The birth and exponential growth of aesthetic medicine has been phenomenal. Recent technical innovation in aesthetic devices and products, coupled with an ever-increasing awareness of physical appearance and a rise in disposable income has boosted the demand for this field of medicine beyond all expectations. Its market size is presently valued at USD 60 billion and is anticipated to continue to expand at a CAGR of 10%. Now comes a book, written by one of the pioneers of this field of medicine who started one of the first aesthetic clinics in the world from his apartment in Dublin in 1999. Since then, he has built clinics around the world and won multiple international awards for his own innovations and advanced techniques, including ‘Top Aesthetic Physician in the World’ in 2019.
The history of medicine is a living one and involves much more than reflecting on the battles that have been won or lost in the ever-changing struggle against disease. The living history really lies within man himself and too often the human side of this story is neglected. As doctors, we have been trained to focus on the signs of disease and consequently, we pay little attention to the people who discovered them. When we read in our pathology texts about the interesting triad of defects in an illness such as Hand-Schuller-Christian disease, we tend to forget about the doctors who faced great personal hardships to bring us the information we now use to treat the disorder. Dr Treacy is recognised as one of the most influential aesthetic practitioners in the world. He was awarded ‘Top Aesthetic Practitioner in the World’ (2019) and ‘Doctor of the Year’ UK & Ireland (2019). In this fascinating book, he takes us on a journey with Osler’s famed ‘Goddess of Medicine’ and explains how she is continually on the move, fleeing from battles, tyranny, and oppression, seeking to find a home where man can have study pathology in peace. She has moved from Edinburgh to Dublin, from London to Vienna, from Berlin to Maryland, then onwards to California to guide doctors in the wonders of new technologies, translating the genetic blueprint, manipulating defects in the data code of our existence and help us all fight the more complex diseases like the coronaviruses of the new millennium.
Pandemics inflict significant harm on societies, often exacerbated by human activities that alter the natural environment. As cities expand, encroaching on areas once inhabited by wildlife, the risk of disease transmission increases. Bacteria have existed for 3.5 billion years and viruses for 1.5 billion years, while humans have only been around for 130,000 years. Coronaviruses have a long evolutionary history of over fifty million years, with some recent strains dating back to around 8000 BCE, indicating a prolonged coevolution with bats and birds. Advancements in technology during the 20th century have facilitated rapid global travel, allowing microbes to spread more quickly than ever before. The 1918 influenza pandemic, often referred to as the ‘Spanish’ flu, was particularly devastating, claiming between 50 and 100 million lives, or about five percent of the global population at the time. Major pandemics have historically led to significant social changes: the Justinian Plague contributed to the rise of Christianity, the bubonic plague heralded the end of serfdom, and the aftermath of the ‘Spanish’ flu saw many governments adopting socialized medicine. The concept began in socialist Russia and soon spread to countries like France, New Zealand, and eventually Great Britain. It took the return of battle-hardened soldiers from World War II to push this agenda politically in the UK. Post-war, the growing influence of the United States and the nascent World Health Organisation led to the decline of privileged classes and the establishment of the fundamental right to healthcare for every human being, irrespective of their background. As the world confronts the final stages of another global pandemic, the future remains uncertain. There are questions about whether new vaccines will effectively control the disease, leaving societies worldwide in a state of anticipation and adaptation.
Pandemics inflict significant harm on societies, often exacerbated by human activities that alter the natural environment. As cities expand, encroaching on areas once inhabited by wildlife, the risk of disease transmission increases. Bacteria have existed for 3.5 billion years and viruses for 1.5 billion years, while humans have only been around for 130,000 years. Coronaviruses have a long evolutionary history of over fifty million years, with some recent strains dating back to around 8000 BCE, indicating a prolonged coevolution with bats and birds. Advancements in technology during the 20th century have facilitated rapid global travel, allowing microbes to spread more quickly than ever before. The 1918 influenza pandemic, often referred to as the ‘Spanish’ flu, was particularly devastating, claiming between 50 and 100 million lives, or about five percent of the global population at the time. Major pandemics have historically led to significant social changes: the Justinian Plague contributed to the rise of Christianity, the bubonic plague heralded the end of serfdom, and the aftermath of the ‘Spanish’ flu saw many governments adopting socialized medicine. The concept began in socialist Russia and soon spread to countries like France, New Zealand, and eventually Great Britain. It took the return of battle-hardened soldiers from World War II to push this agenda politically in the UK. Post-war, the growing influence of the United States and the nascent World Health Organisation led to the decline of privileged classes and the establishment of the fundamental right to healthcare for every human being, irrespective of their background. As the world confronts the final stages of another global pandemic, the future remains uncertain. There are questions about whether new vaccines will effectively control the disease, leaving societies worldwide in a state of anticipation and adaptation.
The birth and exponential growth of aesthetic medicine has been phenomenal. Recent technical innovation in aesthetic devices and products, coupled with an ever-increasing awareness of physical appearance and a rise in disposable income has boosted the demand for this field of medicine beyond all expectations. Its market size is presently valued at USD 60 billion and is anticipated to continue to expand at a CAGR of 10%. Now comes a book, written by one of the pioneers of this field of medicine who started one of the first aesthetic clinics in the world from his apartment in Dublin in 1999. Since then, he has built clinics around the world and won multiple international awards for his own innovations and advanced techniques, including ‘Top Aesthetic Physician in the World’ in 2019.
The history of medicine is a living one and involves much more than reflecting on the battles that have been won or lost in the ever-changing struggle against disease. The living history really lies within man himself and too often the human side of this story is neglected. As doctors, we have been trained to focus on the signs of disease and consequently, we pay little attention to the people who discovered them. When we read in our pathology texts about the interesting triad of defects in an illness such as Hand-Schuller-Christian disease, we tend to forget about the doctors who faced great personal hardships to bring us the information we now use to treat the disorder. Dr Treacy is recognised as one of the most influential aesthetic practitioners in the world. He was awarded ‘Top Aesthetic Practitioner in the World’ (2019) and ‘Doctor of the Year’ UK & Ireland (2019). In this fascinating book, he takes us on a journey with Osler’s famed ‘Goddess of Medicine’ and explains how she is continually on the move, fleeing from battles, tyranny, and oppression, seeking to find a home where man can have study pathology in peace. She has moved from Edinburgh to Dublin, from London to Vienna, from Berlin to Maryland, then onwards to California to guide doctors in the wonders of new technologies, translating the genetic blueprint, manipulating defects in the data code of our existence and help us all fight the more complex diseases like the coronaviruses of the new millennium.
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