Women in Medicine: A Brief History in Photographs

Medical History
Written By Dr Emmaline Ashley

Let's talk the incredible history of women in medicine.
I want to share some absolutely gorgeous photographs of some incredible women - their names should be immortalised. See some amazing photographs of the the first female doctors in the world.

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The Chamber of Horrors: When Cosmetics Really Were Dangerous
Medical History
The Chamber of Horrors: When Cosmetics Really Were Dangerous
Medical History

In 1933, a shocking exhibit toured America, displaying products that had blinded women, caused permanent hair loss, and even killed unsuspecting consumers. The "American Chamber of Horrors," as it came to be known, featured genuinely toxic cosmetic products, that contrast sharply with how remarkably safe modern products actually are.

Yet somehow, in our era cosmetic safety and regulation, we've developed an irrational fear of "chemicals" and "toxins" in beauty products. The irony is striking: we've never been safer from cosmetic harm, yet we've never been more frightened of our makeup bags.

Let's explore how the real horrors of unregulated cosmetics led to the robust safety framework we have today - and why most modern "clean beauty" fears fundamentally misunderstand how cosmetic regulation actually works.

Medical History
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Medical History
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Medical History

Some of the most groundbreaking discoveries in medicine happen completely by accident. From penicillin to X-rays, chance has shaped modern healthcare in ways we could never have planned. But perhaps no accidental discovery has had quite the same impact on dermatology and aesthetics as the revelation that a powerful acne treatment could turn back the clock on ageing skin.

Let explore the story of how tretinoin - also known as Retin-A - went from being a treatment for severe acne to becoming the gold standard in anti-ageing skincare. Because, as we shall see, behind this revolutionary treatment lies one of dermatology's darkest chapters.

Medical History
The Lipstick Law That Never Was: The Myth of Deceptive Beauty
Medical History
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Medical History

In the colourful history of cosmetics, few stories have taken on such a life of their own as the so-called Lipstick Ban of 1770. Allegedly passed by the British Parliament, this infamous “act” decreed that any woman who used makeup to deceive a man into marriage could be tried for witchcraft, and that the marriage would be rendered null and void.

Medical History
Dr Emmaline Ashley
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