will see the parallels between the unregulated practice of a century ago, and the field of medical aesthetics in the UK today.

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Cleopatra Metrodora: The First Female Cosmetic Surgeon in the Ancient World
Medical History, Plastic Surgery, Aesthetic Medicine Dr Emmaline Ashley Medical History, Plastic Surgery, Aesthetic Medicine Dr Emmaline Ashley

Cleopatra Metrodora: The First Female Cosmetic Surgeon in the Ancient World

Cleopatra Metrodora is an incredible and fascinating figure from the ancient world: an example of one of the first ever female physicians in a time where men absolutely dominated the scientific and medical landscape.

While she focused her surgical procedures on women’s health issues, mostly in the field of obstetrics and gynaecology, she also pioneered the first documented instances of cosmetic surgery in women.

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A Brief History of Aesthetic Medicine and Plastic Surgery in China
Medical History, Plastic Surgery Dr Emmaline Ashley Medical History, Plastic Surgery Dr Emmaline Ashley

A Brief History of Aesthetic Medicine and Plastic Surgery in China

Ideals of beauty and approaches to aesthetic medicine vary across time and across the world. But make no mistake, the pursuit of youth and beauty has always been a fundamental part of being human.

We explored this concept broadly in our article about the history of aesthetic medicine, but for this piece I wanted to focus on a place close to my heart: Asia. I am half-Chinese, and was lucky enough to grow up with plenty of Chinese culture through my mother and my grandparents. I was also interested to look at the history of plastic surgery and aesthetic medicine in this part of the world, particularly as plastic surgery is now booming in countries like South Korea and China.

So let’s explore a brief history of aesthetic medicine and plastic surgery in China.

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