Is it olive oil, tea bags, good genes or 60 pints of water a day? It's remarkable how many famous people credit their youthful, flawless, wrinkle-free face down to anything but aesthetic treatments. Dr Emmaline Ashley has had enough of celebrities putting their age-defying looks down to pseudo health tricks and basic beauty treatments. Here she tells Glowday why celebrities are giving aesthetic treatments a bad name.
Why Celebrities Are Giving Aesthetics A Bad Name
Why should we care what famous people do or don't do to their faces?
Celebrities are an endless source of fascination for us. We all love speculating about who has had what done. It can be fun and should be harmless, and the public obviously have an insatiable appetite for celebrity gossip. So you would think that one of these famous, beautiful people would be the perfect poster child for aesthetic treatments. But I am going to explain why I think a lot of celebrities give aesthetics a very bad name.
Dishonesty. Celebrities lie.
Look, I cannot even begin to imagine how difficult it is to navigate fame and all of its trappings whilst having little-to-no privacy in your personal life. I want to be completely clear – celebrities are under no obligation to discuss their aesthetic treatments if they don’t want to! I am all for your medical history and your cosmetic procedures being categorically no one else’s business.
But there is a certain amount of dishonestly that occurs around aesthetic treatments that can potentially be very damaging to people – particularly women. And this is when celebrities deny that they’ve ever had anything done, but rather than just leaving it at “No comment,” claim that their youthful appearance or good looks are down to a fad diet, supplement, or a “skincare secret.”
Dr Emmaline Ashley from Ashley Aesthetics has had enough of people in the spotlight being dishonest about their aesthetic treatments.
What is the problem with this?
Well, what will inevitably follow is an opportunity for them to then sell you the aforementioned fad diet, bogus supplement, or their own branded skincare line. And this sort of thing drives me crazy because it is simply not true.
So has JLo had Botox?
A recent and rather infamous example is Jennifer Lopez coming out with her own very lucrative skincare line, touting the magic of olive oil for her skin, and then saying she would never have Botox done because she is just “not that kind of person.” What kind of person is that, JLo? Someone who is honest and knowledgeable about the ageing process, and understanding the beautiful little scientific aesthetic toolkit we possess to combat it?
Jennifer Lopez has said she'd never get Botox done because she's 'not that kind of person'. All you need to do is buy some olive oil and her entire skincare range...yep...aha...okay then.
Why is this kind of rhetoric so damaging?
The most obvious thing is that all this does is continue to add to the unnecessary stigma around these treatments. But I also think this rhetoric is incredibly harmful because you have ordinary women comparing themselves to celebrities who can afford every aesthetic treatment under the sun, and thinking there is something wrong with them.
It’s like pretending that a woman’s hair never gets white if she “does things right” (insert whatever celebrity fad you want to there), all while secretly dyeing it the whole time. And then having a whole generation of young women panic when they see that first grey and question “Why don’t I look like her? What did I do wrong? Do I need to buy her hair gummies?”
Because that’s often what happens. We’re being sold that, “If I buy this expensive cream from this celeb’s branded skincare line, it will make my skin look like that.” I am all for good skincare as the foundation of aesthetics, but an ethical clinician will be honest about the limitations of what any treatment can do for you.
What's the secret to looking young ?
Want some honesty? If you want minimal wrinkles at 50, it’s going to take more than blessed genetics and great skincare – you’re going to need some artful and appropriate toxin and filler from a medical professional. Pretending otherwise is completely disingenuous and just imposes another impossible standard on women that we cannot live up to. If you’re not interested in aesthetic treatments that is not problem, but just be realistic about what can be achieved without them.
To find a treatment that actually does work and reduces those lines and wrinkles, head to our homepage to find, compare and book in a clinic near you.
Do we risk being misinformed by celebrities about aesthetic treatments?
Let’s be honest again – celebrities have massive influence but unless they have had medical training, they are not speaking from a position of expertise or true knowledge when they promote products or treatments. That’s not to say that someone hasn’t done some research or doesn’t genuinely stand behind whatever they are advertising, but that’s also not to say that someone isn’t just touting something for a quick paycheck. And therein lies the problem.
Because this is a celebrity endorsement, you cannot know the true reason they are promoting something. Just think of the Kardashians and their horrible “skinny teas” (these work by giving your diarrhoea – no medical professional would ever back them), or the more recent celebrity endorsement from the likes of Gemma Collins and Kerry Katona of the equally distasteful “Skinny Jab” (a diabetes medication that can cause pancreatitis – again any ethical medical professional knows there is no magic jab that makes you skinny.)
Even worse are celebrities who love heading their own pseudoscientific wellness empires (Goop is the worst example of this, and Gwyneth Paltrow has been rightly criticized multiple times for giving inaccurate or even dangerous medical and skincare advice.) These celebrities leverage their influence and speak from a place of authority, when they actually do not know what they’re talking about at all. And worse of all, a lot of the messaging can be extremely confusing and actually actively undermines real professionals and scientists.
Gwynny says you don't need to lather you face in SPF50. Gwynny is wrong. Don't listen to Gwynny.
Are ALL celebrities bad?
It might sound like I’m being very harsh about celebrities here, but I do acknowledge that there are plenty who are refreshingly honest and open, and have been brilliant at combating stigma around these treatments. Take Kaley Cuoco for instance. She has no problem discussing what cosmetic procedures she has had done, and guess what? It does not make her any less beautiful, talented, or funny. We could do with more celebrities like her!
Be more Kayley. Book your aesthetic treatments on Glowday.com
What's the message for ordinary people like me, interested in aesthetic treatments?
At the end of the day, it’s important to always take a step back and think about who you are getting information from and their reasons for promoting (or not promoting) a certain treatment or product. A celebrity endorsement will never replace an ethical consultation with a medical professional, and its worth remembering that most celebrities have no clinical background. But at the same time if celebrities, rather than acting like wannabe wellness gurus and selling you branded products, were just honest about getting treatments, it could go a long way to reducing the stigma in aesthetic medicine.
To find a medically qualified practitioner who will be honest with you, keep you safe, and help you achieve the results you want , you can book directly here.