Evolution of Medical Scrubs

Ancient civilizations have left behind the earliest records of the practice of medicine. The treatment of diseases has been practices for ages, evolving and developing to the highly technological, precise science that it is today. With the progress in medical science came changes in clothing as well. Healers in the past wore natural materials while doctors from a more recent past wore standard uniforms like white hospital scrubs and lab coats. Of late, fashion has entered the picture.

Hit TV dramas such as SCRUBS. and Grey's Anatomy have spawned the notion that hospital scrubs are the ultimate apparel for comfort and fashion. The stars of the popular shows have made nursing scrubs fashionable. But before Katherine Heigl launched her scrubs collection or Urbane nursing scrubs became a leading choice for modern nurses and other medical professionals, scrubs were only worn by surgeons and only during surgeries.

In the 19th century, surgeons performed surgeries in their everyday street clothes. You might ask, "Who would want blood stains on their clothes?"

The stain issue eventually made 19th century doctors wear aprons to protect their clothing from bodily fluids. Eventually, surgical uniforms, the earliest version of hospital scrubs, were designed to replace the aprons in the 1940s. The standard color of these medical uniforms was white. White was chosen because it facilitates a crisp and clean appearance.

However, white surgical apparel has some setbacks. White can cause eye strain and fatigue. In addition, white surgical uniforms with blood stains can be an unpleasant, even repulsive sight for almost anyone.

With the launching of the hit TV drama M*A*S*H in 1972, hospital scrubs underwent some changes. This time, green was now the standard color. The advantage of the color green is that it blends well with blood stains and does not strain the eyes.

Today, medical scrubs are no longer worn by surgeons but also doctors from other fields, plus nurses and other medical professionals. The clamor for fashion nursing scrubs is driven by shows like Grey's Anatomy. The show's star Katherine Heigl even has her own label of nursing scrubs, whose popularity she owes to the immense renown of the drama series.

Brands have also sprouted, fusing the scrub's aspect of function with comfort and of course, fashion. Urbane nursing scrubs, Landau, and Cherokee are just some of the few names that have made their mark in the scrubs industry.
Modern hospital scrubs are not only limited inside the premises of a hospital, but can be used as street clothes because of their contemporary designs.

One of the hottest styles for fashion nursing scrubs is the Nantucket, Miami, New York, and Monterey lines from Katherine Heigl. Landau also has its fashionable series of nursing scrubs, namely Plum, Salsa, and Sage line.