A 33-year-old woman was left feeling like 'a shadow of her former self' after she was bit by her dog
Richard Jenkins
08:00, 16 Nov 2025
A woman who feared she'd be permanently scarred after her cherished Cocker Spaniel bit her can now 'look in the mirror again' following laser therapy.
Holly Taylor, 33, from South Shields was relaxing in front of the telly with her pooch, Splodge, when the five year old dog suddenly pounced at her face, inflicting a severe bite wound on her cheek.
She said: "I was in complete shock at first, Splodge jumped from my knee, I held my face but could feel the blood running down my hand. My partner ran from the kitchen and knelt beside me - it was when he said take your hand away from your face and he saw the bite, that I knew from his expression it was bad."
However, the consequences weren't merely physical as Holly was left with psychological wounds that meant she battled to venture outdoors, glance in the mirror or even face other people.
Indeed, she nearly vomited the first time she glimpsed her reflection whilst in hospital. She added: "I was so shocked as to how bad it was given the split seconds it happened in."
"The weeks that followed the bite seem like a blur now. My face was so swollen [and] full of stitches. As a young, confident, sociable woman with a public-facing role in press and marketing, I felt a shadow of my former self.
"I wouldn't go out, I would sit and obsess over old photos, and my mind would even run away with itself, thinking - imagine my wedding photos in the future, or I am going to have to introduce myself to everyone I meet and tell them this story, so they understand why I look this way."
Following the attack in March earlier this year, Holly received Fraxel laser treatment, which she claims 'changed her life'.
Fraxel, which costs around £800 per treatment, creates microscopic treatment zones that stimulate collagen remodelling and the body's natural healing process, revealing fresh, glowing skin.
Holly said: "I am a positive person and tried to just keep seeing the bigger picture thinking once my stitches are out, this will heal fine. However, that was not the case."
Under the supervision of leading dermatologist, Dr Ophelia Veraitch, Holly received a series of four personalised sessions designed to soften her scars and rejuvenate her skin.
Consequently her scars became less red and smoother in texture, her overall skin quality improved, and most importantly, she regained her confidence.
She said: "It has given me back my confidence. The difference even after one session was remarkable. Nobody could believe it. I would take comparison pictures every few days and the look and feel of the scar was changing rapidly."
Consultant Dermatologist Dr Ophelia Veraitch explained: "Fraxel works by targeting the skin with microscopic laser columns that penetrate deeply to stimulate the body's natural collagen remodelling.
"Because it only treats a fraction of the tissue at a time and leaves the surrounding skin intact healing is much faster than when compared to more aggressive approaches."
Tragically, when Holly brought Splodge to the vets the morning following the attack, she was informed his sudden behavioural shift typically indicates an aggressive illness, tumour or brain haemorrhage, and it was deemed safer for both of them to have him euthanised.
She revealed: "It was the most heartbreaking decision of my life but the right one as I couldn't risk this happening to another person – I would never forgive myself.
"He wasn't the dog I knew or loved anymore. I couldn't even say goodbye properly as I was scared to go near his face as I used to. It was the worst day of my life."