More Than Skin Deep
Former NHS midwife Dearbhaile Shaw shares her journey into aesthetics, why confidence matters, and what readers can expect from her new Local Women column.
Tell us a little about yourself and what inspired you to launch Dervfilla?
My journey into aesthetics has been anything but straightforward, but every step has led me exactly to where I am today.
I’m a mum of three and worked as an NHS midwife for 12 years while building my aesthetics business alongside it. From a young age, I always dreamed of working in the beauty industry. After not passing my 11+ exam and not getting into the grammar school I had hoped for, I thought beauty would naturally become my career path.
However, after attending St Louise’s Comprehensive College, I excelled academically, achieved strong GCSEs and A-Levels, and the opportunity to attend university completely changed my direction.
After having my first son, my experiences with midwives during pregnancy, labour and postnatally inspired me to pursue a career in midwifery. That’s where my passion for caring for and supporting women truly began.
A few years into my midwifery career, I came across medical aesthetics courses. Combining my love for healthcare and beauty felt like the perfect fit. What initially started as a way to earn extra income and reduce my long NHS shifts quickly grew into something far more meaningful.
Dervfilla, inspired by my own name, Dearbhaile Shaw, has since grown into a successful and thriving business.
What first drew you towards aesthetics and skin treatments as a career?
Combining healthcare and beauty felt like the perfect fit for me. I realised I could still care for and support women while also helping them feel more confident in themselves.
Following the birth of my third child, who is now 18 months old, balancing NHS work, my business and family life became increasingly challenging. I was working more hours than ever before and something had to change.
This month, I made the incredibly difficult but exciting decision to leave my NHS role as a midwife and dedicate myself fully to my business and my family.
If someone had told me a year ago that I would leave the NHS, I would never have believed them. For so long, the security of working within the Trust was what kept me there, but as my business continued to grow, I realised I needed to take the leap and put both my family and my passion first.
What do you love most about working with women and helping them feel more confident?
What I love most about aesthetics is the confidence it can give women. As busy working mums, we often spend so much time caring for everyone else that we forget about ourselves.
Aesthetic treatments can help women feel refreshed, confident and like the best version of themselves again.
How would you describe your approach to aesthetic treatments and skincare?
My approach to aesthetics has always focused on natural enhancement. I love how the industry has evolved over recent years, moving away from the “overdone” look and embracing the philosophy that less is more.
Most women simply want to soften the signs of ageing while still looking like themselves.
What are some of the most common concerns clients come to you with?
One of the biggest concerns women have is the ageing process itself. This is where regenerative aesthetics has become such an exciting part of the industry.
Treatments such as polynucleotides, skin boosters and biostimulators work by stimulating collagen and elastin production within the skin, both of which naturally decline as we age.
From our mid-20s onwards, collagen production decreases by around one per cent each year, contributing to fine lines, wrinkles and loss of skin elasticity.
What can readers expect from your new Local Women column over the months ahead?
Over the coming months, readers can expect to see more about regenerative treatments and the exciting developments happening at Dervfilla as I continue to focus on treatments that restore, rejuvenate and enhance natural beauty.
I’ll also be sharing advice, education and information to help women feel informed and confident about the choices available to them.
Dervfilla Medical Aesthetics
Address: Dervfilla, 20 Beechmount Avenue, Belfast, BT12 7NA
Tel: 07710121277
