Pig semen and menstrual blood – how our ancestors perfected the art of seduction
Pig semen and menstrual blood – how our ancestors perfected the art of seduction
These days, the search for romance can be a minefield of emotionless apps and unrealistic expectations. Saving a relationship or conceiving children can, even with the aid of counselling and fertility treatments, be harder still. Given all this, it may be no surprise that in matters of the heart, we still make recourse to some decidedly non-rational methods. People enter their star signs into online dating sites; the practice of “manifesting” has made a comeback (you can buy manifestation journals that promise to make your dreams come true); decks of love-spell cards are on sale at Waterstones. One newspaper recently ran a feature on three British women who found their ideal partners through love spells; the trio offered their readers tips.
The use of magic for romantic purposes has a long history in Britain, and these modern examples aren’t merely curiosities: they connect us to our forebears. As I discovered while researching my new book, Cunning Folk, in the medieval and early modern periods such folk – practitioners who sold spells to the public – were a common feature of daily life. From the 13th to the 17th centuries, many cases of magic-use reveal similar desires and conundra to those we experience today.
Seduction spells, in particular, were always popular. Since it has been long established that food and drink act as aphrodisiacs, it shouldn’t be surprising that love potions were common. Goodwife Swane, who lived in Margate in the 1580s, claimed to make drinks so powerful that “if [a woman] give it to any young man she liketh well of, he shall be in love with her”. Her contemporary, a cunning man called John Prestall, boasted that his potions were so popular that no-one would ever be able to hang him, because 500 satisfied clients would bar the way to the gallows.
The ingredients in such drinks were generally associated with heat, the reasoning being that warmer bodies were more inclined to lust. Pepper and cinnamon were thought to carry heating properties, and were a staple of the mix. What truly made these potions effective, though, was the incorporation of a little human essence. Hence the hopeful lover would add some of their bodily fluids: spit would do the job, but semen or menstrual blood was better.
Medieval clerics worried that some might take culinary seduction further. A 13th-century manual instructed priests to ask each woman in their flock whether she had “given a fish which has died in her vagina to her husband to eat so that his love will be more inflamed”. (As a fellow academic once said to me, this puts a whole new spin on the phrase “finding Nemo”.) The fact that the dish was expected to be used within marriage, rather than on an extra-conjugal target, belies the kinds of problems people faced within relationships. Marriage was not easy; divorce was almost never an option. Partners had to, at best, seek ways to make their unions tolerable.
Blessedly, most spells were less intimate. Joan Squyer, who lived near Canterbury in 1474, admitted stealing holy water from her local church and using it to wash her husband’s shirts. She told her neighbours that this was a fool-proof way of making him “humble and obedient to her will”, and advised them to try it for themselves. The Church was less happy about Squyer’s antics and made her perform penance, but it’s possible that others followed her example.
How were cunning folk able to get away with such activities, in an era famous for its persecution of supposed witches? The truth is that practical magic was rarely high on the list of priorities for either the ecclesiastical courts – which, pre-Reformation, had far more power – or their secular counterparts. Though the medieval Church did admonish practitioners for being superstitious or blasphemous, overall the greater concern was social ills such as low church attendance and adultery. Besides, given that seduction magic often had a positive aim – spousal harmony, the creation of children – most clerics let them slide. Secular authorities were similarly relaxed: love magic would only become a crime in the 1540s, and rarely was it prosecuted even then.
Yet these spells sometimes strayed into darker territories, at which point both Church and state sat up and took notice. In 1435, three men from Edlingham in Northumberland accused Margaret Lyndyssay of making them impotent by magically “binding their virile members”. This probably refers to the practice of ritualistically tying knots in string, then placing the charm under the victim’s bed. When the man tried to “perform”, the blood vessels would be bound up like the string, leaving him limp. Why Lyndyssay wanted to do this isn’t known, though in similar cases the spell was used for revenge by jilted lovers. Had she been living a generation later, things might have turned out badly for her: the inquisitor Heinrich Kramer wrote in his 1487 text Malleus Maleficarum that causing impotence was a favourite activity of malevolent witches. In the 1430s, however, the Church wasn’t too concerned about witchcraft, and Lyndyssay was able to deny the claims against her. Her accusers were even warned against spreading such rumours, on pain of excommunication.
At least impotence spells could be easily undone, simply by finding and unknotting the string. Coercive magic could be much more harmful. Take John Meere, a law student at Temple in London in the 1580s, who had his sights set on one Mrs Editha Best. She flatly refused to sleep with him, but his attentions continued, becoming persistent and aggressive. He eventually threatened to summon the Devil to torment Best until she either consented to his demands or went mad. She gave into Meere out of terror. Disturbingly, practices like this haven’t vanished today. Only this month, a man from the Swansea area was convicted of harassing his ex-partner, and his behaviour included buying a “voodoo spell” to make her love him.
That said, magic was used for benevolent purposes more often than malevolent. Then, as now, fertility was a recurrent concern for married couples. Magical aids abounded for those having trouble. One popular method involved tying a pouch full of herbs, powders and scrolls bearing magic words around one’s neck, before having sex. (Surviving records don’t explain exactly how this was meant to help.) Edith Hooker, from New Alresford near Winchester, had a more unsettling approach. She claimed to be able to help women conceive without the need of a man – because she used “the spawn of a trotter”, meaning pig semen, instead.
As far-fetched as it may sound, Hooker’s method tapped into a wider debate about whether women could conceive with non-human partners. A number of thinkers were particularly curious about whether demons could inseminate people. Writing in the 13th century, Thomas Aquinas argued that such things were possible, but not because demons were fertile. Rather, he suggested, they shaped themselves into succubi (woman-shaped demons) to have sex with men, captured human semen in their bodies, then turned into incubi (man-shaped demons) to seduce women and impregnate them with the stolen seed. Aquinas was thereby able to explain the common reports of women becoming pregnant with demon spawn while denying that the Devil had the power to create life – something only God could grant. James VI of Scotland discussed this theory in his 1597 treatise Daemonologie, but concluded it was unlikely to be true.
Changes in legislation show that belief in magic waned over time at a judicial level. The Witchcraft Act of 1735 altered the definition of magical practice from something real and prohibited to a form of charlatanry; this in turn was replaced in 1951 with the Fraudulent Mediums Act, which further emphasised that magic could not be real. We had finally reached a point at which the supernatural didn’t, as far as British officialdom was concerned, exist.
But the key word here is “officialdom”. Magical practice has never fully died out. During the initial Covid-19 lockdowns, fortune-telling experienced a boom in demand. The website Etsy offers a vast range of love spells to those who want to woo someone (or win them back). There are even books of seduction recipes available. Go ahead and try them – but maybe bear that 13th-century manual in mind, and check the ingredients first.
Cunning Folk: Life in the Era of Practical Magic by Tabitha Stanmore is published by Bodley Head on May 2
Everything you need to know about benzoyl peroxide
Everything you need to know about benzoyl peroxide
If you have acne-prone skin or struggle with breakouts, you may have heard about benzoyl peroxide, a skincare ingredient widely touted as an effective spot-clearing treatment. Or perhaps you haven't. Compared to other acne-tackling actives – such as salicylic acid – benzoyl peroxide is harder to find in products on UK shelves, which leads to confusion about how to access it, and why you'd want to over other more popular products.
Here, we've enlisted skincare experts to answer your most-asked questions about benzoyl peroxide, if you want to explore another way to break up with your breakouts.
What is benzoyl peroxide?
“Benzoyl peroxide is an organic peroxide that acts as a non-specific oxidising agent,” explains aesthetics expert Dr Emma Cunningham. “In simple terms, it works by releasing oxygen on the skin to help destroy bacteria.” Crucially, bacteria does not easily develop a resistance to benzoyl peroxide, as can be the case with antibiotics, meaning you can use it for more prolonged lengths of time if required.
The ingredient is mostly found in gel form for use as a spot treatment, but it can also be utilised in liquid washes or lotions and creams (often in lower concentrations). Some body products that directly target breakouts also contain benzoyl peroxide, as do a few exfoliating formulas designed to treat blocked pores.
Why exactly is benzoyl peroxide good for acne?
“All the best acne treatments work through multiple actions and benzoyl peroxide is no exception,” says the skin expert and founder of Dr Sam’s skincare, Dr Sam Bunting. “Firstly, it’s antiseptic, meaning it reduces the number of bacteria on the surface of your skin.”
It’s anti-inflammatory too (ideal for opposing acne, which is an inflammatory skin condition) and it helps unclog pores. “In practical terms, this means it reduces the appearance of angry red spots and prevents new ones from appearing.”
Another skincare authority, founder of Paula’s Choice Paula Begoun agrees. "Benzoyl peroxide is considered one of the most effective over-the-counter choices for reducing acne-causing bacteria and for combatting the inflammation that acne triggers. It can work quickly to get acne under control because it breaks down to oxygen on the skin, reducing the proliferation of the type of bacteria (known as C. acnes) that plays a key role in most forms of acne.”
Is benzoyl peroxide suitable for all skin tones?
Benzoyl peroxide is considered suitable for all skin tones, as although you might see the word 'peroxide' and think bleach, the ingredient is not known to have a lightening effect on the skin.
That said, it's especially important for anyone with darker skin to begin with the lowest available percentage. This is because any active that can trigger irritation or inflammation in high doses, benzoyl peroxide included, may increase your risk of post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation.
Furthermore, “benzoyl peroxide can bleach or discolour your hair, as well as clothes, towels and bedding, so you should be careful when applying the treatment," says the aesthetic doctor and founder of SAS Aesthetics, Dr Mahsa Saleki.
Can you use benzoyl peroxide when pregnant?
Benzoyl peroxide is not recommended for use if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, or for anyone taking certain prescriptions, which is why it's important to speak to the pharmacist when purchasing products containing it. You should also patch test the product prior to use, to ensure no allergic reaction takes place.
What percentage of benzoyl peroxide is best?
"Benzoyl peroxide is found in concentrations between 2.5 per cent and 10 per cent,” explains Begoun. “10 per cent strengths of benzoyl peroxide are often considered too irritating and might have side effects such as causing dry, flaky skin and possibly more breakouts. I recommend starting with a 2.5 per cent concentration applied twice daily and waiting a few weeks to see how your acne responds.”
Then, if you’re not seeing the results you want, “move to a 5 per cent concentration,” Begoun continues. “Studies have shown this strength can be just as effective as a 10 per cent concentration, but without the risk of visible side effects.”
Remember, whether you struggle with sensitivities or not, it’s important to follow the golden rule of skincare actives: start at the lowest percentage and gradually work up to avoid irritation.
Where can you get benzoyl peroxide in the UK?
Unlike other active acne treatments, such as retinoic acid (of which the buzzy tretinoin is a form of), you can get benzoyl peroxide without a prescription in the UK. However, that doesn’t mean you will commonly find it on the shelves.
Instead, “it’s mostly available over the counter with a pharmacist’s guidance,” explains Dr Bunting. She recommends the form marketed as Acnecide 5% gel, which is available at Boots and LookFantastic.
You will, however, need to speak to a doctor for a prescription if the benzoyl peroxide formula you want or need also contains an antibiotic, or if you require a higher dose.
What form of benzoyl peroxide should you choose?
“If you have mild acne, you can opt for a gel that contains about 5 per cent benzoyl peroxide [as above], or a face wash with approximately 2.5 per cent. Acid-based face washes are useful if you are experiencing outbreaks of whiteheads, for example,” says Dr Adam Friedmann, the leading consultant dermatologist at Stratum Dermatology Clinics. “If your acne is more severe, then benzoyl peroxide might be best prescribed as part of a mix of other treatments, such as a topical retinoid or antibiotic.”
If the latter is what you require, Dr Bunting recommends “Epiduo on prescription (it combines benzoyl peroxide with adapalene, which is a retinoid) or a formula that pairs benzoyl peroxide with an antibiotic, such as clindamycin or erythromycin, to amp up its antibacterial effect”. You will need to discuss these options with your GP or dermatologist.
How do you use benzoyl peroxide?
As a targeted treatment
“If you are using benzoyl peroxide in a higher percentage then the product should be applied directly to the area of skin affected,” guides Dr Saleki. “Wash the area with a cleanser and water, and pat your skin dry. Then, put a thin layer of gel on the affected areas and leave it to soak in,” she says. “You'll usually use the gel once or twice a day. If you have sensitive skin, use the gel once a day, before going to bed.”
As a wash-off treatment
“Lower percentages found in over-the-counter exfoliators or washes can be used up to twice daily as part of a regular skincare routine,” says Dr Saleki. “Wet your face or the area you want to treat and smooth on a small amount of the product. Keep the wash on your skin for no more than one-to-two minutes and then rinse your face thoroughly with water. Gently pat your skin dry. You'll usually use the wash once or twice a day.”
Dr Bunting recommends adds, “I usually recommend that benzoyl peroxide is used in the morning – with the use of a retinoid, such as tretinoin at night, which will help increase the absorption of benzoyl peroxide”.
What other skincare works well with benzoyl peroxide?
“Adding a 2 per cent BHA (also known as salicylic acid) leave-on exfoliant into your routine can make all the difference in the world, especially if you have persistent mild-to-moderate acne,” says Begoun. She recommends her anti-acne collection called Clear, which contains a BHA product. “Benzoyl peroxide can be very effective at treating both active acne lesions and preventing new ones, especially if combined with retinoids and/or salicylic acid,” agrees Dr Cunningham.
For the best results, you should also look at your wider skincare routine. “Beauty products are one of the most common causes of worsening adult acne,” says Dr Friedmann. “Moisturisers, sunscreen and especially make-up that may be too thick and oily can clog pores, resulting in acne. Switch to oil-free alternatives and apply sparingly.”
What should I avoid using with benzoyl peroxide?
“It used to be thought that you couldn’t use benzoyl peroxide with retinoids (such as retinol or retinoic acid) but research from 2010 showed that benzoyl peroxide is unlikely to degrade any form of vitamin A,” suggests Begoun.
However, you should avoid using benzoyl peroxide with lots of other actives to avoid overstimulating your skin, and check with your doctor or pharmacist if you have any questions or concerns. That’s especially true if you are prone to sensitivities, as benzoyl peroxide can cause dryness. “Do not use benzoyl peroxide with any other medicines that may have drying or irritating effects on your skin, including alcohol-based skincare products,” says Dr Saleki. Instead, swap these treatments (which could actually be doing more harm than good) for the benzoyl peroxide product you are given.
“Also try to avoid strong sunlight while using benzoyl peroxide gel too,” Dr Saleki continues. “Use an oil-free sunscreen with at least SPF 30.”
If you’re confused about treatment options, you can get further advice via an online acne assessment, available from Stratum Dermatology Clinics, or access these other online dermatology services if you can't see a dermatologist in person.
Shock of the old: 10 painful and poisonous beauty treatments
Shock of the old: 10 painful and poisonous beauty treatments
Iknow we are supposed to be rejecting everything we stood for last year, sloughing off our desiccated, used-up 2023 selves to emerge sparkling fresh, dewy and morally superior, but, I don’t know, seasonal self-loathing seems so … vigorous. If you are anything like me (I pray you aren’t), you feel listless, lumpen and broke. Plus, have you looked outside?
Rather than tormenting ourselves with “new year, new you” flannel, let’s take a horrified, judgmental look at some “new year, bad old them” pictures. Because things could definitely be worse. Historically, “pain is beauty” was taken literally, giving rise to centuries of wild claims, dangerous hacks and impossible-to-attain standards.
Before today’s vampire facials and snail-mucous moisturisers, there were arsenic “complexion wafers” promising a “deliciously clear complexion”. Renaissance women used deadly nightshade to make their eyes look bigger, and cat poo to remove hair. One Roman remedy for blemishes involved grinding up the intestines “of a small land crocodile which feeds only on the most fragrant flowers”, which does sound like something you might now find for sale on Goop.
But have we bought into an inaccurate cliche? The idea that, in the past, women ignorantly or recklessly used deadly poisons to serve their own vanity is “a misogynistic trope that has circulated since classical times,” art history professor Jill Burke writes in her book How to Be a Renaissance Woman. Burke describes a 16th-century poisoning ring in Rome, where women used aqua tofana – a concoction including ground arsenic and lead disguised as skincare products – to slowly poison their violent or merely “drunk and feckless” husbands (at least 46, though some speculated as many as 600).
But even when the objective wasn’t murder, women throughout history may have known exactly what they were doing. Beauty conferred power, status and control in a world where women had precious little of any of those things. It’s no wonder the odd dangerous or out-there treatment felt worth it. And is it really that different from a leech cleanse or injecting a deadly toxin into your forehead? Let’s see.
Roman plucking and manicuring tools
The Romans were heavily into depilation: the men for sporting performance and the women because of patriarchy. “No rankness of the wild goat under your armpits, no legs bristling with harsh hair!”, Ovid wrote, which was apparently funny (I suppose you had to be there). He wasn’t alone among Roman writers: “They are all writing about how you will need to keep on top of the body hair and you know, gosh, no man is going to be interested in you if you’ve got armpit hair,” according to Cameron Moffett of English Heritage. This is amply evidenced at Wroxeter Roman City in Shropshire, which has found a “strikingly large number of tweezers” used in its bathing complex by professional pluckers.
Elizabeth I, c1588
Did Elizabeth really cover her face in lead? Possibly: lead-based Venetian Ceruse was a contemporary cosmetic but there is no evidence she used it. Actually, much Renaissance Goo – the truly excellent name of a collaborative research project between Burke and Professor Wilson Poon (soft-matter scientist) – wasn’t half bad. The team have recreated and tested historical unguents and found they are pretty good, including a facecream full of sheep’s fat, vitamin E and antioxidant.
Electric corset, 1890s
As if corsets weren’t bad enough, here comes science to make them even worse. Mrs Whiting, a lifelong sufferer from constipation, was “wonderfully better” thanks to this electric corset. (Was it squeezing her like a boa constrictor? Yikes.) The seductive small print promises “the chest is aided in its healthy development”, making this sound like something a Kardashian might attempt to sell you on TikTok. The electric corset hailed from 52 Oxford Street, London, which is now a Holland & Barrett. Good luck curing your hysteria and “organic affections” with three-for-two packets of dried apricots.
Dr Mackenzie’s Arsenical Soap, 1897
In the 1850s, reports on Austrian arsenic eaters emphasised their flawless complexions, kicking off a craze for arsenic-laced beauty products. These wafers, creams and soaps conferred a desirable tubercular pallor. After all, “the fairest skins belong to people in the earliest stage of consumption,” as Mrs SD Powers wrote authoritatively in the 1874 beauty bible The Ugly Girl Papers (chapter headings include Hope for Homely People, Brief Madness and, my favourite, Easier to be Magnificent than Clean). Unfortunately, arsenic wellness products made you pale by destroying your red blood cells, but it’s OK, this one was “guaranteed absolutely harmless”.
Hip-reducing machine, 1899
The chap with the thousand-yard-stare operating this device (seemingly a set of mechanised rolling pins; I have my doubts about whether it would help “keep that boyish form”, as it claims) is Philadelphia Jack O’Brien, 1905 world light-heavyweight boxing champion. Why? Is he endorsing it? He definitely looks as if he would rather be punching something.
Edwardian ladies’ beauty regime, 1906
Ah yes, how to “repair the season’s ravages”, a perennial problem. I doubt that meant mainlining pigs in blankets in front of the World’s Strongest Man for Edwardian society ladies, but their creative beauty treatments offer inspiration for more contemporary malaise. Why not take a “light bath” in a cupboard (“may reduce the weight accumulated by incessant dining out”), lie in a bath full of magnets (“strengthening and life-giving”), or enjoy an “electrical massage” from a stern lady who looks disgusted with your life choices? Plus, if your nose had “gone out of fashion”, it could “be altered to suit any desired pattern” (I hope that stern lady wasn’t involved).
Lip tattooing, 1929
As someone who, 25 years ago, replaced my nonexistent eyebrows with tattoos, done by what I can only assume was the beauty parlour’s work experience kid, and still bears the scars, indelible orange and psychological, I am perfectly placed to shout back through time, “Noooo, don’t do it” at this reckless young thing. However, her expression of blank, listless resignation suggests she knows exactly how badly this will turn out.
Radium perm, 1920s
A reader recently alerted me to the wild early 20th-century craze for radioactive wellness products. Radium bath salts, madame? Or perhaps the radium toothpaste? I can find no information on how radium was supposed to make your hair curl, but it could definitely make it fall out.
Radium makeup remover, 1937
The French Tho-Radia range of beauty products were supposed to improve circulation and remove wrinkles, but were also shown conferring the unearthly radiant glow you can see here. They were cunningly promoted with “expertise” from a doctor called Alfred Curie, though he was no relation of Pierre and Marie, who apparently considered legal action against the company. French authorities, spoilsports that they were, restricted the use of radium in 1937, meaning this version may be radium-free: where would I get my glow?
Salon spa treatment,
1968Is cucumber even beautifying? One paper claims it is “excellent for rubbing over the skin to keep it soft and white”, contains “naturally occurring organic acids such as glycolic, lactic and salicylic acids” and inhibits tyrosinase (apparently a good thing). This woman has essentially been turned into a wedding buffet salmon; yet another unrealistic beauty ideal for us to fail to live up to.
Story by Emma Beddington, pictures selected by Sarah Gilbert: The Guardian
Will this be the year that facial filler is cancelled?
Will this be the year that facial filler is cancelled?
For those with pockets deep enough, facial filler can be an instantaneous tool to prop up one’s flagging features by replicating the cushiony reservoir of fat and bone that resorbs with age. Or, as in the case of Gen Zers like cosmetics entrepreneur Kylie Jenner, who has admitted to having dermal filler to plump up her naturally thin lips, it’s a simple solution to a deep insecurity. In the hands of a skilled practitioner, injectables can be subtly transformative. And yet the stylised look that’s become synonymous with reality television stars and certain pockets of Hollywood, is far from discreet.
Have a play with Snapchat’s Glowing Doll filter or TikTok’s Lip Filler filter and at the click of a button you can watch your cheeks blow up, lips inflate and your skin take on a smooth waxy veneer. But the truth is the cyborg look is scarily real – an unsettling thought when you consider your friend, daughter or sibling could be one of the millions who go to such lengths, the face you once knew besieged beneath the standard filler solution of hyaluronic acid, calcium hydroxylapatite and Poly-L-lactic acid – a biodegradable synthetic material. Filler isn’t All Natural… just saying.
In September, the UK government launched its first-ever consultation on how to make non-surgical cosmetic procedures safer as thousands complained of “botched” procedures. Save Face – a government approved register of accredited practitioners - received almost 3,000 complaints in 2022, with over two-thirds of those complaints relating to dermal fillers; hardly surprising considering the injectable is now widespread.
According to a University College London study, the dermal filler market is projected to reach a value of £11.7 billion by 2026, and as the UK aesthetics industry is currently unregulated, the potential for mistakes is endless. Hence why an increasing number of people (some well known) are having theirs removed, and, thankfully, some are openly talking about it.
![Kristin Davis: ‘You’re trusting doctors [but] people personally blame us when it goes wrong’ - Getty](https://img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/AA1mUlh3.img?w=768&h=480&m=6&x=116&y=230&s=922&d=301 "Kristin Davis: ‘You’re trusting doctors [but] people personally blame us when it goes wrong’ - Getty")
Actress Kristin Davis told The Telegraph last June: “I’ve had to get them [fillers] dissolved and I’ve been ridiculed relentlessly,” she explained, adding: “You’re trusting doctors [but] people personally blame us when it goes wrong – [as if] I jabbed a needle in my face…”
Artist Ariana Grande, 30, addressed her relationship with fillers in a Vogue beauty video this past September. “I had a ton of lip filler over the years, and Botox,” Grande said. “I stopped in 2018 because I felt so – too much,” she added.
Whereas Love Island-er turned mega influencer Molly Mae-Hague told Steven Bartlett on his podcast, Diary of a CEO: “I literally took it to the extreme and I just stripped myself back and weirdly, I felt the prettiest I’d ever felt, once it had all gone.”
Filler’s origin story
Filler wasn’t initially designed to reconfigure facial features like playdoh. The hyaluronic acid injectable given FDA approval in 2003 was meant to plump skin sympathetically, until in 2008 it went celebrity big when an annotated image of a then 49-year-old Madonna graced the cover of New York magazine with the headline “The New New Face” emblazoned across her plasticine-smooth forehead. “Out with the gaunt and tight, in with plump and juicy,” reads the article’s headline.
Deemed a new and better alternative to freezing expression lines with botulinum toxin (otherwise known as Botox) little did we know back then that this natural-but-not-natural injectable would lead to a plethora of fiendishly plush faces. Filler is now used to correct crooked noses, for chin augmentation and to give Ken Doll angles to jawlines. Suddenly celebrities – models even – who were, by western standards, already attractive, are walking around with pointy chins, superhero jawbones and golf ball cheeks, as if it’s normal.
Reputable aesthetic doctors blame unscrupulous practitioners who target vulnerable young women with appealing one-size-fits-all offers like “The Kylie Jenner Package”. I’ve lost count of the number of teenagers with artificially swollen lips I spot on my commute to work. The maternal me is horrified. But the professional woman in her late 40s? I can’t help but wonder how I’ll fare against the increasingly filled faces of women my own age if I don’t inject. Will I be a lone ranger in a sea of pillow faces?
Being truthful, I’ve already done a bit: two years ago I had a micro droplet of filler underneath my eyes to diffuse dark circles with Dr Marwa Ali, a light-handed practitioner I trust implicitly to be prudent, and I lean on a sprinkle of Botox every 10 months or so to soften a couple of mean-girl frown lines between my eyebrows. I, like many women my age, am vain enough to want to preserve my facial scaffolding for as long as possible, but not self obsessed enough to have endless top-ups of what, if we’re honest, is no more than cushion stuffing in a syringe.
Perception drift: how fillers can become addictive
And yet it’s easy to see how one might get carried away. Friends actress Courtney Cox, recently spoke about her experience with injectables on the podcast Gloss Angeles. “It’s like you don’t realise that you look a little off, so then you keep doing more cause you look normal to yourself,” said the 59-year-old who had her filler dissolved in 2017 after she was mercilessly teased online, telling Woman magazine last October:
“There’s so much pressure to stay looking young in this industry that once you start, it becomes a bit of a domino effect and you keep on having more,” concluding: “It was a total waste of time and I wish I hadn’t caved into the pressure of having it.”
What Cox is referring to is what’s known in the aesthetic world as “perception drift”, says Dean Rhobaye, a qualified plastic surgeon who specialises in injectables. “One’s eye becomes accustomed very quickly to the adjustments. This can lead to unnecessary tweaks and, before you know it, you no longer resemble your former self,” he explains.
Rogue injectors: beware
Shockingly, you don’t have to be a doctor to inject filler and hence there’s endless cowboys about. “You can complete a one day or two day course to become an injector,” reveals Rhobaye. Is it best then to visit a plastic surgeon for injectables, I wonder? “It’s definitely an advantage,” he says. “When I’m injecting a client, I can envisage the musculature underneath the skin because I’ve seen it up close so many times during surgery.”
Moreover, the interplay between the muscles needs to be understood if you want a believable outcome. For example, says Rhobaye, “the shape of the lips at rest and when smiling is affected by an array of different muscles. In some cases, injecting an adjacent area to the one you’re aiming to correct or enhance can have an indirect effect – for the better, or worse – depending on whether the injector knows what they’re doing or not,” he warns.
The new vanguard of injectables
With increasing numbers of high profile faces admitting to fillers gone wrong, there’s a thirst for less invasive treatments, says Dr Ashwin Soni, a GMC registered plastic surgeon whose practice is becoming increasingly non-surgical. Soni tells me he’s doing a lot more bio-stimulating injectables, otherwise known as “skin boosters”, like Nucleadyn, an injectable with polynucleotides (molecules extracted from salmon or trout sperm which closely resemble human DNA, an ingredient that Jennifer Aniston has spoken about trying) that stimulates collagen and elastin. These new smart injectables, Soni explains, work on the body’s own pathways to reverse ageing rather than adding a volumising substance as is the case with fillers.
“Bio-stimulators are proving a great option for patients that aren’t comfortable with filler – and it’s a more affordable option,” he points out. As for plumping lips, aesthetic doctors such as Dr Lizzie Tuckey at Michael Prager’s London clinic, are looking at methods such as PRP (platelet-rich plasma) to regenerate lip tissue. Though it doesn’t have the same inflatable qualities as hyaluronic acid, it will stimulate growth factors for a juicier, more youthful-looking pout.
The laser facelift alternatives
The war on overfilling is not won with a shiny new injectable alone. Natural looking results are achieved through a combination approach including energy devices, says Dr Sophie Shotter. “We should be treating the face layer by layer, which is why lasers and skin boosters are now at the forefront because they allow cosmetic practitioners to target the entirety of the face from the quality of the skin’s surface to re-energising the fibroblast cells (the skin’s collagen factory) deep within the dermis.”
Collagen is the body’s main protein responsible for strong cartilage and bones and is what keeps the skin firm and cushiony. Energy devices work by utilising light at different strengths and wavelengths to create a controlled trauma that elicits an emergency uptake in collagen and elastin. The three main types of energy include ultrasound treatments such as HIFU (high-intensity focused ultrasound) or Ultherapy, which are best for firming, IPL (intense pulse light) that targets pigmentation, and radiofrequency which is good for tightening. When combined with microneedling (Morpheus8 and Profound) the results, which take a few months to fully transpire, are intensified.
When filler makes sense
Despite technology advancing, filler is a long way from being cancelled, insists Shotter. “It’s still my most popular procedure and can be vital for boosting confidence in patients who’ve lost volume through the ageing process.” Soni agrees: “The results from energy devices are subtle which can leave some patients feeling deflated.”
“In the right candidate, small volumes of filler can be extremely effective at contouring and defining the mid and lower face in particular,” says Soni. A good job, he tells me, is down to using the right viscosity and amount of filler at the correct injection point. The thickest fillers are ideal for creating structure when injected close to the bone. Medium density fillers are suited for lip fullness, whereas barcode (smokers) lines require a very thin density, as does under eyes, bearing in mind there’s no accounting for taste and skill. “It’s not simple, you need experience and an understanding of how the product works within the skin on different areas of the face,” explains Soni.
And yet. the risks are undeniable
Ultimately, fillers have become the scapegoat for an industry that lacks regulation and allows the unskilled and unethical to profit from vulnerable clients. What’s not made clear on social media where non-surgical rhinoplasty, for instance, is touted as a safer, quicker alternative to surgery, is that fillers in certain areas of the face, like the nose, carry devastating risks like necrosis (tissue death) and even blindness. These “botched” jobs are at the heart of the complaints the Government is investigating.
In 2021 it was made illegal for under-18s to be injected, and under the proposed scheme, practitioners and their premises will need to be licensed with age limits and further restrictions for high risk procedures, including those involving injecting filler into intimate areas – the ever popular BBL (Brazilian Butt Lift) has the highest mortality rate of any cosmetic surgery. While the procedure typically involves a fat transfer, filler in the buttocks is gaining popularity, despite being deemed unsafe by both Safe Face in the UK and the FDA (the food and drug administration) in America.
Victoria Brownlie, chief policy officer of the British Beauty Council, the industry organisation representing the UK’s £24.5bn beauty industry, told The Telegraph: “The problem with the current popularity of dermal fillers is that it’s often marketed as something quick and easy, when in fact the procedure can carry more serious and long-term risks than other aesthetics treatments. Whilst these kinds of procedures are having their ‘time in the spotlight’ as other procedures have done in the past, this mustn’t come at the expense of patient safety.”
She adds: “For too long there has been a huge disparity in the quality of non-surgical cosmetic procedures like fillers, which has put the public at risk and damaged the reputation of the industry as a whole. It’s time we set a robust standard of competency for anyone wishing to offer these kinds of treatments and a mechanism to ensure anyone proven not to meet this standard cannot operate. We’re confident that, with continued engagement with the Department of Health, we can achieve this and provide that much needed confidence in the services the aesthetics sector offers.”
In a press release announcing an eight-week consultation period which closed on the October 28 2023, Maria Caulfield, Minister for the Women’s Health Strategy, said: “Whether it’s Botox, dermal fillers or even a chemical peel, we have heard too many stories of people who’ve had bad experiences from getting a cosmetic procedure from someone who is inexperienced or underqualified,” clarifying, “there’s no doubt that the popularity of cosmetic procedures is increasing, so it’s our role to ensure consistent standards for consumers and a level playing field for businesses and practitioners.” But of course, talk is cheap – what measures will come of this, time will tell.
In contemplative moments I question whether admonishing the overzealous use of injectables is snobbery in disguise. Work is work – whether you can tell or not is a matter of preference and access to a decent aesthetic doctor. But even then, it’s not a given. When Gwyneth Paltrow, 51, was recently asked during a session of “ask me anything” on Instagram if she’d ever tried Botox, the Goop founder responded: “God yes. Both successfully and unsuccessfully I’m afraid.”
Alas, as more famous and admired faces get honest about aesthetic procedures, the less in the dark we’ll feel out here in the real world, where dropping a few thousand pounds on a razor sharp jawline isn’t your everyday. To quote Kylie Jenner in season three of The Kardashians: “All of us need to have a bigger conversation about the beauty standards we’re setting.”
As the second most followed woman in the world with almost 400 million followers on Instagram alone, including my 18-year-old daughter (and probably yours too), the beauty mogul who’s endured endless scrutiny over her own lip fillers (and made billions selling lip gloss kits on the back of it all), couldn’t have said it better.
Sun Poisoning
Sun Poisoning
A severe case of sunburn can lead to sun poisoning. Symptoms may start out similar to a sunburn, but sun poisoning can lead to complications like infection or increased risk for skin cancer if left untreated.
Sun poisoning refers to a case of severe sunburn. It occurs after you’ve been exposed to ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun for an extended period of time.
Also known as polymorphic light eruption, sun poisoning can come in different forms based on your sensitivity to the sun. Unlike a mild sunburn, sun poisoning usually requires medical treatment to prevent complications.
What are the symptoms of sun poisoning?
With sun poisoning, you may first experience symptoms of a regular sunburn. Sunburn symptoms can appear within 6 to 12 hours of exposure to UV rays. It’s important to distinguish between the symptoms of a sun rash, sunburn, and sun poisoning.
Sun rash
A sun rash (sun allergy) develops from sun exposure, sun poisoning, or exposure to outdoor plants such as parsnip. It’s sometimes hereditary. The resulting symptoms of a sun allergy reaction look like a widespread red rash. It’s also extremely itchy. The rash can develop small bumps that look like hives.
Sun allergies occur regularly from sun exposure and may need regular treatment from a dermatologist. A sun rash that develops from sun poisoning is more of an isolated event that needs medical attention.
Mild sunburn
In cases of mild sunburn, you might experience redness, pain, and swelling. A sunburn eventually heals on its own, although applying aloe vera gel can help soothe your skin.
Sometimes a cold bath or over-the-counter pain relievers can relieve discomfort, too. Eventually, sunburn heals on its own without any significant complications.
Symptoms of sun poisoning
Sun poisoning, on the other hand, is significantly worse than a mild sunburn. In addition to the usual sunburn-like symptoms, you might experience:
- blistering or peeling skin
- severe redness and pain
- fever (and sometimes chills)
- dehydration
- confusion
- nausea or vomiting
- headaches
- dizziness
- fainting
Reference: Health line
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