Happy Malaysia Day....... 2013

Its 16th of September, Malaysia Day. The Day in history where the whole Malaysia was united i.e. the peninsular, Sarawak & Sabah approximately 50 years ago. It is only recently the country announced the celebration for this day, hence adding an extra public holiday for Malaysia. This country has the most numbers of public holidays in the world. Sometimes I do wonder whether it is beneficial to the country in the long run.

Of late, I have been super busy with so many things and traveling. Towards the year end, usually there will be a lot of conferences and training and other things. This year, my heart is left in Langkawi. The beach, the sun, the sea air - living in KL for most of the part, the change in scenery is welcoming and exhilarating.  Despite the hectic schedule, I did manage to test out a few products which can be ordered through the clinic.


1. Dermaceutic Foamer 15 - Face Wash

I have been trying out the Dermaceutic range on and off and recently, they have changed their formula a bit to suit Asian climates and skin. The in-house peels are marvellous but some of the skincare initially was too rich for our hot and humid weather. Now, they have come up with a new packaging and formulation and I was given the opportunity to try out some of them. This is one of my favourites, the Foamer 15. Foamer 15 is a foaming cleanser with glycolic 15% as an active ingredient. For my skin, it would be ideal since I do have on off oily skin due to my hectic and active lifestyle. It not only helps to strip off excessive oils but it gives you a mild exfoliation to keep your skin looking vibrant and fresh on a daily basis. It has a very clinical smell i.e. no perfumes as the UK standard usually clinical skincare are without any fragrance. It is good for people with oily skin and also those who are slightly more mature. Some people may experience dryness with this foamer, but it is always a must to use moisturisers after washing your face with any type of soap. Personally, I did not experience any dryness. In combination with this foamer, you can opt for other lines of Dermaceutic products such as Hyalceutic or Light Ceutic for mild pigmentation. This range is affordable with each product costing less than RM 200 per bottle. Some products are available in the clinic, but most require pre-order. Ask us today.

2. Aknicare Range

This is a new acne range brought in by Neostrata. It was launched last year, but I only had the opportunity to try it out this year. What attracts me to this product is the different specific range of items it has at very affordable price. The usual face regime would include a cleanser, a lotion and a treatment cream that cost only RM 350 for all three products. The usage on a daily basis is minimal hence would last you 2-3 months. They have conducted few studies on this product and in Singapore, it is recommended as a first line for acne treatment before giving Ro-accutane or doing other more invasive procedures to treat acne. It is hypoallergenic and is suitable even for teenage skin.

My manager has hormonal acne due to change in contraception pills and I guess our set came in just in time. After a week of using the product, most of the redness have disappeared and the formation of new comedomes were significantly less. However, when she skipped 2 sessions, acne started to form again so perhaps it is really like a treatment which requires twice daily application. Otherwise, the skin is less oily and looks clearer. Personally I tried out the spot treatment. I sometimes get spots like these popping up especially if I am highly stressed up.

Its a small bottle which is convenient since you need to apply 6X a day to reduce the acne within 1-2 days. As you can see, it is just the size of your lippy, so it makes carrying it around in your purse minimal hassle. I used it 3X only and the red flaring pimple dried up nicely and went off in 2 days. Definitely keeping this in my purse for emergencies. Initially when you apply the roller onto the acne it does feel a lil bit tingling especially if there is a break in the skin. This range also comes with a back and chest acne care for those who has body acne breakouts. It comes in a spray bottle to ease application, but I still find it difficult to apply onto the back without help. So I've been applying more in the front and I did notice a reduction in acne around the chest area. So now even my chest looks a lot nicer with less congestion. For those curious as to how the system works, here's a hand summary of the mechanism of action. 

For more information about these products, email us at faceworksclinic@gmail.com or call us at 03-21440080 / 014-2233268 or just Like our FB page and send us a PM there.

Tried & Tested for this season..... Lalala......

It has been a very dramatic weekend in Malaysia as the 13th General elections took place and for the first time in history the turn up of voters were estimated around 10 million people which is the most so far. And most people were parading for change. So with the announcement of BN still remaining as the federal government, there were a lot of grouses and dissatisfaction from the voters. Especially since they are calling foul play as to be the reason for the current party to retain its victory. Despite the results are out, there is possibility of a rematch, or change in power in view the opposition leaders are determined to get justice. Many Malaysians wore black as a sign of protest as to how the election results were finalized, with many who were on duty confused as to how the amount written on the Form 14 and mutually agreed upon suddenly became a different number when announced by the election committee. Some were even more confused with the sudden black outs during the finalizing of vote counts, and TNB (the national electric company) claims they have nothing to do with it which made more people suspect foul play. Not to mention the appearances of ballot boxes that may have possibly fallen from the sky to side more on the ruling government. 

Since the election fever has not really subsided, I finally have some time to review some products that I have been trying out.

1. Rejuve TruWhite & Black Magic Whitening Soaps.

These are 2 whitening soaps from the same company. Black Magic has glutathione with papaya extract to help reduce inflammation. It is mainly for acne prone skin. Personally I haven't tried this one since I do not really have acne much except for the occasional hormonal spike break outs but based on what I gather from those who have tried, it does help to a certain extent especially for acne on the back and very oily skin on the face. I have been using TruWhite for the past month since I came back from Penang. It is a 100gm bar soap. Normally I am not a fan of bar soaps as the usual commercial ones give me break outs. Out of curiosity, I decided to give this a try. The soap has a very nice fragrance and on application makes the skin feel very clean. Its active ingredients are glutathione and sheep placenta extracts. It is slightly drying for those with dryer skin. After a week of using this soap, my skin does feel a little bit softer. In terms of whitening, I did notice an improvement of tan (I was really tan from Langkawi, Penang and Singapore). Fairer than I usually am? Perhaps not, but what could you expect from just a soap. Still, it does give me a softer feel, a more evener skin tone and it is very safe, even for children. Aina loves it. The retail price for this soap is roughly RM 35 +/- only, and is worth trying out. 

2. Age Defy Crystal Tomato

This is a new product in town which I found during my conference in Singapore. Crystal Tomato is a 100% vegetal extract from a special type of tomato grown in a controlled environment. The colourless caratenoid has been found to be a very potent skin whitening agent and through research and technology, they have managed to extract it into an oral form taken once daily. To make these tablets more effective, they have also included L-Cysteine which is a precursor for glutathione production in the liver to give you a more anti-oxidant effect.

Crystal Tomato™ has been scientifically proven to offer the following benefits:

1. Serves as a natural sunscreen against UVA and UVB rays to protect against UV damage, photo-oxidation and sunburn.
2. Acts as anti-oxidants to protect against free radical damage caused by environmental aggressors.
3. Contains anti-inflammatory properties against wounds and UV damage.
4. Inhibits melanin synthesis to prevent pigmentation spots from forming.
5. Reduces the melanin present in the cells including dark acne scars, freckles, dark underarms and age spots for an anti-ageing and anti-photo ageing effect.
6. Prevents DNA damage.
7. Promotes even skin tone and radiant complexion.
8. Protects and enhances the efficacy of other active ingredients and their activity.

Personally, I have been consuming this product religiously every morning and now entering my second week. The most striking difference I can see is the radiance that emits from my skin even without having to wear make-up. My skin tone seems to even out more, but pigmentations still remain. According to the literature study, it is suppose to help with pigmentation as well as it also affects the eumelanin pathway. I also notice that I do not tan as much as compared to before even without applying sunblock and this could be the sun protective effect that they mentioned about. But its only 2 weeks, I'll have to finish the box and write another review later with more explanation about the science. This product's retail price should be around RM 450 a box of 30 capsules, single tablet a day. The tablet is pretty big, but you can chew on it, it has a tomato taste actually. The product is still undergoing registration process in Malaysia. It is already registered in Singapore since last year. 

3. SRS e-Co2 Gel Mask

This is not a new product in the market. I have been using this mask on my patients for the past 4 years. as a rescue mask after doing procedures. One of the most significant case was a patient who was allergic to arbutin and developed redness and swelling over the face. She was allergic to a lot of other stuffs as well and her birthday was in 2 days. We tried the mask on her, and it help reduce the redness by 50% on the 1st application. I gave her another one to use at home and by the second day, only a slight redness that is concealable by make-up. Not only the redness disappeared, but her skin became softer and more radiant afterwards. So why does it work so well? Carbon dioxide has been known to cause blood vessels to dilate if present in a concentrated amount. When applied into the mask, the CO2 granules create a relative gradient of higher concentration of Co2, hence increases blood circulation to the area of application (usually face). It also increases local tissue metabolism and enhances the separation of oxygen from haemoglobin thus increasing tissue oxygenation. This in turn improves tissue healing and thus, the almost instant result. 

I tried out this mask last night after having a chemical peel and arbutin iontophoresis done to the face. It had a warm prickly sensation which was not uncomfortable. After the 30 minutes, we took it off and I can feel that my face felt tighter and my pores appeared smaller. Even pimples seem to have shrunk. Immediately, my skin felt very soft and smooth. Today when I woke up, my face still felt smooth and soft. The whitening effect of arbutin kicked in, hence my face did appear brighter so I can't really say it was an attribute of the mask. However, for the past couple of days, I noticed my face to be very oily when I wake up in the morning that I require Turnover to reduce the oil. This morning, my face was not  oily and I only washed it with water before sending my kids to school and chilling out in KLCC for breakfast. Even without any make up or sunblock my skin looked healthy. This mask is sold at RM 250 a piece if you would like to bring it home. If you like to try the effects yourself, you can opt for one of our rescue facials - I have taken the liberty to include this mask into some of our treatments since it has shown to be very effective.

Interested in any of the above products, feel free to contact us at  Faceworks Clinic : 03-21440080 / 014-2233236 or email your enquiries to faceworksclinic@gmail.com. For facials, please book prior appointment. Thanks.

OMNILUX - LED therapy at its best.

It has been a very eventful week for me with so many things taking place at the same time and in the midst of excitement of the Malaysian 13th General Elections less than 2 weeks away. Everywhere you go, you can see flags from different parties being put up and billboards related to the coming election. Which is why perhaps, this new device that I have in my clinic would appeal to most people in this busy time.

Say Hello to the Omnilux. What is Omnilux?

The Omnilux is a Light Emitting Diode (LED) machine with a narrow band technology and has been patented since 1998 for dermatological conditions. It uses light modulation technology that promotes tissue and cell healing as opposed to Lasers which are mostly thermoablative. What it means is that the machine uses low energy light (LED) at certain wavelengths, help to stimulate and modulate tissue and cell healing as opposed to controlled tissue destruction as we see in Laser usage.

It came about by accident in 1996, when a British cancer researcher Dr Colin Whitehurst used a photodynamic lamp to activate photosensitive drugs on skin cancer patients, he also noticed that the surrounding skin around the skin cancer lesion was rejuvenated. Later from here, they started to experiment on different wavelengths and discovered different uses for it. As of today, the Omnilux has 7 FDA clearances and is used by over 3000 physicians worldwide. 

The current Omnilux has 3 different lamps which are labeled Omnilux Blue, Omnilux Revive and Omnilux Plus. Omnilux Blue is more for acne prone skin. It acts by killing P. acnes bacteria which is responsible for acne. The wavelength is 415 nm (+/- 5nm). The Omnilux Revive is aimed more for skin rejuvenation and has been found to boost collagen and elastin production. The wavelength is 633 nm (+/- 6nm) and it comes out bright red. The Omnilux Plus is an infra red beam targeted for deeper tissue hence promotes tissue rebuilding and healing. The wavelength is 830 nm (+/- 5 nm). Sometimes when you google, you will find another lamp called Omnilux PDT. Actually, that is the first lamp created for aesthetic use and non-melanoma skin cancers. Now they've replaced it with Revive. Newer products from Omnilux would be the hand held Omnilux Clear-U and New-U, which is not available in Malaysia yet.

The chart is a summary of the things the Omnilux can do. However, you have to be pretty realistic. A patient would require more than 1 treatment to achieve noticeable results. And the results do not come instantly but rather 3-6 weeks after treatment done. After scanning through the clinical papers, I would say 6-8 treatments would be recommended within a short interval of 3-5 days. Technically you can do this treatment daily due to non-invasive nature of treatment although whether any additional benefits seen is yet to be concluded. 

So far I've done 3 treatments on my face since the machine arrived. 2 times with the Revive, and once with Plus. The first treatment was done with just a Milk peel. We used Revive and the red light was blinding despite the goggles given. My skin felt warm as the red light hit the surface. It was not painful. The LED light placed so near to my face was actually cool. 20 minutes went by pretty fast despite the blinding red light. Post treatment, there was residue of warmth on my face and it looked more radiant probably from the heating of the tissue. 

The second treatment was initially for my back. I hosted a birthday party on Friday night and was dancing on killer heels for a good 3 hours. Of course my back hurts. There was mainly trapezius muscle strain. So we put on Plus and shined it 20 minutes on my back. Since I was bored in my clinic that day, after we finished I asked for iontophoresis vitamin C and shined Plus another 20 mins on my face. Plus is infra red light so we would not be able to see any of the LED beams. Instead they placed yellow diodes just to show that the machine is being turned on. Infrared beams are relatively harmless however poses a threat to the eye if concentrated and beamed on the same spot for 10 seconds or more. Hence why all the precautions that we take to cover the eyes. The Plus beam is less bright and produces less heat than Revive. It did however improve my back and the muscle appear less tender. I was even told that they use this lamp for race horses in Hong Kong to aid healing after race. As for face, I did not see much difference with my face except for the vitamin C application that made it glow in comparison to the Revive lamp which gave instant radiance probably due to more heating effect.

For the third session we used the Revive lamp again. Before putting on the lamp, I asked the girl to apply Intense White C serum via iontophoresis. No peeling was done since my face was just peeled recently. After this session I noticed a lot of difference. Pores appeared smaller, and my tone improved quite a bit. The next day, my skin was still good, pores were small plus it felt tighter. Can't wait for another 'tanning' session (it doesn't tan you at all actually). 

Omnilux is used for:

•          Minor Muscle and joint pain management e.g. Treatment of Sports Injuries

•          Non Melanoma Skin Cancer. Basal Cell Carcinoma (BCC) – Most common form of cancer in the United States (75% of all skin cancers). Basal cell carcinoma is normally a slow-growing form of skin cancer. In some rare cases, BCCs can multiply more rapidly and spread (metastasize) to other parts of the body.

•          Bowen’s disease is a very early form of skin cancer. In Bowen’s disease, the skin cancer is located only in the epidermis.

•          Actinic keratosis is caused by sun exposure. About 5% develop into skin cancer.

•          Wound Healing. The Omnilux has shown to accelerate wound healing, proven treatment for post laser ablation-(removal of unwanted tissue from the body), reduces pain, swelling and erythema. Skin Area Treatment Pre and Post Laser Resurfacing Moderate, Severe, Cystic Acne Treatment. Skin Rejuvenation and Combined Chemical Peel Protocols.

•          Periorbital Wrinkles Combined Treatment of: Chemical Peels with Photorejuvenation.

•          Anti- Inflammation Skin Area Treatment.

LASER VS OMNILUX     

Omnilux also :

• Plumps fine lines and wrinkles

• Smoothens skin texture

• Stimulates collagen and elastin production and firms skin

• Help heal sun damage, psoriasis, dermatitis and eczema

• Improves pigmentation and evens skin tone

• Calms rosacea

• Relieves headaches and minor muscle and joint pain

• Accelerates wound healing

• Reduces scarring

At the moment we are giving the Omnilux treatments at a very special price. Interested to try out this cool device. Call us today for an appointment at 03-21440080 or text to 014-2233268. Limited time only. For more enquiries, do email to info@faceworks-clinic.com / faceworksclinic@gmail.com .

Medical Aesthetics for age groups......

I went to Penang two weeks ago and enjoyed beautiful sun rises and sunsets on the beach, despite some haze but the ambiance was wonderful. The only thing was the lack of internet access in my room which made it less convenient to update my blog. Still, I did get nice writing ideas which I would like to share.

Today's entry is about medical aesthetic procedures for age based groups. It is just a simple suggestion of things you can get done based on your age to improve how you look. As I always tell my patients, it is always better to do something than nothing because by doing something, there will be some change in your end result. I would also include a rough budget of how much the procedures will pinch you just as a guide.

Early 20s (18-25)

Usually at this age group, you will not have much aging issues. However, acne control and skin tone problems are very common because in this age group, you will still have some hormonal imbalance and is more active outside. Acne treatments would include chemical peeling, extractions, hormone pills or even retinoid A to clean up the skin and control sebum production. The usual skincare would range from acidic wash to exfoliators and gel based products to cope with the active sebum productions. You need to treat acne, because if you don't, you may end up with scars. Medically, we do have oral medications to help control sebum and a change of habits is usually advised. Smoking, late nights, low personal hygiene, stress and food selection does influence worsening of acne. Treatment for acne will depend on severity. Usually doctors would charge between RM 200-RM 1000 per treatment depending on what is involved in the treatment. Skin care can range between RM 300-RM 1000 for a full range depending on brand. Some doctors will use IPL or long pulse lasers to reduce sebum production and reduce P. agnes bacteria that is abundant in acne prone skin. To even out skin tone, I normally would recommend regular skin peeling and religious use of sunblock. Laser peels are also an option but if you have acne issues, there is a high chance of acne breakouts post procedure due to heat stress.

Besides acne and skin tone, this would be a good age to fix asymmetry of the face or to augment. The skin is young, hence fillers will sit in better. But because of the young age, I normally would only recommend doing hyaluronic acid fillers (Juvederm, Teosyal, Restylane) which are non permanent because it is easier to change the look when you've decided and because as you age, a lot of your face fat pads disappear so putting a permanent structure there may look awkward after a couple of years. For face shaping, you can slim down your face with a simple injection of botulinum toxin A (Botox/Dysport). You can read more about this in my previous entry on face shaping. (http://faceworksclinic.blogspot.com/2012/03/face-shaping-it-only-takes-5-minutes.html) Filler prices would range between RM 1400 - RM 2000 per syringe depending on type and how long the filler lasts. 

Late 20s- 30s (26-35)

This is usually when a person is most prime in their life. Biologically for most people, the hormones have settled and you start losing the baby face and your face becomes more defined. The early signs of aging start appearing such as wrinkles on your forehead, frown lines, crows feet and some loss of volume especially at the malar area. (cheeks) Pigmentation problems start occurring and the skin texture becomes drier. Botulinum toxin A can help with dynamic wrinkles. Fillers can help with the slight loss of volume and also to define the face to make it more attractive. Regular peeling can help with the skin texture but a definite skin care range change need to be considered. For pigmentation, using hydroquinone will help to reduce the pigmentation substantially but requires constant use. Lasers can help to reduce pigmentation and improve the skin texture but if proper sunblock used religiously is not applied, there is a high recurrence rate and may even worsen the pigmentation. This is also the point where I would normally suggest to add serum vitamin C into the skin regime as a maintenance and preventive program to help with texture and pigments. Supplements and vitamins are also important at this point to keep the skin glowing healthy. 

Another issue would be the body contour change, where most people find that certain areas are not as attractive as before. For this, I would recommend body contouring programs using medical grade radiofrequency machines (http://faceworksclinic.blogspot.com/2012/02/radiofrequency-tightening-rf.html) , or other medical grade body contouring machines to help. For some people, they prefer mesotherapy injections to reduce fats n certain parts but this requires recurrent treatment of specific area and so may add up to be costly. Regular exercise helps, and target specific exercises are more warranted.

Late 30s to 40s (36- 45 years old)

Most people are more stable at this age but due to the aging process, coupled with stress of work and family and other responsibilities can cause you to look older than you really are. For the face, At this age, most people would start complaining of more pronounced wrinkles on the forehead, frown lines and crows feet. There would be a more marked loss of volume in the malar and lower face, especially around the mouth and the folds by the side of the nose looks more prominent. The skin texture is still good, but pigmentation is more seen if nothing has been done before. Sagging of the cheeks is felt, although not extremely obvious and causes a lot of concerns in some people. Fillers and botulinum toxin A are a good investment for non-invasive treatment to treat lines, wrinkles and volume loss. Some would consider lip fillers because the upper lip has started to thin out more and you lose that youthful look. (Check out http://faceworksclinic.blogspot.com/2012/05/sexy-lips-in-15-minutes.html) Regular chemical peeling and face tightening with radiofrequency devices or lasers would help improve overall skin texture and turgor. At this point, you should also consider having a retin-A or derivatives cream supplement to the face to help with fine wrinkles. 

For the body, you can still opt for body contouring and tightening programs but the expectations should be more realistic. There will be improvement although subtle, and you may need to consider options of skin lifts and fat grafts to get a more marked improvement. Weight control can be achieved by modifying the diet and exercise and I do suggest most everybody above 36 with BMI more than 25 to go on HCG diet (http://faceworksclinic.blogspot.com/2012/03/hcg-diet-my-experience.html) to not only lose the excess weight and reduce body fat percentage but also to retrain yourself to a much more healthy diet and lifestyle. If done properly, you will be able to maintain your weight and enjoy a better life. It also helps increase personal health consciousness as only organic and non-processed meats are allowed during the diet.

After 46 (46 to 65 or more)

At this age, the skin texture is more wrinkled and you will need more moisturizers to help maintain suppleness. Laser resurfacing treatments are a good investment as it helps to improve your skin texture and tightens it as well. Radiofrequency device tightening of the face is another method to help improve sagginess. At this point, fillers are used for volumnization, and a lot of fillers would be needed to have a good effect. (At least 3 syringes per sitting usually). Semi permanent fillers (Aquamid) can be considered for structures like lips and cheek. Mesotherapy treatment with PRPs (http://faceworksclinic.blogspot.com/2011_02_01_archive.html) or non-cross link hyaluronic acid fillers (Dermaqueen, Restylane Vital, Juverderm Hydrate, Teosyal Redensity) is also an option to increase hydration of the dermis layer. Skin peeling is still a good way to maintain the skin. Surgical options would be fat graft to the face and face lifts. Vitamin E  and hyaluronic acid topical creams can help maintain hydration as dryness is always a problem. 

After 46, a lot of our natural hormones start to decline. Because of this, we will have vague tired symptoms that we cannot explain. Another thing that you should consider is to undergo anti-aging consultation and the use of bioidentical hormones to help supplement the decline of hormones. The blood test are expensive (a complete test would cost around +/- RM 1000). The hormone supplements are in cream form. Please be sure to go to a proper anti-aging doctor (trained) because not all doctors are trained properly.

This is just a rough guide of procedures you can do at the certain age. However, the current environment pollution, poor diet and nutrition, work stress and health problems can always make you look aged more than you really are. A proper consultation can help give you a good idea of the possible intervention to help make you maintain a healthy and youthful you. But one thing for sure, you need to start taking care of yourself early, to stay younger longer.

Any enquiries please email to info@faceworksclinic.com or call 03-21440080 and book an appointment to see me.

April Promotions... Not to be missed.

This Month We are Offering Solutions to Problems as Follows:

1. Arm Pit Whitening Treatment @ RM 250/ session only.

 For those who want to improve on darken armpits.
 Short procedure, takes 20 minutes.
We recommend 4 treatments weekly for best results.

2. Post-Natal Tummy Bulge Away Package.

For those who want a more defined waistline.

4X RF tummy + Microcurrent treatment X 4 @ RM 2700  Only (N.P RM 3400).
Recommend Weekly.

3. Acne Away Peel with Obagi Blue Radiance Peel.

RM 280 per treatment (NP RM 350)
Recommend 4 treatments for best results every 2-4 weeks.
Sign Up 4 and get Obagi Nuderm Travel Set For  RM 930 Only. (N.P RM 1030).

For More information or to book appointments, please call us at 03-21440080 or email to info@faceworksclinic.com. Please include name and phone number in your email as we will call you back to reconfirm.

       



Year End Promotions.....

I almost forgot to post this one up... My bad :).

 

You can also look up our Facebook Page at : http://www.facebook.com/FaceworksClinic?ref=ts

Don't miss these exciting deals :).

Keep it Simple and Safe - K.I.S.S

 

Every women in their life time would require to wear some form of make-up. In a lot of formal cultures, it is an essential tool for all women and for some, it would be rude not to wear any. However, choosing the right make-up to suit your skin can be a difficult task. The most common problem that arise with make-up is not getting the right colours, but rather making sure you don't get any reactions to the chemicals they use to create the make-up in the first place. The most common problem would be break-outs after wearing foundations, development of itchiness or rash with lipsticks, gloss, blushers etc. Red eyes with eyeliners and mascaras.

After treating my face with Obagi for post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation from acne, I felt a little bit worried to use make-up in case I clog up my pores again and start having break outs again. Then I was approached by KISS. What is KISS? It is a range of mineral make-up mainly produced in Australia and has 100% concentration of minerals in all powders and maximum mineral in sticks.

I was skeptical at first, but gave it a try. Initially it looked like so much work having to put layers and layers of loose powder but amazingly, after it sets in - it looked very natural. And since it is pure mineral, it only stays on my skin, so I don't have to remove it when ablution prior to prayers, and if I'm lazy, I can sleep on it till morning and not get any break outs. It has nice coloured lipsticks which help to moisturize the lip and the lip gloss has a nice minty taste to it. The eye brow pencil was soft and easy to apply. My only problem was the eye-pencil which was a nice soft black but it runs if you don't set it properly. The blusher comes in one colour, which didn't seem to last too long and I preferred orange hues rather than pink. Amongst all the products I liked the foundation the most because it acts like a concealer and a foundation 2 in one and that it lasts long on the skin with a natural look. Another cool thing is that it also has a good brush from goat's hair which absorbs all the powder thus leading to zero wastage. You just need a small amount for each application to get a good coverage.

Why should you choose mineral make-up over the commercialized cosmetic counter brands? Well, personally, if you have no skin problems, you can use whatever you like. But if you have acne or sensitive skin, using KISS would be one of the best investments because of these reasons:

• KISS mineral make-up is 100% from minerals.
• It is chemical-free, preservative-free, fragrance-free and free of synthetic colouring that may cause irritation to skin.
• It does not contain any talc thus does not clog pores. Talc is also considered harmful since long term exposure may lead to lung cancer or silicosis.
• It does not contain bismuth oxychloride which is commonly found in other mineral make-up preparations to help make the product stay longer on the face. However, this compound is not safe to be used on skin and may cause itchiness, rashes and it worst cases mild to severe cystic acne.
• It gives natural broad spectrum UVA & UVB protection as it contains zinc oxide and titanium dioxide for an SPF 24 cover.
• It is very water resistant (true for foundation and setting powder) thus rarely a need for reapplication. Even though it is water resistant, it does not stop water from reaching the skin surface (hence no  need to remove during ablution).
• Provides complete coverage for acne, rosacea and redness following clinic procedures such as chemical peels, microdermabrasion and laser resurfacing without irritating the skin.
• It is dry and inorganic which makes it impossible for bacteria to survive - thus making it have no expiry date.
• Each application of the make-up is minimal, thus one foundation will last approximately 6-9 months on daily usage and wear.

So when putting all this in consideration, perhaps it is a good investment after all for busy people like me who need to look good all the time. It does however take a lot of practice in the beginning, especially when you are use to conventional make-up methods which some are not applicable to mineral make-up use. At the end of the day, it all depends on the person's own opinion whether they would opt for this or not. If you are curious to try it out, you can try out in Faceworks Clinic where we do have a set for patients to try out the product on themselves and if you want, our nurse can do a make-over for a minimal sum.

For more information or to purchase this product please visit us at Faceworks Clinic or call 03-21440080 / Email to info@faceworksclinic.com .

The importance of consultation....

Its the last week of the year and everyone is in the jolly holiday mood until the New Year before we start striving hard. Its pretty quiet in my office too, most people are away for holidays and will only be back in the weekend.

Taking this quiet time, I manage to organize my thoughts and plans for t he next year. Its a lot of things definitely, but proper planning will ensure things get done right. Which is why I decided to talk about consultations.

Many people do not realize how important a doctor's consultation is. Many just assume going to doctors when you have a problem and immediately it will be fixed. In medical aesthetics, it is a different ball game. Aesthetic medicine is an elective procedure to the patient, and therefore a good informed consent must be given before the procedure is done.

Its like going to see a gynae because of infertility problems. You talk to the gynae, she examines you and then puts up the options. She informs you of the pros and cons and you decide based on your expectations and budget. It then allows you to plan ahead as to the suitable time for you to commence the treatment or whether any other treatment is required first before you engage the treatment that you wish to choose.

Its the same with aesthetic medicine consultations. Despite giving online replies, I would prefer to meet up with the patient, discuss expectations and also what is their main concern and explain modalities of treatment. A face to face consultation is important to allow examination of the face or body to give a more accurate treatment plan to patients. It will also allow you to discuss your budget and how you wish to proceed.

Feel free to come and talk to me in my clinic. For appointments, call 03-21440080 or emaill to info@faceworksclinic.com

Faceworks Clinic Products

Its about time I posted the newer products available in myclinic. After trying out a number of them, I finally rested my convictions on these products, which I find does give results at an affordable price.

1. Obagi Nuderm System.

This is one of the most impressive sets I've ever come across. The Nuderm System is a 6 step care which is targeted at changing the skin environment to reduce acne break-outs, reduce pigmentation and also tackle fine wrinkles. Its active ingredients contains Hydroquinone 4% (which is the recommended % to treat pigmentation problems) and in combination with retin-A is the complete solution for acne with post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation and melasma which are the 2 major concerns in facial skin health. It is a prescribed skincare and would require physician monitoring but the results can be seen as early as 2 weeks after initiating the product. The product is used in small quantities and a travel set can last up to 3 months.

2. Obagi C treatment System.

This is a skincare range for people who have mild pigmentation or have flawless skin that they wish to maintain and add more luminance to the skin. Vitamin C being a potent anti-oxidant has shown benefits in skin brightening and evens out of skin tone. It comes in 2 forms of preparations, i.e. with Hydroquinone 4% or just Arbutin. The product is light and non-greasy, absorbs into the skin almost immediately.

3. Obagi Vitamin C serum 15% and 20%

The Vitamin C serum from Obagi is one of the most stable vitamin C compounds in the world. Multiple studies done has shown that over time, the Obagi Vitamin C does not get oxidized as fast as other brands. In terms of its solution, it is highly absorbable and has that nice orange scent. it comes in concentrations as high as 20% and for those vitamin C serum lovers would love this as an adjunct to your current skincare regimes.

4. Obagi Clenziderm for Acne.

Clenziderm is a range produced to treat acne in younger people and those who are not keen to be using hydroquinone or retin-A preparations. The active ingredient is salicylic acid and liquid benzyl peroxide for elimination of P. acnes bacteria which is the cause of pustular acne breakouts. Some may say why liquified benzyl peroxide and not your normal Oxy - well, in view of its form you get evenly distributed lotion with better penetration into the pores. Results can be seen as soon as 2 weeks of usage. The pack lasts up to 4 months.

5. Obagi Elastiderm Eye treatment.



Elastiderm eye treatment from Obagi comes in two forms, the eye gel and the eye cream. Both are made for different types of skin and the main function is to treat under eye fine wrinkles and increase elasticity around the eyes. It has been proven to increase elasticity by 46% in 9 weeks and visibly reduce fine wrinkles around the eyes in 9 weeks. As aging occurs, the elasticity around the eyes are compromised thus giving rise to fine wrinkles and thining of the skin around the eyes.

6. Obagi Elastiderm Decolletage.

Now we have a system to maintain that sexy neck and decolletage area. Obagi Elastiderm Decolletage offers a system to help keep the decolletage area supple and even out the skin tone in the neck area to give you a more youthful bust to flaunt. It is good for sun damaged bust areas as it contains hydroquinone 4% or arbutin to help reduce pigmentation. It also tackles fine lines and wrinkles around the bust area and returns some of the elasticity. Results can be seen as early as 4 weeks.

7. Under EyeBryten for severe dark eye circles and puffiness.



Under EyeBryten could be the solution to your dark eye circles and puffiness. The active compound is called Haloxyl and is recognized as the accepted treatment for undereye discolouration. It works better when combined with regular chemical peels which can also be done in the clinic. One package of 30 mls lasts up to 2 months based on twice daily usage.

8. Skintech Vitamin E cream.

Most people would agree that when you peel your face with laser, IPLs or chemicals, the most common side effect is dryness of the skin. Skintech Vitamin E cream is a wonderful adjunct for people with flaking skin due to treatment. Its a definite keeper for your late night mousterizer after retin-A creams or other treatments and it helps reduce flaking post chemical peel and dryness post laser. Its a moisturizer that can suit most skin types, and most would agree that the texture of your skin in the morning after an overnight application feels wonderful.

9. PK24 Natural 24 hours Feminine Tightening Creme.



This is a weird addition to my range of products but since I do consult cases for vaginoplasty and hymenoplasty, why not. PK 24 is only sold in USA and Malaysia. It is made out of natural ingredients and acts as a feminine tightener. The viscous gel-like substance acts within 5 minutes of application and lasts up to 24 hours. It is recommended for sexually active women after childbirth or those who just want to enhance what they already have.

10. Heliocare SPF 50 Gel sunblock.

Personally I love this sunblock. Its gel based and its tinted so it does not clog up my pores and I don't get that chalk like appearance with other sunblocks. It has a nice scent of oranges and it absorbs swiftly into the skin. I would recommend this for daily use, although for sporting activities, it may not last long enough on the face when you sweat.

11. Foltene Hair treatment system for men and women.



Foltene is a hair care range from Europe. Its a system that consists of a shampoo, a conditioner and treatment ampules. Its good for people who are having problems with hair fall or some scattered baldness patterns, and early balding. The whole set is for a months use and it is recommended to be used for 6 months at least, although there are some reports of results as fast as 2 weeks. It is made out of plant base products and has separate systems for men and women.
For more info check out http://www.foltene.eu .

For enquiries about these products, feel free to email us at info@faceworksclinic.com or call 03-21440080.