Island Life Magazine Ltd January/February 2006 | Page 39

HEALTH & BEAUTY
someone’s self-esteem”.

that same kind of comfortable, small-town feeling.

Of course, as an experienced medical professional, Máire retains a
strong element of caution about these non-essential treatments.

“We love it for its beaches, the fact that you can wander down
there at any time of year and always see something different. And
the Island has such a variety of scenery packed into such a small
area. We are really glad we discovered it and now wouldn’t want
to live anywhere else”.

“There are certain things I would always be careful of – Botox, for
instance can be dangerous in the wrong hands, so there is good
reason for people to be wary. My approach is always to develop
treatments with each individual patient, tailored specifically for
them. That’s why I always begin with a 45-minute consultation”.
Not surprisingly, around 90% of the skin centre’s patients have been
women, and the men who have attended have tended to go for the
intense pulsed light system for hair
removal.
“I am sure that the Isle of Wight men
would find many of the treatments
just as beneficial to them, though I
guess they might find it more of a
challenge to come to the clinic!” says
Máire.

In the next issue we will be looking at some treatments Máire can
offer, also some before and after photographs.
You can contact Máire at The Orchard Cosmetic Skin Centre on
01983 520022.

“Máire treating a patient with the new Intense Pulsed
Light treatment”

Currently, she combines her two days
a week in the cosmetic clinic with one
day as a Consultant Ophthalmologist
at the Orchard.
The part-time working means she
performs the classic working mum’s
juggling act in order to spend time
with Shauna and Joseph whilst they
are still young. As they get older, she
expects to ease back into full-time
working.
For now, though, she has more than
enough on her plate. A couple of
days before Christmas, Máire and her
husband Patrick Mann – also a
Consultant Ophthalmologist at St
Mary’s Hospital in Portsmouth –
moved from their house in Ryde’s
Westfield Park area to a new home
close to the beach and the town’s
pier.
“We have a beautiful view of
Portsmouth Harbour and it’s lovely to
be able to wander out straight onto
the beach,” says Maire. She and
Patrick – a keen sailor – fell in love
with the Island when she first came
here to work, and quickly decided it
was the place for them.
“It’s a wonderful place to bring up a
family,” says Máire, who hails from
Cullohill a rural village in the centre
of Ireland.
“It’s a bit like Ireland here because
the people are so friendly, and there’s

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