Why Do Doctors Wear White?
The white lab coat is synonymous with being a medical professional. It marks an achievement, a status, and puts its wearer in a social strata reached by few. These days, doctors wear white for many reasons- some personal, some professional.
One thing is the same for all of them, though: they have to earn the right. But it wasn’t always that way.
To understand why white became the color of doctors, we need to talk about medicine’s darker days.
Before the White Coat
The color of choice for the medical profession, before it was white, was black. In paintings and illustrations of doctors before the late 1800’s, they’re clad in formal attire, much like tuxedos. This fashion is demonstrated in the painting “The Doctor” by Luke Fildes. This was the medical professional’s attire prior to the late 1800’s for two possible reasons:
– The interaction between a doctor and their patient was considered a formal event. To emphasize this, formal wear was commonly worn by doctors while practicing. Formal wear happens to be black.
– Treatments were so ineffective and dangerous before the late 1800’s that calling a doctor was considered a last resort – one usually resulting in eventual death. As a result, seeing a doctor was a grievous occasion, and black was an appropriate color.
The White Coats Come Into Style
Around the end of the 19th century, the importance of sterility was coming to the forefront of medicine. Bacteria and microbes that we know to cause infection and complications post-surgery were just being discovered. As the influence that these organisms had on medical outcomes became important, so did cleanliness that minimized their presence.
Because black is well known to hide stains and other defects, its benefits of formality gave way to practicality. It was more important that a doctor see that their clothing wasn’t clean than ensure everybody respected the situation.
Why the White Coat is Here to Stay
It’s been 120 years since white coats and doctors joined forces. How are they still so inseparable? The reasons are as varied as there are practicing doctors, but here are a few:
- Recognition by colleagues and patients
- Convenience of pockets to carry items
- Keeping personal clothing clean
- Keeping patients safe from microbes present on personal clothing
- Most powerfully, though: tradition
A White Coat Means Medical Professional
When a medical student earns their white coat, it’s presented ceremoniously. It represents their membership to a selective professional group and sets their life’s trajectory. Only a handful of medical professionals don’t use white coats: pediatricians and psychiatrists primarily, and both due to intimidation. The white coat is intimidating to many people because of what it’s come to represent. To both of these professions, intimidating their patients works against their treatment.
How to Keep White Coats Clean
We now know that a coat’s whiteness doesn’t make it clean. In fact, doctor’s lab coats can be vehicles for spreading bacteria. Because of the immune-sensitive patients they encounter every day, their coats should be as clean as possible all of the time. One of the best ways to do that is to hire a professional medical linen and uniform laundry service.
HandCraft Keeps White Coats Clean
For a genuine clean that’s regularly done, HandCraft Linen and Uniform Specialists has exactly what you need. Our cleaning processes and customer service dedication ensure that your doctor’s coats are always up to the task. Through HandCraft, you won’t have to worry about lab coat contamination affecting your patients. That’s one less thing to worry about!
For more information on our expertly cleaned lab coats, medical linen, and environmental products, give us a call at (888) 358-8671 or contact us here.
