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<\/p>\nLOOKING in the mirror Megan Francis was horrified by what stared back at her. <\/p>\n
The mum-of-two, 24, from Telford, Shropshire, had treated herself to an eyebrow procedure as an early Christmas gift.<\/p>\n
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She had been busy caring for her two young daughters with birthday and Christmas preparations so her and mum Angelina, went out to finish their Christmas shopping on December 14.<\/p>\n
Both had their eyebrows tinted and threaded from a popular high street store as a pre-Christmas present – something they'd had before. <\/p>\n
Megan says: \u201cMy youngest daughter, Gracie, had turned one on December 6 and so I\u2019d had a birthday party to organise. I was also mum to Laila, now four.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cSo, like all busy mums with little ones, I\u2019d not had much time for Christmas shopping. And certainly, no time for beauty treatments.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen Mum suggested a day out, picking up last minute gifts and making ourselves look beautiful, it sounded perfect. <\/p>\n I\u2019d seen a lovely baby doll advertised on TV which I knew Laila would love. And I wanted to get some aftershave for my husband, Brett, too.<\/p>\n \u201cI was really looking forward to getting my eyebrows done, in time for Christmas and New Year parties.\u00a0 I\u2019d had the procedure done before, so I knew pretty much what to expect, though this time it did seem to be over with very quickly.\u201d<\/p>\n After Megan got home, her eyebrows began tingling and burning.<\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n She says: \u201cMy mum said hers were a bit tingly too, so I ignored it. But as the days passed, they got worse and worse. My forehead was really hot, and my eyebrows were swollen. The pain kept me awake and I felt as though I had thousands of tiny needles stabbing at my eyebrows.<\/p>\n \u201cI tried different gels and creams and lay with a wet cloth on my face, but nothing helped.\u201d<\/p>\n Four days later, Megan\u2019s face was so swollen that she was unable to see and was rushed to the Princess Royal Hospital in Telford, Shropshire.<\/p>\n Megan says: \u201cIt felt like my face was cooking. It was so painful and so scary. I had no idea what was happening to me. We called a doctor, and he advised Brett that I needed to go straight to hospital.<\/p>\n \u201cBy now it was December 18, just a week to Christmas 2021, and I had so many plans with my daughters. But I knew my health was more important.\u201d<\/p>\n Doctors confirmed she\u2019d suffered an extreme allergic reaction, and she was admitted to hospital for treatment.<\/p>\n Megan says: \u201cIt was so frightening when it started to affect my vision \u2013 I was worried I might go blind. My face just kept on swelling. I never expected to have such an extreme reaction to such a common beauty treatment.<\/p>\n \u201cI felt awful for my daughters too. I had booked breakfast with Santa with them later that day and I had to miss it. We were supposed to be dressing up in our Christmas outfits and going to meet Santa and his elves, over croissants and hot chocolates. Laila had been so excited about it, crossing the days off on the calendar.<\/p>\n \u201cWe missed our trip to the grotto. I tried to persuade them to go without me, but they didn\u2019t want to. Our Christmas was completely ruined.\u201d<\/p>\n Our Christmas was completely ruined<\/p>\n Megan was given strong antibiotics and creams before being able to return home and recover.<\/p>\n She says: \u201cChristmas morning came, and I did my best to join in and celebrate with the girls. But every time I smiled, the pain shot through my face.<\/p>\n \u201cOver New Year, we had arranged to see friends, but I cancelled those plans too.<\/p>\n \u201cIt felt worse that this was completely avoidable. It wasn\u2019t as if I had an illness. If only I hadn\u2019t booked my eyebrow treatment, our Christmas would have been completely different.<\/p>\n \u201cIt took almost a month for my face to go back to normal. All through January 2022, I hid myself away. And even then, when I began going out with the children, I felt so self-conscious. It felt as though everyone was staring at my eyebrows.\u201d<\/p>\n She says: \u201cI just want to warn people that this can happen.\u00a0 I got my eyebrows done to make my Christmas special \u2013 but it was ruined.<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.thesun.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/newspress-collage-19x69dwb3-1702637769036.jpg\")
<\/picture>BODY TALK <\/span><\/p>\nI've got jiggly legs, big calves and cellulite and don't care what trolls say<\/h3>\n
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<\/picture>SANTA'S GROTTO <\/span><\/p>\nI\u2019m a gypsy – I spend \u00a340k on Xmas decs, trolls say it\u2019s tacky but I love it<\/h3>\n
Christmas day out<\/h2>\n
Most read in Fabulous<\/h2>\n
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<\/picture>SANTA BABES <\/span><\/p>\nNaughty or nice? Secret signals in Abbey Clancy & Kylie Jenner’s sexy stockings<\/h3>\n
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<\/picture>MYSTIC MEG <\/span><\/p>\nEven one small step towards what you want can open up surprising doors<\/h3>\n
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<\/picture>EYE OPENING <\/span><\/p>\nMy girl, 11, wears fake lashes -school have already moaned but I don’t care<\/h3>\n
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<\/picture>PARTY’S OVER <\/span><\/p>\nI promised to behave at my work Christmas party but I ended up getting fired<\/h3>\n
Swollen face<\/h2>\n
Horror reaction<\/h2>\n
Read more on The Sun<\/h2>\n
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