In today’s blog, we’re talking to the lovely Kayleigh Hewitt. She’s our gorgeous campaign model, and she’s kindly taken the time to tell us about her experiences with Endometriosis and how she got involved with our Break The Taboo campaign.
Hi Kayleigh, thank you so much for chatting with LaserHQ. Shall we start with what made you decide to get laser hair removal?
I got it years ago as I’m a full-time model, so having to shave daily was an absolute nightmare. The more you shave, the more stubble you get, and I was starting to grow hair I didn’t know existed! Laser hair removal was fantastic, I originally had it under my arms, legs, and top lip, but it worked so well as I have dark hair. After a couple of sessions and noticing it not growing back, I decided to get it everywhere.
What has been your journey with Endometriosis?
I noticed a lot more hair started growing on my face, and I realised it wasn’t normal. It was only when I researched online myself that I realised it was a common symptom with Endometriosis. I’d had other symptoms too, like suffering from bad periods. I pushed the doctor for it, and it took three years to get a diagnosis.
I don’t think they know enough about Endometriosis. I had test after test, I had scans, I had everything. They said there were no abnormal cells, and my smears were coming back fine, which was, of course, a relief, but I knew something still wasn’t right. I had really crippling pain, and my mood dropped. Eventually, I was relieved to finally be referred to a gynaecologist. Although they weren’t very helpful, they said my symptoms weren’t usually a sign of Endometriosis and told me to try anti-depressants. I was really shocked, and I told them I knew I had it and could they please just have a look. They examined me and saw it straight away. If only I’d been examined right at the beginning, it would’ve saved years of stress and worry about it. It does feel like nobody really understands it that much at the moment.
We’re sad to hear how long it took for you to get a diagnosis, Kayleigh. According to Endometriosis UK, recent research shows that there is now an average of 7.5 years between women first seeing a doctor about their symptoms and receiving a firm diagnosis. We’re hoping that raising awareness of Endometriosis will have an impact on this. Would you mind telling us a little bit about how you got involved with our Break The Taboo campaign and how you feel about it?
Helen (Quayle, LaserHQ CEO) contacted me and mentioned her journey with Endometriosis. We talked about raising awareness of it because we’ve both been through it. It’s bad that period symptoms are very normalised – we think it’s supposed to hurt, and we’re supposed to crave and bloat, but we’re not. It’s normalised far too much. I’m 31, and for years I’ve suffered, but if only I’d known about it earlier. We should be able to talk about it. I’m happy and grateful to have the opportunity to get involved and raise awareness.
Thank you so much for sharing your story with us, Kayleigh!
As part of our ‘Break The Taboo at LaserHQ’ campaign, we’re creating literature about Endometriosis and PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome), showcasing clients’ stories and experiences, running advertising campaigns and hosting live sessions on social media with hormone and skin specialists. We’re also unveiling our fantastic billboards, close to our clinics in Leeds, Liverpool and Manchester.
To launch this campaign, we’ve created bespoke facial and body hair packages, which will be discounted throughout the campaign period (15th November – 5th December 2021). For every package purchased, we will donate £5 to Endometriosis UK (registered charity 1035810).
According to Endometriosis UK, diagnosis can be difficult and often delayed because it manifests itself in various ways and shares symptoms with other conditions. Recent research shows that there is now an average of 7.5 years between women first seeing a doctor about their symptoms and receiving a firm diagnosis. Please visit Endometriosis UK for more information about symptoms and diagnosis.
Disclaimer: It’s important to say that this blog is not official medical advice – this is based on our experiences of Endometriosis and our clients’ experiences. Please seek medical advice or speak to your GP if you are concerned about any health issues. There are also many resources on our charity partner’s website: Endometriosis UK.
LaserHQ charity fundraising: £5 from every package purchased as part of the ‘Break The Taboo at LaserHQ’ campaign will be donated to Endometriosis UK, registered charity 1035810.
