ABritish woman and her best friend who travelled to Turkey to undergo plastic surgery have documented their 'exceptionally positive' plastic surgery journey to Turkey after getting a three surgery package deal.
Sharon Simon 53, from Astley and her good friend, Paul Darwell, 68, from Hale flew from Manchester to Istanbul for neck, lower face, and upper eyelid surgery.
The pair posted videos before, during, and after their journey on TikTok to help others considering going abroad for plastic surgery.
'I've known Paul for over two decades. We met at work, and the connection was further solidified because my closest friend is married to Paul's brother,' Sharon said.
'The decision to consider cosmetic surgeryin Istanbul was quite practical. After undergoing eyelid surgery in the UK, which was quite expensive, Paul and I started looking for more affordable options.
Sharon Simon 53, (left) from Astley and her good friend, Paul Darwell, (right) 68, from Hale flew from Manchester to Istanbul for neck, lower face, and upper eyelid surgery
The friends, pictured, post op. The two posted videos before, during, and after their journey on TikTok to help others considering going abroad for plastic surgery
'He was interested in a procedure for his neck, but the quotes we received were exorbitant.
'I turned to TikTok for research and came across testimonials, particularly from a woman named Nina, who praised her surgeon and the clinic.This led us to request a quote and eventually choose Istanbul for our procedures.'
Initially, the pair's focus was solely on upper eyelid surgery, but Sharon knew she might want to undertake more procedures later on.
Paul was mainly interested in a neck lift, but after seeing various combinations of neck, face, and eyelid surgeries on social media, they both considered a broader range of procedures.
Sharon explained their research process was thorough. Paul first consulted with Sharon's surgeon in the UK and explored another clinic that offered a significantly lower price.
However, the prospect of undergoing such lengthy procedures under local anaesthesia was unappealing, especially given some negative reviews.
The two eventually decided on MCAN Health in Istanbul, encouraged by the clinic's positive reviews and after Sharon had a reassuring conversation with another woman who had gone to the clinic about her experience.
'Paul and I went in for the same procedures and paid £5,000 each. It was a package deal,' recalled Sharon.
Paul, pictured, was looking to have surgery on his neck before realising the high cost to have the procedure in the UK
Both Sharon and Paul (pictured) became interested in a package deal after seeing various combinations of neck, face, and eyelid surgeries on social media
Paul during his surgery process. Both paid £5,000 each to have several procedures done on their faces
'While it was scary going abroad for surgery, honestly, we were more worried about each other than ourselves. Being in Turkey, away from home, the thought of one of us running into serious trouble during recovery, with no friends or family nearby, was quite daunting.'
Sharon continued: 'The medical team and facilities in Istanbul were top-notch. Despite having different surgeons and being in different hospitals, we both had an exceptionally positive experience.'
Sharon was eager to document her surgical journey on TikTok, providing updates before the procedure, on the day itself, and remarkably, just three hours after the operation.
Her motivation was two-fold: to keep friends and family informed and to track the recovery process.
As Sharon delved deeper into TikTok, she became captivated by the sense of community and the narratives of other users undergoing similar experiences.
Sharon, pictured post op, said: 'The medical team and facilities in Istanbul were top-notch. Despite having different surgeons and being in different hospitals, we both had an exceptionally positive experience'
Sharon, 53, showed her followers the before, during and after of her operations. Pictured after her procedure
Sharon after her operation, said having her friend beside her 'made the whole process so much easier, knowing we were in it together, experiencing the same things'
Reflecting on her journey, Sharon (pictured after her surgery) said she wouldn't change anything except for their choice to stay in a different hotel for added comfort during recovery
Witnessing the interactions and inquiries on these journeys, it seemed instinctive for her to share her story in real time.
'I was blown away by the reaction and the overwhelmingly positive vibes from almost everyone who followed my journey,' noted Sharon.
'The encouragement and genuinely kind words were heartwarming. Not to mention the hundreds of questions that kept me engaged during those first six days post-op when I was coopedup in my room all day.'
The most challenging part of the recovery? Having to wear a head girdle and trying to find a comfortable way to sleep.
Surprisingly, everything else was relatively 'smooth sailing'. 'Paul's feeling fantastic; getting rid of his 'turkey neck' has been a huge boost for him, and my results are looking up, too, even though my recovery's been a bit slower than his.'
'We're only four weeks post-op, so it's still early days,' said Sharon. 'Going through this with Paul was invaluable. I can't stress enough how much having a surgery buddy helps. It made the whole process so much easier, knowing we were in it together, experiencing the same things.'
Reflecting on her journey, Sharon recalled she wouldn't change anything except for their choice to stay in a different hotel for added comfort during recovery, a luxury Sharon acknowledges not everyone can afford.
Looking ahead, Paul is considering pectoral implants due to a previous botched surgery done in the UK, and Sharon is contemplating an update to a prior breast augmentation she had done years ago.
Sharon said the results on her friend Paul, pictured left, are outstanding, especially on his 'turkey neck' which has given him a real 'boost'
Sharon after coming back from her surgery. Looking to the future, she said she is contemplating an update to a prior breast augmentation she had done years ago
Sharon, left, wanted to emphasise to her followers the importance of researching procedures and finding the right surgeon
Future procedures will likely be conducted abroad, with plans to continue sharing updates with their TikTok followers.
'So many of my followers who are considering plastic surgery abroad ask for my advice on potential red flags to watch out for and how to go about choosing the right surgeon.
'I always emphasise the importance of seeking recommendations and directly communicating with those who have experienced the procedure firsthand. Make sure you communicate everythingup front with your coordinator and then double-check everything.
'I had to change my surgeon three days before leaving the UK as it hadn't been communicated to my surgeon that I was on HRT tablets.
'His ruling was not to operate on any woman who had not stopped their HRT at least six weeks prior.
'I spent those three days researching the new surgeon proposed by MCAN and was happy to go ahead rather than postpone.'
While Sharon's experience was good, one piece of advice she offered was to bring food from home. 'Bring snacks for the hospital as our food was not great.'
'I say bring your creature comforts - an iPad for Netflix/Amazon, a book, a laptop, anything to help the time pass.'
