Hi Everyone,

Today’s post is a bit of a different one and a first for me! Today I will be telling you all about a recent experience of mine - Firstly I want to start this post by saying that this topic is not everyone’s cup of tea and even if it is, not many people will admit to it!

Cosmetic enhancements are not to be taken lightly and I am in no way trying to convince you to have any enhancements done nor am I trying to glamorize having any done. I however have always been open to the idea that if you are not happy with something and it is possible for it to be sorted then get it sorted, life is too short. This post is not about what procedure I had, there will be no before and after pictures and in fact I won’t even be saying what procedure I had because the truth is, the only person who would notice the difference is me!

I first came across PearlWest Aesthetics a Doctor-Led Facial Aesthetic Clinic with clinics in Galway, Roscommon, Ennis, and Killarney on Social Media. Before I even spoke with them I had done lots of research on different procedures and also on their lead Aesthetic Physician Dr Darren Kilmartin - Google, LinkedIn I checked them all, I even spoke to another patient of his! It was very important to me that If I was going to get any procedure done that it would be a Doctor doing it and from speaking to Dr Darren himself I knew that the safety of his patients was the most important thing to him.

So fast forward a couple of weeks, my consultation day arrived! Honestly, I could not believe how in depth the consultation was. He gave me so much information on the procedure, the risks, the aftercare and what protocols he had in place if something was to go wrong.

In my opinion small cosmetic enhancements can sometimes be portrayed as non risky, you hear of so many clinics advertising lunch break cosmetic enhancements which I find kind of scary. I wanted to know everything about the procedure I was having so I was really delighted that he went in to so much detail and after hearing everything Dr Darren had to say and after having all my questions answered I was happy to proceed with the procedure I had opted for. Honestly I really didn’t know what to expect but I wasn’t nervous at all (this was probably down to the fact that Dr Darren made me feel so at ease) The procedure wasn’t painful as a numbing cream had been applied so it was just a bit of a strange sensation. It was over in minutes and it didn't take long until I was on my way home with my aftercare leaflet.

I felt great immediately afterwards but fast forward to around 9 p.m. that night, I didn't feel so great and this is where Dr Darren’s aftercare really was tested. It was nothing serious at all but just my luck I had gotten two very common side effects from the procedure and when I say common I mean over 70% off people get this side effect. It was just my bodies reaction to it unfortunately.

I messaged Dr Darren at almost 10 p.m. and he was straight back to me, he was so thorough. This is also when I realised Google is not always my friend. Honestly, I think I must have been a nightmare patient even my husband thought so! I was panicking a small bit on the Sunday morning after Googling my symptoms and obviously Google had said I was on the way out, so it must have been true 🙈 Dr Darren met me on the Sunday morning, gave me a thorough examination and assured me I was fine, everything was fine, it was just a common side effect I was having so off I went feeling so much more at ease. He had explained to me that I may get some side effects during the consultation but I think I almost forgot this and then when I started to Google it, I was being given the worst case scenario but anyway I was so glad he insisted on seeing me even if it was just to put my mind at ease! The side effects eased off gradually and within two weeks I was back to myself again.

So, here are a few things that I think anyone considering getting any form of cosmetic enhancement should do:

• Research your Doctor.
• Know what products they are using.
• Make sure you are fully informed about the procedure, the risks and the aftercare.
• Ask what protocols your Doctor has in place in case of an emergency.
• Make sure your Doctor has the prescription-only medications required to manage an emergency and that they have experience in doing so as only a Doctor can prescribe Hyaluronidase to dissolve filler.
• Know how to get in contact with them in case of an emergency occurring in the hours or days after or even just for some reassurance.
• Expect to feel some level of discomfort in the days after your procedure, but still make sure to check in with your Doctor to confirm that any discomfort you are having is normal.
• If you are worried about anything or experience any side effects at all contact your Doctor.
• Depending on what procedure you are having make sure your schedule is clear for a couple of weeks after it.

Eventhough I did get some side effects after my procedure my overall experience with PearlWest Aesthetics was very positive. The level of care I received during and after the procedure was exceptional.

Am I addicted to cosmetic procedures now? Absolutely not. Will I have more in the future? Possibly!

Donna x

*Please note my procedure was complimentary but my review and opinion of PearlWest Aesthetics have not been affected by this.