Pico lasers for blackheads and pigmentation!
I went to Ipoh and got myself a tan, a zit and sun spots which I wanted to get rid of. This happened in spite of my religious daily application of sunscreen before leaving the hotel room and zigzagging from shade to shade like a cockroach when on my gallivants. I could probably stave off the worst of it had I worn a wide-brimmed hat like the middle-aged Chinese ladies on the trip, but I was vain and suffered for it.
A friend who was on the trip with me said that my new Ipoh-brown hue suited me well, which was probably true. However, I love my original shade more and would like it back pronto.
Dr Joseph Yang from Aesthetics and Medical Clinic at #17-04 Wisma Atria (Tel: 6733 7073) probably has telepathy because two weeks after I returned from Ipoh, his assistant called me to offer me the skin clearing and rejuvenating protocol of Enlighten, Picosure and Dual Yellow lasers. He has been rejuvenating skin with lasers for the past 30 years and is continuously looking at improving his laser protocols for more comfortable, efficient treatments.
I had undergone and written about Enlighten and Picosure laser treatments which did the job in clearing the pigmentation, but left my skin a little dry afterwards. This time, my skin did not feel as powdery as before, and it was so smooth and comfortable I did not bother to use my cleanser before bed.
Dr Yang’s assistant cooled my face down with cold wet towels that were properly wrung so that I did not have cold water dribbling down my neck during the treatment. Then he and his assistant applied his proprietary cream that was supposed to help the laser better target the pigmentation and make it more comfortable at the same time. Dr Yang iterated that this was not a numbing cream. Then I was told to hold the towel to the right side of my face so that he could work on the left side of my face and we could compare both sides. I was told to keep my eyes shut at all times. He tested the laser on my jawline to ensure that I was comfortable and off we went.
This treatment was much more comfortable than the previous Enlighten treatment that I had undergone. There was the smell of singed hair from the laser hitting the very fine hairs around my cheekbones and my upper lip. When I was told to sit up to see the difference, I saw that the pigmentation around my cheekbones and forehead had turned a little pink on the left side. He then went on to finish the right side of my face. After both sides of the face were done the assistant helped to cool my face down with fresh wet towels for a few minutes until the pinkness was gone.
Then came the Picosure laser. I was told to do the same thing: after application of the proprietary cream I held a cold towel to the right side of my face so that he could work on the left side. This laser was definitely more uncomfortable than the first. It was not painful but prickly in an irritating sort of way and there was also the guiding light that shone right through my eyelids even when I tucked my eyeballs as far back in their sockets as I could. There was apparently no option for switching the light off. When Dr Yang began working on my nose I asked him if he saw the pimple on it. He said he did, and he was going to zap it with the Dual Yellow Laser. The pimple appeared a few days ago and I had been good and not popping it but applying benzoyl peroxide on it after cleansing.
Dual Yellow laser, very comfortable and the highlight of my treatment
The Dual Yellow laser was truly the highlight of the session. I was moved to another treatment bed and when I was all set a cold gel was applied onto my skin. This cold gel was colder than the cold towels that were used on me, and definitely jolted me awake. But what followed was a treat! The Dual Yellow laser was warm and very comfortable like a nice warm facial massage. I quickly forgot how cold the gel was and did not want it to end.
However, I did have a pimple that I wanted seeing to, and for this a different probe was used. I was told that he would zap the pimple with the same laser but fixed to another setting. Even behind my eyelids, I could see a ray of yellow light hitting the spot, which hurt, but only in the same satisfying way when popping a pimple, except that it wasn’t being physically popped. I wish I had one of those lasers at home to use as and when I had a breakout!
The verdict:
I returned to the office very relaxed which probably had to do with the gentle warm Dual Yellow laser massage (possibly hitting important acupuncture points, who knows!)
Previously, after a session with the Enlighten and Picosure, my skin felt powdery and a little tight, but not this time. In fact, my skin felt comfortable, clean and soft to touch that I did not even bother cleansing my face before bedtime to let the treatments properly work their magic.
The pimple appeared smaller after the treatment, and by the next morning it had nearly disappeared. One or two whiteheads appeared on my nose bridge but they went down by the afternoon.
My skin appeared clearer, even the area under my eyes.
I would certainly be back for this the next time I return from a sunny vacation which looks like soon!