In July 2015, my life took an unexpected turn when I was diagnosed with Graves' disease. For those unfamiliar with this autoimmune disorder, Graves' disease primarily affects the thyroid gland, causing it to become overactive and produce an excess of thyroid hormones. This, in turn, can lead to a range of health issues, including weight loss, heart palpitations, and anxiety.
Shortly after this diagnosis, I made the life-altering decision to move to Cyprus (Europe) with my then boyfriend. Little did I know that this move would plunge me into a toxic relationship that would isolate me from my family and friends. I found myself in a situation where seeking medical help for my deteriorating health became increasingly difficult. For the remainder of my time in Cyprus, I wasted away into a shell of a girl. I weighed 45kg, my hair was falling out and it was clear that my body was in fight or flight mode, and that my bodily systems were now beginning to shut down.
I eventually escaped that situation (and I mean, I literally had to escape - but that is a story for another time). When my dad picked me up from the airport,
he actually walked straight past me. He didn't even recognise me! This is when my health journey started. I met with multiple medical specialists and endocrinologists who were all pressuring me to undergo radiation therapy or to remove my thyroid gland altogether. This didn't sit right with me so I decided to seek an alternate route. Looking back now, this was the catalyst for the making of MAKaesthetics.
After working with many naturopaths, homeopaths and spiritual healers to bring me back to optimal health, I realised that this holistic approach to well-being really resonated with me. Doctors had told me that I was about to enter early menopause and that I would not be able to fall pregnant. So when I started dating my husband in March 2017, I disclosed this vital piece on information to him, only to fall pregnant 6 weeks later.. when I went to my doctor to tell her, she genuinely laughed in my face because she didn't believe me.
At this time, I was working as a florist but once our son was born I knew this wasn't what I wanted to go back to. Prior to floristry, I was a phlebotomist (the person who takes your blood, scrapes your fungal infections, and swabs anything your body excretes). I was always fascinated with the body and its functions, and now with the holistic health platform directly in front of me, I started to form an idea of my future career. And then I fell pregnant again - I was 5 months postpartum and very overwhelmed with the thought of another baby.
Fast forward to 2019, I was now a mum to a newborn and a 14 month old. Slowly but surely, I continued to make moves towards starting my own professional platform, however I still didn't have direction as to what exactly. I was just learning and studying, assuming I would work it out along the way. Throughout this time, I was also going through my own postpartum slump where I felt generally underwhelmed when I looked at myself in the mirror. Through this experience, I discovered body contouring and gave it a go - I was AMAZED at how this tech worked. Fat Cavitation and RF Skin Tightening became my new focus, which is how I pivoted into the beauty industry.
By early 2020, I had my business planned out and ready to open the doors. At this stage, I was offering only body contouring and teeth whitening while I continued studying in the background. As we all know, 2020 was a year of WTF and by the time I did open my business, we were heading into lockdown (for the rest of the year). I feel like life was on pause for this time. In December 2020, we moved to Brisbane where I relaunched MAKaesthetics in Holland Park. It was slow to begin with, since the treatments I offered were mostly unheard of and it felt like when I would explain how it worked to everyone, they thought I was some kind of witch or was trying to sign them up to a pyramid scheme. Eventually, my client base started to increase and business was picking up!
Since then, MAKaesthetics has continued to grow and evolve, becoming the incredible beauty and wellness space it is now. I have a team of amazing women working with me as we continue to learn and upskill to allow for personal and professional development in an industry that is consistently expanding. Currently, I am studying longevity wellness coaching to add another personalised element to our offerings and to elevate the MAK experience. Everything is exciting and ever changing around here!
Thank you for reading and for your ongoing support. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to reach out to myself or my team. We are always happy to help!
BIG BIG LOVE,
Mel x
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