Everybody needs to look their greatest however generally all of us want just a little assist alongside the way in which in the direction of reaching what we aspire to be. Materially, it’s pretty easy for one to “look good” by way of the help of vogue — sporting the newest assortment or getting one’s hand on the season’s equipment. Nonetheless, dressing to the nines is simply skin-deep if it isn’t accompanied by glowing and radiant pores and skin. As somebody who has been battling acne-prone pores and skin, I jumped on the chance after I was provided an opportunity to have a session with Dr Thean, the founder and Medical Director of Ensoul Medical Clinic.
Identical to how we’d train to maintain our our bodies wholesome, the identical consideration needs to be given to our pores and skin. That is the ethos that Dr Thean holds when treating his sufferers. “In my observe, I’ve been devoted to treating ‘disfiguring’ pores and skin ailments, and this ethos is closely mirrored within the therapies we provide.”
My session with Dr Thean begins off with sharing my present skincare routine and the previous therapies that I’ve carried out. After listening to my considerations and pores and skin historical past, Dr Thean would study the pores and skin to formulate a remedy plan. For my case, I used to be really useful to check out their Signature Pimples Medi facial, their Quad Laser remedy which consists of a complete of 4 lasers together with the Lengthy Pulse Laser in addition to the Pico Laser, and at last the Radiofrequency (RF) Microneedling remedy. As a medical practitioner with a long time of expertise, Dr Thean is apt in utilizing a mix of lasers and energy-based gadgets to realize the specified outcome. The usage of completely different modalities is on the coronary heart of Dr Thean’s arsenal of therapies.
As there are just a few therapies that had been organized for me, I needed to plan out a schedule with my assigned assistant, and my journey formally began with Medifacial. Earlier than the beginning of any remedy, my face was totally cleansed to take away any merchandise and grime that was on my pores and skin. Then, I used to be escorted to a different room the place photographs of my face at completely different angles had been taken — these kind a document and permit the physician to trace a affected person’s progress.
The Medifacial is performed in one other room only a stage above the session clinic and the method was pretty simple. I used to be given a pores and skin peel, adopted by guide extraction of any whiteheads and blackheads. IPL was carried out to areas the place facial hairs had been rising then the session ended with a chilled masks. After this session, my pores and skin felt cleaner and had this pure shine.
Within the following week, I attempted the Trial Quad Lasers and Q-Swap Laser with Anti-ageing. Identical to the Medifacial, I had my face cleansed and photographed. The remedy lasted for about 20 minutes. I used to be ushered into the remedy room and Dr Thean was already inside ready for me. I used to be initially fairly nervous however Dr Thean’s calm voice reassured me that I used to be in secure fingers. Because it was my first time doing such an intensive laser remedy, Dr Thean made positive to test in on me whereas he was administering the pictures. Apart from the prickling sensation and odor of burnt pores and skin, the entire course of was easy and fast. I thanked Dr Thean for the remedy and was whisked off to a different room the place his assistant helped to carry down my pores and skin redness. Over the subsequent few days, I noticed that my pores and skin began to clear up. The cussed pigmentations that I had lightened, my pores and skin was not as oily as earlier than and I used to be not breaking out as usually anymore.
Subsequent up was Radiofrequency Microneedling remedy. I arrived on the clinic within the night and the standard cleaning and image-taking had been carried out. However this time spherical, my face needed to be numbed for an hour earlier than remedy. I used to be delivered to a room and the clinic assistant utilized numbing cream on my face. Quickly, it was time for Dr Thean to conduct his remedy. The intention of RF Microneedling was to stimulate collagen manufacturing which in flip corporations up the pores and skin and lightens the looks of scars or blemishes. That is carried out by creating micro accidents on the floor of the pores and skin to stimulate the pure restoration of the physique. For this remedy, it was barely painful however nonetheless bearable. The physician was cognizant of the troubled areas on my face and tailor-made the method to my situation. Every thing was carried out inside half-hour, and over the subsequent few days, my pores and skin felt firmer whereas the deep scars weren’t as apparent anymore. There have been some purple spots because of the needling however they had been gone just a few days later.
General, my expertise with Ensoul Medical Clinic has been optimistic to this point. Each Dr Thean and his group made positive that I used to be snug all through the remedy. In addition they defined what they had been doing at every juncture so I used to be not misplaced in translation.
Forward, we communicate with Dr Thean of Ensoul Medical Clinic, the place he shares extra concerning the therapies his clinic gives and debunks some skincare myths.
What are some misconceptions that you just want to deal with close to utilizing medical lasers as a type of remedy? (E.g., Lengthy downtime costly, and so forth.)
With regards to laser remedy, as fashionable because it has turn into, there may be a whole lot of misinformation surrounding the know-how, in addition to what it does as a remedy. In actual fact, the extra widespread myths about laser therapies are that they’ve extraordinarily lengthy downtimes, they are typically costly, and in addition that they might be painful.
Through the years, aesthetic know-how has superior tremendously, permitting us to realize good outcomes with no to low downtime and just about no ache. Among the misconceptions that I wish to focus on are:
Fable #1 : It’s the Laser that Delivers the Outcomes
One downside with the surging reputation of laser therapies is that you could be assume that you recognize what you want since you’ve seen it popping up on social media or have buddies who’ve undergone the laser therapies themselves. However the greatest mistake is to get hung up on the kind of laser and even the model names. The kind of laser and model names of lasers are far much less vital than your pores and skin situation in addition to the ability and information of the physician performing the laser remedy.
Each laser has completely different parameters, settings, and wavelengths that should be customised for optimum outcomes. Everybody comes with a unique pores and skin kind and situation that they’re making an attempt to hunt assist for. For instance, with darker pores and skin, you should be extraordinarily cautious with the setting. I’ve seen sufferers who find yourself with poor outcomes or issues from laser therapies due to remedy strategies the place they didn’t get the outcomes they had been anticipating to see.
In the identical approach you wouldn’t go to a live performance and ask the cooks what model of musical instrument or guitar they’re utilizing to play their music, the concentrate on manufacturers as a substitute of the talents, capabilities and expertise of the physician can go away you uninformed and inclined to creating the mistaken choices in your pursuit to raised pores and skin.
Fable #2: All Lasers are the Identical
Whereas laser pores and skin therapies usually function on the identical precept — utilizing a lightweight beam to restore the pores and skin, and destroy undesirable parts, it doesn’t imply that anyone laser can treatment all pores and skin points. There’s merely no scope for the ‘one dimension suits all’ method when utilizing lasers for pores and skin therapies.
There’s a huge vary of variations within the energy and different parameter settings of every laser and completely different laser machines have completely different wavelengths and pulse durations, which instantly impacts what types of pores and skin situations you may use it for. Subsequently, the selection of machines and the parameter settings are crucial for good outcomes.
One laser shouldn’t be the be-all and end-all — we should at all times take into account what we have to deal with. Lasers of a particular wavelength is prescribed in accordance with the affected person’s pores and skin downside, situation, pores and skin color, and remedy space. So, even when two sufferers are affected by what appears to be related pores and skin issues, it isn’t potential that the identical lasers and settings can be used for every of their therapies.
Fable #3: Laser Thins the Pores and skin
One other widespread false impression is that lasers scale back pores and skin thickness. In actual fact, the alternative is true. The laser truly stimulates the elevated manufacturing of chemical mediators throughout the dermis to generate extra collagen and elastin. Collagen is a protein that makes the pores and skin thicker, whereas elastin helps to make the pores and skin bouncier and firmer. Over time, the collagen protein matures to turn into stronger, extra steady and longer-lasting.
As demonstrated within the remedy of deep atrophic scars, a laser is used to rebuild the pores and skin’s dermal tissue and fill within the “holes” created by earlier pimples infections. This dispels the parable that lasers skinny the pores and skin.
Laser therapies comprise a significant choice of the suite of providers that Ensoul Medical Clinic gives, may you share with us why that is the popular selection?
As an alternative of seeing it as the popular selection, we have a look at it as what are the very best remedy choices analysis has confirmed, and our experience in treating the illness facets of aesthetics, of pigmentation, pimples and pimples scars.
Totally different laser remedy modalities use completely different wavelength sources of high-energy mild, and it may goal completely different layers of the pores and skin or pores and skin points. After we are in a position to goal each the dermis and dermis of the pores and skin, we discovered that we will obtain excellent outcomes for the above pores and skin situations. As well as, it helped sufferers obtain smaller pores, smoother pores and skin, and fairer pores and skin. We additionally discovered that it produces firming, lifting, pores and skin tightening, and profound pores and skin renewal, leading to a pure glow.
That stated, regardless of utilizing a mix of various laser modalities for our laser therapies, we even have a complete suite of energy-based gadgets that utilises applied sciences equivalent to radiofrequency, ultrasound, and plenty of others in order that we’re in a position to customise tailor-made remedy protocols for each single one in all our sufferers.
How have laser therapies modified over the previous couple of years and what’s at the moment the preferred kind of remedy available in the market?
Laser know-how within the area of medical aesthetics has developed tremendously in the previous couple of years. A rise within the consciousness of aesthetic magnificence has led to immense progress in analysis and improvement of laser therapies.
We are able to now obtain higher outcomes with much less downtime, much less ache, and extra safely. This additionally necessitates that we preserve abreast of the newest strategies and applied sciences. However for us, moderately than making certain we offer the trendiest remedy, it’s the effectiveness of a remedy that’s vital to us.
For instance, a brand new laser, the Pico Laser, is usually talked about. This can be a results of the numerous laser producers who closely promote their “Pico Laser”. The market is oversold on this machine, however this know-how is simply appropriate for some particular pores and skin situations. As well as, not each pores and skin downside might be handled efficiently with just one laser too.
How are purchasers readily choosing laser as a remedy? Do you observe a rise in folks selecting this over different remedy choices?
Ensoul Medical Clinic is primarily an energy-based targeted medical clinic that features a variety of lasers. We’ve got particular pursuits in treating the illness side of aesthetics, equivalent to power pigmentation situations like melasma. That is a particularly difficult pores and skin situation to deal with and lasers have confirmed to be an efficient technique for difficult-to-treat melasma. Subsequently, as lots of our sufferers have tried varied different therapies beforehand with little success, they haven’t any subject with choosing laser as a remedy.
Whereas there was a rise in folks asking for laser therapies over different remedy choices, their customised remedy plan depends on the severity and kind of pores and skin situation that the affected person is looking for remedy for. Sufferers could request laser therapies, however we’ve got to at all times assess and consider the circumstances of the affected person, and customise essentially the most acceptable protocol for treating the problem at hand.
What are the advantages of utilizing completely different modalities when treating a shopper and why is that this the popular selection at Ensoul Medical Clinic?
Each affected person is completely different, and no remedy is ever one-size-fits-all. Customised options that consist of various modalities are important for outcomes as a result of they’re created to match the precise specs of the pores and skin situation, and it permits for simpler focusing on of the issue.
For instance, we’ve got many sufferers who battle with melasma, a power pores and skin situation that causes darkish patches and spots on the face, there aren’t any two individuals that has the very same melasma spots.
Melasma is extra than simply pigmentation. There’s additionally photodamage from extra UV radiation, inflicting irritation within the dermis; a defect within the pores and skin’s epidermal basement membrane layer; and irregular blood vessels within the dermis. Melasma pigments additionally sit in numerous depths of the pores and skin which require a customized method with many various combos of machines, energy settings, and fixed balancing for optimum outcomes.
Subsequently, a number of completely different modalities should be used to efficiently deal with completely different severity and sorts of melasma. It’s paramount {that a} customised answer is crafted for every affected person, monitored and modified in accordance with response, in order that we’re in a position to deal with their particular person and distinctive pores and skin issues.
What are some widespread pores and skin situations that you just regularly see amongst your purchasers, and will you share with us a number of the extra fashionable remedy on the clinic?
The most typical pores and skin situation handled at Ensoul Medical Clinic is power hyperpigmentation equivalent to melasma. Apart from pigmentation, we deal with many sufferers that battle with pimples in addition to oily pores and skin – from teenagers going by way of puberty to working adults. Pimples is a quite common pores and skin situation that may have an effect on the face, chest, shoulders, and again. Whereas it usually seems within the teenage years, it may persist into maturity as properly. We additionally deal with outdated pimples scars, each the publish inflammatory hyperpigmentation (persistent brown and purple spots) and the atrophic pimples scars.
The most well-liked therapies are laser therapies for pigmentation, Medi facials for lively pimples and ablative radiofrequency remedy for atrophic pimples scars. Our remedy protocol for pimples contains a number of remedy modalities rigorously tailor-made to every affected person. As several types of pimples lesions require completely different remedy approaches, therapies equivalent to Twin Wave Radiofrequency Microneedling, chemical peels, and Medi facials can successfully clear the pores and skin and enhance scarring after just a few classes.
What have been the shopper profiles at Ensoul Medical Clinic when it comes to nationalities and do you see an increase in males coming down for consultations?
Our clinic caters primarily for native Singapore residents who imagine in eager to clear their disfiguring pores and skin situations by way of pure, non-invasive and confirmed energy-based gadgets therapies too. Our shopper profiles do encompass the expat group of various nationalities, our core clientele are primarily professionals from their late 30s onwards, many who’re common fitness center goers, and imagine that holding their pores and skin wholesome is as vital as holding their our bodies wholesome.
Therapy of sophisticated melasma and tough pimples are the most typical therapies carried out on the clinic. These require common classes in the beginning of the remedy protocol. Subsequently, it’s difficult for us to deal with sufferers who fly in for a brief time frame. Nonetheless, given the character of our physique therapies, the place sufferers are usually not required to go to as usually, we do see sufferers from all over the world.
Males are taking higher care of their pores and skin and our bodies right now, adopting a extra proactive method to sustaining a youthful look. Thus, we’re seeing an increase in male sufferers from about 20 per cent to these days 30 per cent coming for therapies for each the pores and skin in addition to the physique.
With over 30 years of expertise, what’s one thing that’s non-negotiable with regards to taking good care of one’s pores and skin?
With regards to taking good care of the pores and skin, I at all times imagine that extra shouldn’t be extra. Many individuals imagine that utilizing extra skincare merchandise on their faces will profit their pores and skin. Others are the identical with aesthetic therapies, ensuring they get their fingers on each one of many trendiest therapies so as to keep a youthful look. The reality is that these efforts are merely overloading the pores and skin with extra chemical substances that generally find yourself doing extra hurt than the rest.
An important factor is to stay to the necessities — do solely what’s good in your pores and skin. All you want is a straightforward every day routine to cleanse and hydrate the pores and skin, in addition to common remedy that rejuvenates the pores and skin from inside, decreases irritation, and stimulates pure collagen manufacturing to maintain the pores and skin youthful and wholesome.
Other than providing laser therapies, what different providers does Ensoul Medical Clinic supply that differ from the remainder?
Apart from laser therapies, Ensoul Medical Clinic gives a spread of different medical providers as properly. We concentrate on offering a full vary of energy-based gadgets to deal with all kinds of pores and skin issues. These embody:
- Radiofrequency (non-ablative, ablative, pulse and steady wave microneedling)
- Ultrasound remedy (low depth, excessive depth targeted, excessive depth fractional targeted)
- Gentle remedy (Intense pulse and low stage)
Our providers lengthen past the pores and skin to the complete physique. The chosen strategies and coverings permits for fats discount, pores and skin tightening in addition to cellulite discount with out the necessity for surgical procedure or injections.
- Non-invasive Physique Sculpting (Fats freezing, laser lipolysis, cellulite discount and pores and skin laxity therapies)
Many of those therapies are carried out for current sufferers after their crucial downside of pigmentation, or pimples, are cleared and they’re looking for to enhance and keep a youthful look and age gracefully.
When mentioning aesthetic procedures, South Korea and Thailand usually come to thoughts as the highest locations for therapies, how is Singapore fairing on this extremely aggressive sector?
The principle edge that Singapore has towards different fashionable beauty tourism locations can be the excessive stage of affected person security and care from the practices. This can be a extremely regulated area with stringent tips put in place by the Ministry of Well being. These tips not solely regulate the providers and choices of a observe, but additionally its premises and even promoting efforts.
Moreover, all medical practitioners should be registered with the Singapore Medical Council, which ensures tips are adhered to so as to keep away from medical malpractice. Regardless of the upper prices for aesthetic therapies, the excessive stage of healthcare requirements has stored Singapore a preferred vacation spot for beauty tourism.
What do you envision Ensoul Medical Clinic to be in 5 years?
Once I set out my imaginative and prescient for Ensoul Medical Clinic, I did so with the target of wanting to enhance the standard of my sufferers’ lives, and to enhance the pores and skin well being of my sufferers. Versus medical situations that can’t be seen, sufferers with pores and skin situations bear their ailments on the skin for the world to see. Residing with these situations can have an effect on an individual’s total wellbeing, negatively affecting their shallowness and generally even isolating them and hindering their social life.
In my observe, I’ve been devoted to treating “disfiguring” pores and skin ailments, and this ethos is closely mirrored within the therapies we provide. I’ve witnessed many sufferers who battle with these pores and skin ailments like melasma or pimples, who stroll out completely different folks, standing tall and assured as soon as they see important enhancements of their pores and skin situations from after I first noticed them.
Subsequently, in 5 years, I envision Ensoul Medical Clinic to stay a boutique clinic, persevering with to spend money on the newest confirmed applied sciences and strategies in our quest to advance our experience and concentrate on treating disfiguring pores and skin situations. We won’t waver in our intention to enhance the standard of our sufferers’ high quality of life in addition to enhance the pores and skin well being of our sufferers by treating their situations from the basis causes and holding their pores and skin wholesome and youthful.
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