Ten Years of Care, Craft, and Community: Elizabeth Harris, Nurse Practitioner Reflects on 10 years of EH Medical Cosmetics in Cowes, Isle of Wight.
Ten years ago, I opened the door to a small treatment room with a big dream: to bring the heart of nursing into the art and science of medical aesthetics with a belief that confidence is a form of care. Today, as we celebrate a decade of my clinic, I’m overwhelmed with gratitude for every person who has trusted me with their face, their story, and their wellbeing.
Being a nurse practitioner has shaped every choice I make. Nursing taught me to listen first, to see the whole person, and to prioritise safety over trends. Aesthetics added a new dimension to that—to blend anatomy with artistry, evidence with empathy, precision with a soft touch.
The goal has never been to change who you are, but to help you feel like your best self: rested, refreshed, and authentically you.
From those early days in my clinic of working part time, building my own confidence and skills, taking small thoughtful steps in my personal and professional development, moving towards the clinic we now know and love a decade later.
The past decade brought challenges too. We navigated a pandemic, evolving regulations, and rapid advances in technology. We adapted with virtual consultations, enhanced infection control, and a renewed commitment to what matters most: your health and trust.
The clinic grew one patient at a time, with personal referrals and recommendations, wonderful heartfelt reviews and a lot of dedication. To accommodate my growing clinic community, I needed to expand from a single room. I listened to all the feedback I received about moving the clinic and decided to continue with a new home-based clinic, designed to maintain privacy and provide a very personal and welcoming space. I also added advanced technologies and more treatments, carefully selected to offer a portfolio delivering the safest and most effective results.
The feedback you’ve given me over the years has shaped everything we do. Your trust has been earned with consultations that are unrushed, honest, educational and focused on informed choices. A personalised approach that is not sales driven, but in your best interests, providing thorough aftercare and support. I also introduced flexible scheduling where possible, simple online bookings and adjusted clinic hours to suit the needs of my patients.
As a nurse practitioner, I’ve also learned the power of saying no. Sometimes a treatment may not be in your best interests, or the best treatment plan is skincare. Natural results last longer when they’re built on healthy skin and realistic expectations. I have continued to build my practice and reputation by ensuring that I continuously invest in ongoing training, peer reviews, and rigorous safety standards because you deserve nothing less.
To meet the still growing demand in the clinic, I employed my very experienced clinic co-ordinator, Heather, ensuring the phone is answered, emails and messages are responded to, appointments are booked and keeps everything running smoothly in the background.
With the clinic now a full-time vocation with a very full diary, I needed to ensure I continued to provide the highest standards of care and wanted to enhance the patient experience. I needed someone in the clinic with me with the skills to assist me, as well as being kind, honest and friendly…..
Enter Kate, a registered dental nurse, who has slotted in seamlessly, providing additional care and support, prepping for treatment, note taking, maintaining a tidy and organised clinic, cleaning and sterilising everything in sight.
I’m proud to work alongside such a talented clinic assistant and coordinator who are as invested in you all as I am and who share the same values, kindness, honesty, and uncompromising safety.
In the last year I’ve gained Platinum status accreditation with Save Face, a government approved register for Medical Aesthetic clinics, ensuring the highest standards of training, safety and governance with annual rigorous assessments and inspections. I have also celebrated receiving over 100 5 star google reviews. I’m incredibly proud of these achievements in the run up to the 10th Anniversary of the clinic.
I could never only measure the success of the clinic by an oversubscribed diary and your incredibly thoughtful reviews. It is also in the very personal hugs, flowers, baking, photos and messages telling me you felt confident at your wedding, your son or daughter’s wedding, on holiday or on your first day in your new job.
It’s welcoming you after you’ve gone through life’s highs and lows— new babies, health challenges, birthdays, bereavements and brave new chapters. Some of you have trusted me through very personal life events like, post-illness recovery and gender-affirming journeys. It has been an honour to support you with respect, discretion, and care. This has meant more than you know. When you tell me you felt heard, safe, and never pressured, that is the highest compliment.
Looking ahead, we will continue with focus on our core values, investing in education, refining techniques, and offering treatments that are effective, safe, and subtle.
We will keep doing what we’ve done since day one: listening, learning, and putting your wellbeing first.
If you’ve been with me since the beginning, thank you for a decade of trust. If you’ve just discovered us, welcome.
Here’s to the next ten years of careful hands, honest conversations, and the quiet magic that happens when you feel comfortable in your own skin.
With deep gratitude,
Elizabeth Harris, Nurse Practitioner and Clinical Director
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