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Double chins and chubby cheeks are adorable on tiny tots, but for the rest of us, they’re definitely not features we want. They are impossible to conceal or reduce, no matter how many skincare products we spam on our faces or how we angle our heads in photos.

They add years to our physical appearance as well, and they can’t be eliminated with facial exercises. As we get older, specks of pigmentation can start to show on our cheeks too. If you’re struggling to hide these features, don’t lose hope.

One way to achieve the fastest and most obvious results is to turn to aesthetic treatments by licensed MOH clinics. Ahead, we’ll be sharing more about four procedures for your consideration. The ones we’ve featured below have minimal side-effects with little to no downtime.

To help us break down every procedure, we spoke to Dr Isaac Wong from The Artisan Clinic. He is a well-known international trainer for CynoSure (PicoSure), Ellanse, Silhouette Soft threadlift, Mint Lift threadlift, and Teoxane fillers. He’s also actively educating doctors worldwide on these procedures. Keep reading to find out the key differences between these treatments and see which you’re suited for.

1. Picosure: Pigmentation, visible pores & acne scars

The Artisan Clinic Picosure

Pigmentation forms when there’s an overproduction of melanin in certain spots on the skin. This results in flat, darkened patches of skin that are light brown or black in colour, and can vary in size and shape. A treatment that can help to reduce the appearance of pigmentation and scars is PicoSure, an FDA approved Picolaser.

PicoSure is also the first Picosecond laser, and it’s also known as the Fan Bing Bing Laser. The actress was rumoured to be caught by paparazzi when she was having this treatment performed on her in Taiwan many years ago.

Suitable for most ages, PicoSure delivers a short-wavelength, high-intensity laser to treat pigmentation, enlarged pores, acne scars, and sun-damaged skin. “I also use it for skin rejuvenation effects due to the collagen produced from the Focus Lens,” Dr Wong shares. If you’d like to remove a tattoo, you can also opt for PicoSure.

Unlike traditional lasers, this procedure uses a 755nm wavelength laser to absorb more pigments and less blood, which is why it is able to remove pigments without causing any burns or damage. PicoSure’s Focus Lens penetrates deeper into the layers of the skin to stimulate collagen production, so it also promises brighter, smoother skin, and a reduction in pore size.

What the PicoSure procedure looks like

The Artisan Clinic Picosure Procedure

The Picolaser works by firing laser beams with extremely short pulse durations at the skin. A topical numbing cream will be applied before the treatment, so you will only experience a mild pricking sensation from the laser.

Cold air will be blown on your skin during the treatment to reduce any discomfort too. Generally, PicoSure is well tolerated by patients, and the entire treatment should take around 15 to 20 minutes.

Unlike other clinics, Dr Wong would combine The Artisan Clinic’s PicoSure settings with the Artisan Miracle Dew skin treatment to achieve that coveted, dewy Korean glass skin.

Downtime & aftercare required for PicoSure

Within three days, your skin should feel much smoother and look more radiant. After seven days, your pore size and pigmentation will be reduced, while your skin feels tighter. Finally, after 14 days, your pigmentation would appear much lighter, and your skin would bear an even more radiant glow.

You may experience slight flushing for a few hours to a full day, depending on your skin. Your skin could feel a little drier after the procedure as well, which is a temporary effect. Dr Wong will prescribe you a post-laser recovery cream. For lighter pigmentation, it should take about one to two sessions to lighten it. More severe pigmentation would require three to five sessions. For deep acne scars, five or eight sessions, or even more may be required.

Dr Wong has his own unique “Artisan PicoSure” settings which are tailored for Asian skin. This lets you achieve the best results with minimum to zero downtime, and many local celebrities and influencers are often seen posting about their Artisan PicoSure treatment.

The effects of Artisan PicoSure largely depends on how you care for your skin as well as your lifestyle. A good skincare regimen and diligent use of sunscreen can certainly help to prolong the results of PicoSure. Whereas late nights, smoking, and regular consumption of alcohol can speed up your skin’s natural ageing process.

2. Ellansé: Loss of volume in cheeks, nasolabial folds, temples

The Artisan Clinic Ellanse

To plump up and restore volume in gaunt cheeks, Dr Wong recommends Ellansé, a filler that contains collagen-stimulating properties. Unlike other fillers, it does not use hyaluronic acid as its main component. Instead, the main component of Ellansé fillers is Poly-Caprolactone (PCL), a type of long-lasting polymer that can be absorbed by your body over time. You’ll be pleased to know that Dr Wong is an international trainer for Ellansé, and he also won the Best Combination Treatment Award in Barcelona in 2018.

Dr Wong explains, “Ellansé promises a dual effect of immediate volumising and lifting, as well as a secondary effect of stimulating your skin’s ability to produce collagen for a longer-lasting, natural result. It makes the skin look younger and reverses collagen loss due to ageing. It is commonly known as 少女针, which means The Filler of Youth, due to its well-publicised effects of taking 10 to 20 years off your facial age on the internet.”

Apart from restoring volume to your skin, the treatment can also be used to contour nose bridges and reduce the appearance of dark eye circles. Women and men above the age of 30 are suitable for Ellansé, while those with auto-immune conditions should avoid this treatment.

What the Ellansé procedure looks like

Before the treatment, a numbing cream will be applied to the targeted areas of your face. Dr Wong will then administer injections of Ellansé, which carries PCL microspheres. These microspheres will trigger collagen production in your body to make your skin more elastic and look healthier overall.

Since the gel is not immediately reversible, great skill is required to administer this treatment. Don’t worry. Dr Wong is a respected international trainer and speaker for Ellansé and he is regularly engaged in overseas workshops to teach other doctors about performing this treatment.

Combining this skill with his astute eye for aesthetics, he aims to give you a natural, long-lasting result. In fact, he is the go-to doctor when patients have experienced complications with their Ellansé performed by other doctors. You’ll see an immediate, “wow” result after your procedure. On average, collagen stimulation will peak in the third month to give you the optimal result.

Downtime & aftercare required for Ellansé

There is low-to-no downtime when it comes to this procedure, only a few tiny needle marks may be visible. You may also experience temporary mild swelling and soreness.

Dr Wong advises patients to avoid excessive stretching or strenuous exercise for two weeks after the treatment. Depending on the grade of the fillers, the results can last between one to four years.

3. Artisan Thread Lift: Double chin, droopy eyebrows, deep smile lines

The Artisan Clinic Thread Lift

A minimally invasive procedure, the Artisan Thread Lift uses temporary threads (sutures) to produce a visible lifting effect in the skin. Instead of removing loose facial skin surgically, Dr Wong would simply suspend the sagging skin and heavy tissue with threads.

The most common types of thread in Singapore are the Korean PDO threads (Mint Lift) and Silhouette threads, both of which are FDA approved to lift sagging skin and combat visible ageing. Each thread type differs in material, tensile strength of the thread, and design of the thread. Being an international trainer for both threads, Dr Wong will assess your skin condition and advise accordingly.

Apart from an immediate facelifting effect, these threads will stimulate your skin to produce new collagen for tighter, firmer, and smoother skin. Performed by Dr Wong, the Artisan Thread Lift focuses on the “Artisan Approach” – every millimetre and degree counts. He aims to provide the highest lifting results with minimum discomfort, downtime, and longer-lasting results.

The Artisan Thread Lift is recommended to those above 35, while patients with an autoimmune disease or major bleeding disorders should avoid this procedure.

What the Artisan Thread Lift procedure looks like

Thread lifts are slightly more invasive compared to face fillers, so the level of discomfort you’ll experience may be slightly higher. However, the results you’ll get from a thread lift would last twice as long. Fillers are more effective at contouring specific areas of the face, whereas a thread lift lifts your whole face and rejuvenates sagging skin to create a more youthful appearance.

During your consultation, Dr Wong will assess your face and skin condition. Numbing cream will be applied for 20 minutes. After which, he will administer local anaesthesia to numb the targeted areas of your face. Next, the threads will be carefully injected to those areas. Since it’s a relatively simple procedure for him, the entire process should take around 30 to 40 minutes.

Downtime & aftercare required for Artisan Thread Lift

After the procedure, you’ll notice an immediate lift around your problem areas. You may experience swelling and mild bruising for two to three days. For two weeks, it’s best to avoid strenuous exercise, swimming, and animated facial expressions.

The results of the Artisan Thread Lift should last anywhere between one to two years. You are also advised to schedule a follow-up consultation with your doctor to ensure that results are properly maintained.

4. TempSure: Droopy faces, sagging skin, fine lines & wrinkles

The Artisan Clinic Tempsure

As we age, our skin inevitably loses two important proteins that maintain its health and elasticity: collagen and elastin. This loss makes our skin more prone to wrinkles and sagging. For women and men above the age of 35, Dr Wong recommends TempSure to address fine lines and wrinkles, loose and sagging skin, as well as droopy faces.

“TempSure harnesses high-voltage monopolar radiofrequency to provide precise heating of the skin, ligaments, and deeper facial tissue. The handpiece used also contains a real-time temperature sensor that measures the tissue temperature,” Dr Wong explains.

39 to 42°C is the optimal temperature range to stimulate collagen growth and skin tightening, which the fastest-in-class in-built temperature sensor achieves. Excess heat and temperature with other common popular facelift devices can cause pain and facial fat loss as unwanted side effects.

As Asians tend to have thicker skin and heavier facial tissue than Caucasian skin, Dr Wong has also developed his own protocol for Asian faces. “The powerful part about these facelift devices is that they provide superb immediate off-table lifting results, which gets better over time, without the pain of other facelift devices and without downtime,” he shares.

What the TempSure procedure looks like

After your consultation, a gel will be applied on your skin to allow proper heat transfer. Dr Wong will use a specific set of settings (he calls it the Artisan TempSure settings) to suit your needs. He will then apply the probe on your skin. The optimal temperature for collagen-remodelling, stimulation, and facelifting is 42°C.

The treatment is virtually painless. In fact, the sensation is often likened to receiving a hot stone massage. On social media, we see many celebrities like Jamie Yeo and Lynn Poh falling asleep while getting TempSure done at Dr Wong’s clinic. The treatment also uses a patented anti-arcing technology, so there won’t be any chance of complications such as burns that can be caused by other radiofrequency machines.

During the procedure, the skin, fat and ligaments of the face are tightened and instantly lifted, so you can have a slimmer, more contoured face shape. TempSure takes around five to seven minutes to cover each area, so the time taken for the entire procedure may vary depending on factors like the size of the areas.

One full treatment usually takes 40 to 50 minutes. It’s so comfortable that many patients come here to be “sleeping beauties”. Just fall asleep for an hour and wake up to see a lifted, slimmer, younger you!

Downtime & aftercare required for TempSure

You’ll be able to see immediate results with TempSure. After performing the treatment on one half of your face, a mirror will be held up to show you the visible difference. There is zero downtime for the treatment. In fact, Dr Wong has celebrity patients coming in regularly for The Artisan TempSure – even on the same day of filming.

You may experience mild skin flushing for about one to two hours after the treatment, which is akin to a radiant glow for some patients. You can resume daily activities immediately after. The effects of TempSure will last about 12 to 15 months.

About The Artisan Clinic

The Artisan Clinic Reception

Established with a mission to provide bespoke aesthetic treatments for each and every patient, The Artisan Clinic offers a suite of procedures to address numerous face, hair, and body concerns. The Artisan Clinic was founded by Dr Isaac Wong, a physician with eight years of experience in aesthetics.

Besides aesthetic treatments that target double chins, chubby cheeks, and sagging skin, The Artisan Clinic also provides body slimming and shaping solutions. If you’re struggling with female or male pattern baldness, Dr Wong is able to perform effective, medically proven hair regrowth treatments to help you regain your confidence too.

If you’d like to make an appointment at The Artisan Clinic, click here.

The Artisan Clinic
Address: 290 Orchard Road, #07-01 Paragon Medical Suites, Singapore 238859
Opening hours: 9am – 7pm (Mon to Fri) | 9am – 3pm (Sat) | Closed on Sun & PH
Contact: Call or WhatsApp 8879 7887, email [email protected]
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