WONDER WOMEN

Vicky Eldridge asks our WIAM board how being a woman has shaped them professionally and whether the qualities women bring to the sector are their greatest superpower

When I sit down to write this monthly article for Women in Aesthetic Medicine (WIAM), the topics that usually come to mind are those that centre around the challenges we face as women.

We have talked about the realities of building careers and businesses around motherhood, caring responsibilities and menopause, about the gender pay gap, sexual harassment, professional jealousy, impostor syndrome and the pressure to be ambitious but still likeable and authoritative without being labelled “difficult”.

While these are all important topics, there is also another reality – aesthetics is a thriving sector, largely led by women and that is something to be celebrated. So, on the suggestion of board member and aesthetic consultant Vanessa Bird, this month we are turning the tables and exploring why being a woman might actually be our “superpower”.

SUPPORT NETWORK

One thread that came through our board members’ responses was the relationships women build within aesthetics, not just with their patients but with each other.

“I believe we are more open to share our experiences and challenges with other women in the space,” Bird says. “We feel less pressure to appear super successful to each other at all times. This means we can benefit from the advice, guidance and experiences of other women in aesthetics. We also tend to give and receive amazing pep talks! A lot of men in this space don’t always have the same level of support.”

Consultant nurse practitioner Tracey Dennison, who has spent 30 years working in the NHS and 12 years in medical aesthetics and women’s health, agrees and believes this goes a step further into the way women in aesthetics lift each other up.

“What I love about being a woman in medical aesthetics is that it’s one of the few sectors where the majority want to lift each other up, and offer genuine support and friendship,” she says.

While Dennison is quick to acknowledge the close friendships she formed during her NHS career, as well as the “amazing men” she works with, she says the breadth of connection she has experienced within aesthetics and women’s health has been really meaningful.

“The opportunities, the cheerleaders, the genuine desire to see other people succeed is something I have not seen so prolifically in any other area”, she adds.

As someone who meets up with her at 6am for an early morning walk and chat at any conferences we happen to be at together, I couldn’t agree more.

Of course, aesthetics is not immune to rivalry, politics or difficult professional relationships – this is something we have explored in previous WIAM articles – but it has also created a strong network of female friendships, mentorship and collaboration.

Having been in aesthetics myself since 2004, some of my closest female friendships have come through work and it has always been important to me (as well as to many of the women I know) to recommend each other for opportunities, celebrate one another’s achievements and offer support during difficult times.

HEARING WHAT IS NOT BEING SAID

For Dr Anna Hemming, the idea of being a woman as a superpower also resonates, but she stresses the importance of framing that with “honesty and depth.”

“It isn’t about saying women are better than men, but recognising that many women bring a very particular blend of emotional intelligence, resilience, intuition, communication and lived experience into their work,” she says.

In aesthetics, she believes these qualities have particular relevance because practitioners are rarely dealing only with a visible concern.

“We are not simply treating lines, skin, volume loss or pigmentation; we are often meeting people at moments when their confidence has shifted, after acne, ageing, illness, pregnancy, menopause, stress, trauma or simply life taking its toll”, she adds.

A patient may arrive asking for filler, toxin or a skin treatment, but the words used in the consultation do not always tell the whole story. Understanding motivation, recognising vulnerability and knowing when to explore what sits behind a request are fundamental parts of responsible aesthetic practice.

“I think women can be very good at hearing what is being said, but also what is not being said,” she says. “That ability to listen deeply and understand the emotional layer behind a consultation is a real strength.”

Dr Hemming also believes that being a woman has helped her connect with patients by understanding the life stages that can affect skin, confidence, and identity.

“I understand many of the life stages that affect skin, confidence and identity, and I think that gives authenticity to the way I practise,” she says.

LEADING THE WAY

Another female superpower Dr Hemming highlights is the role of women as leaders.

“I think women can be incredibly effective leaders because we often lead in a way that is collaborative rather than hierarchical,” she says. “We tend to build teams, nurture potential, notice details, and create environments where people feel safe to grow.

“That does not mean soft leadership. It means strong leadership with emotional intelligence. I believe you can be kind and still have boundaries, supportive and still expect excellence, compassionate and still be decisive.”

THE FEMALE ADVANTAGE

All this is by no means diminishing the pressures and challenges many women face. But it is also fair to recognise the skills we have developed through our unique experiences: adaptability, negotiation, organisation, perspective and the ability to move between multiple roles and competing demands.

“Like many women, I have had to balance career, family, leadership and expectations, and that builds a different kind of resilience,” says Dr Hemming. “It teaches you to be adaptable, organised, compassionate, and still maintain very high standards.”

These qualities can become particularly valuable in aesthetics, where many women are simultaneously clinicians, business owners, employers, educators, mentors, parents, partners and carers.

As Dr Hemming sums up: “For me, that is where the superpower lies, in combining skill with empathy, ambition with care, and science with a very human understanding of what confidence really means.”

And perhaps that’s the key takeaway. You don’t have to be a woman in aesthetics to harness these superpowers; but they are superpowers nonetheless.