Beauty Upclose
Beauty Upclose
with Dr Gerard Ee
with Dr Gerard Ee
A doctor's review of keloid treatment in Singapore: botulinum toxin and steroid injection, 5-FU, pulsed dye laser, silicone and excision with electron-beam radiotherapy, with recurrence rates by method and the four reasons keloids come back.
A doctor's review of nose fillers in Singapore: what HA and CaHA fillers do, the results to expect, how the rare risks are kept low, and who should not have it.
When a HIFU treatment goes wrong, the outcome patients describe most often is no result at all. Far less commonly it means unwanted fat reduction, a…
HIFU, Thermage and Oligio are all used for non-surgical skin tightening, and they deliver energy differently. HIFU focuses ultrasound at selected depths. Thermage and Oligio…
HIFU is a category rather than a single treatment. Machines differ in how they focus and deliver ultrasound, in the depths available, in whether tissue is…
HIFU prices in Singapore run from a few hundred dollars for a small promotional area to several thousand dollars for a full-face and neck plan. Two…
Ultherapy is a type of HIFU. Ulthera is the original system name, whereas Ultherapy is the treatment name most patients recognise, so a search for Ultherapy…
Radiofrequency on the upper eyelid does two specific things in my practice. AGNES, using its W needle over the dermis of the upper eyelid, tightens the…
A collagen biostimulator is an injection that prompts the skin to grow its own collagen rather than filling a hollow with gel. A search for collagen…
Sylfirm X is discussed for pigment concerns, redness, texture and acne scars. Its usefulness depends on the diagnosis and the protocol being proposed. A broad list…
Treating acne scars in darker skin is not the same treatment at a lower setting. It is a different set of judgements, most of them made…
If texture, visible pores or acne scars are the main concern, I assess whether RF microneedling or another skin treatment would address it. RF microneedling and…
PDLLA skin booster has been paired with carbon dioxide gas subcision for atrophic acne scars in a published series, the fibrotic release from the gas combined…
I provide both Infini and Secret RF. For deeper depressed scars after acne has settled, I often favour Infini's insulated-needle approach, particularly when the skin pigments…
Fractional CO2 laser is often described as the gold standard for resurfacing acne scars, and for the right scar in the right skin that description holds.…
This is the evidence companion to my main guide, dark eye circle treatment in Singapore. If you want to know which treatment suits your type…
The history of chemical peels dates back to the time of Ancient Egyptians and Romans; where women used sour milk and fermented grape juice to rejuvenate the skin. Thankfully, chemical peels have evolved to become more palatable and safer to patients today. Although eclipsed in popularity by the wide variety of skin resurfacing lasers, chemical peels still remain a safe and efficacious way of lightening pigmentation such as melasma, erase fine wrinkles and control acne outbreaks.
Few questions arrive more often in a scar consultation, and the answer divides in two. Some of what acne leaves behind resolves without any intervention, and…
Cost is often the deciding factor in acne scar treatment, and it is also where patients most often waste money, not by spending too little, but…
A great deal of worry, and a great deal of wasted money, follows from one confusion, which is mistaking acne marks for acne scars. The two…
PDLLA skin booster has been combined with carbon dioxide gas subcision for atrophic acne scars in a published series, which is the hybrid mechanical-plus-biologic approach I…
Little visible improvement after a course is a reason to reassess the treatment plan. It does not, on its own, establish that the machine was incapable…
Sylfirm X, Secret RF and Infini are RF microneedling systems, but choosing a treatment requires more than comparing brand names. The concern, device configuration and treatment…
Most bathroom cabinets contain an eye cream that promises to banish eye bags. Many people have also tried cold spoons, cucumber slices, caffeine rollers, more sleep…
Allergic rhinitis congests the veins under the eyes, so the shadow returns after every laser. How I recognise allergy-driven dark circles, and why I treat the nose first.
A true eye bag is permanent in the sense that it does not go away on its own. It is a pocket of orbital fat that…
Tear trough filler does not remove an eye bag and commonly makes one appear heavier, because an eye bag is an excess of fat volume and…
Understanding the formation of acne scars is fundamental to both their prevention and effective treatment. Patients who comprehend the underlying causes are generally better equipped to…
Three scar shapes account for almost everything I see, and the shape decides the treatment far more than the severity does. Ice pick scars are narrow…
There is no universal best knee injection. How the options differ, what each is used for, when combining them is considered, and how the decision is worked through.
Acne scars present in distinct types, mainly ice pick, boxcar, and rolling, which often appear together on the same individual. Each type requires a different treatment approach: TCA…
Clearing acne is only half the story for many of my Asian patients, as the brown marks left behind often linger far longer than the pimples…
Red acne marks are post inflammatory erythema, caused by dilated blood vessels, and they respond to the Vbeam pulsed dye laser, which is suitable for sensitive skin and…
Acne marks are flat changes in colour without any alteration in skin texture. Red marks are known as post inflammatory erythema, or PIE, while brown marks are referred…
Back, chest, and shoulder acne is driven by oil, sweat, friction, and blocked pores, all of which are amplified by Singapore's humid climate, gym routines, and tight or…
Oily skin produces excess sebum, while Singapore's humidity contributes additional sweat and traps oil against the skin surface, thereby encouraging pore blockage and subsequent breakout formation.
They can look superficially similar in a photo. Under examination, they are completely different problems with completely different solutions.
Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is one of most common causes of persistent knee pain in adults in Singapore. While prevalent in adults in their 40s, having knee…
Teenage acne is driven largely by the hormonal changes of puberty, which increase oil production and lead to blocked pores and breakouts. Treatment focuses on good medical skincare…
Hormones influence acne, but acne severity alone does not reliably indicate androgen excess. In a study of ninety adult women with acne, the more severe cases…
Accure and AviClear are both 1726 nm lasers that treat acne by the same mechanism, selectively heating the oil glands using sebum as the target. The main practical…
The location of your knee pain is a valuable clue that can help point towards a diagnosis even before any imaging is done. Knowing if the…
Patients researching stubborn acne often meet two very different options, isotretinoin, a powerful oral medication many know as Accutane, and AviClear, a drug-free laser that…
My view is that Gold photothermal therapy, red light and blue light are all safe in pregnancy and breastfeeding, and Gold photothermal therapy is my treatment…
Climbing the stairs is one of the few activities that can reveal the condition of your knees. If you have healthy knees, going up the stairs…
The evidence for PDLLA skin booster under the eye is limited to case-level data: one published tear trough case documented increased skin thickness on ultrasound, CT…
Ultherapy Prime and HIFU are related but not identical. When flying to Korea is worth considering, what the machine does and does not decide, and the trade-offs.
Knee pain is one of the most common problems experienced by Singaporeans. It can present in younger adults dealing due to sports knee injuries, in office…
A standard lipid panel gives you LDL but not particle count. Why I order ApoB and ApoA1, and what specialised testing adds to a routine GP result.
For crow's feet, a randomised split-face trial in 25 women found that Botox combined with a hyaluronic acid skin booster (Skinvive) gave lower wrinkle severity at…
Mounjaro (tirzepatide) is a dual GIP and GLP-1 receptor agonist; across the SURPASS trials it produced greater reductions in HbA1c and body weight than placebo, semaglutide…
AviClear targets the sebaceous gland with a 1726 nm wavelength. Why a course can still disappoint, what settings and skin type change, and what to review next.
Hormonal acne treatment starts with working out what is actually driving the breakouts, how severe they are, and what has already been tried properly. The options…
There was a pivotal moment in my aesthetic medicine journey when I realised that beauty is not created on the surface, it is restored from within.
The common reasons subcision appears to worsen scars, how I plan the procedure so improvement is more predictable, and what to expect in the weeks after.
If you have noticed your face flushing more easily in your 40s or that your baseline redness seems to remain even when you’re not hot or…
Eczema and psoriasis are two prevalent chronic skin conditions, both characterised by inflammation, irritation, and significant discomfort. Because both conditions present with red, inflamed, and often…
Yes, vitamin C could help with acne by managing inflammation and oil production, and addressing acne scars. While topical application is generally more effective for…
I do not recommend trying to reproduce medical microneedling for acne scars at home. A product sold online is not automatically suitable for deeper skin treatment…
What knee injections are, who is a candidate and who may not be, why landmark placement and a no-touch technique matter, and how the hyaluronic acid brands differ.
The guidance has moved twice since 2021. The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons published a technology overview of platelet-rich plasma for knee osteoarthritis in 2024, and…
For many teenagers, dealing with acne can be an extremely frustrating and overwhelming experience. It's a widespread skin condition that can significantly impact a teenager's self-confidence…
When knee injections fit into care and when they do not, how the options work, how I perform the procedure, what to expect afterwards, and how risks are minimised.
Acne scars are a common and often frustrating consequence of acne, impacting skin texture and confidence. That pimple scar can feel like a permanent reminder of…
Many of us desire healthy, radiant skin – that enviable glowing complexion that reflects vitality and well-being. However, achieving this can sometimes feel like an elusive…
Spironolactone and isotretinoin act on different parts of acne. How each medicine works, who each suits, and whether they can be taken together.
Hyperpigmentation is a common skin condition characterised by dark spots, patches, or an uneven skin tone due to excess melanin production. It affects people of all…
Microneedling can improve selected depressed acne scars, but the result depends on the scar pattern, treatment method and course. Conventional microneedling, RF microneedling and needling combined…
Why fabric choice affects eczema, which materials tend to settle irritated skin, and which ones trap heat and friction and are better avoided.
Blackheads and whiteheads are both types of comedonal acne, but they have distinct characteristics and causes. Understanding their differences can help in selecting the right treatment…
AviClear is a 1726 nm laser aimed at the sebaceous gland rather than at bacteria. What it treats, how a course is planned, and where its limits sit.
EMFACE Eyes works on the muscle and skin around the eye without surgery or needles. What it targets, who it suits, and how it differs from eye-bag treatment.
Patients ask whether their acne scars can be removed. Treatability is the more informative question, because it varies between individual scars on the same face and…
Hormonal acne is a common skin concern affecting adults of all ages. It can be incredibly frustrating to experience breakouts that appear seemingly out of nowhere…
What dull skin actually is, what causes it, and which skincare and in-clinic options are considered, including what the published evidence on skin boosters shows.
What cafe au lait spots are, how they are diagnosed, which treatments are considered, and why some respond to laser while others return.
Fraxel is not a CO2 laser. How the two differ in wavelength, depth and downtime, and which resurfacing goals each is better suited to.
What an excision biopsy involves, when a mole needs one rather than observation, what recovery is like, and how to choose who performs it.
With Melanoma Awareness Month approaching in May, it's time to highlight the importance of skin cancer awareness and education. While the terms "melanoma" and "carcinoma" are…
Singapore's tropical climate and high UV index make skin cancer a significant health concern. With year-round sunshine, it's crucial to be vigilant about protecting your skin…
How EMface combines radiofrequency with muscle stimulation, what a session involves, how long the effect holds, and how it compares with other lifting treatments.
Humans have always been fascinated with the idea of living longer, healthier lives. From the mythical quest for the fountain of youth to contemporary scientific advancements…
Patients ask me to choose between these two almost every week, usually after reading that both are "skin boosters" and finding nothing that explains the difference.…
How the 40 kHz ultrasonic handpiece drives Gold photothermal therapy into the skin, what the Bellasonic protocol involves, and which concerns it is aimed at.
Melasma rarely settles with one device. What combining microneedle fractional radiofrequency with pico laser involves, and why pigment needs its own diagnosis and plan.
Rosacea is a chronic inflammatory skin condition that primarily affects the facial area. While its exact cause is not fully understood, several factors contribute to its…
The pathophysiology of eczema, also known as atopic dermatitis, is a complex and multifactorial process involving genetic, immunological, and environmental factors. The exact cause of…
Sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) is a treatment option for allergic rhinitis, a condition characterized by inflammation of the nasal passages due to an allergic reaction to certain…
Hyperhidrosis is a condition characterized by excessive sweating, which can occur in any part of the body, but most commonly affects the underarms, palms, and soles…
What temple filler does and who it suits, which filler is used, what it costs in Singapore, how much is usually needed, and what happens on the day and afterwards.
Sleep is an essential component of our daily lives and is crucial to maintain physical, emotional, and mental well-being. Sleep allows our bodies to rest, repair…
Calcipotriol, also known as calcipotriene, is a synthetic vitamin D analog used in the treatment of various skin disorders. It has a chemical structure similar to…
Sensitive skin causes discomfort, itching, burning and redness. What lies behind it, whether laser treatment has a role, and what to weigh up before starting.
Cafe au lait spots are light brown or tan-colored macules that can be found on the skin of some individuals. They are relatively common and can…
Angiokeratomas of Fordyce are benign, benign vascular tumors that typically appear on the scrotum, shaft of the penis, labia majora, or oral mucosa in adults. They…
Metformin is a medication commonly used to treat type 2 diabetes by helping to lower blood sugar levels. However, recent research has also suggested that it…
Longevity is the ability to live a long life and is a topic that has been of interest for centuries. People have been seeking ways to…
Local Dynamic Micro-Ultrasound (LDM) is a form of treatment that uses high-frequency sound waves to create microscopic bubbles in the skin. These bubbles are thought to…
Eczema, also known as atopic dermatitis, is a chronic skin condition that causes inflammation, itchiness, and redness. It is most commonly seen in children, but can…
Psoriasis is a chronic skin condition that causes cells to build up rapidly on the surface of the skin. The extra skin cells form scales and…
Haemangioma and port wine stain (PWS) are both types of birthmarks that appear as red or purple marks on the skin. However, they have some significant…
Dark eye circles usually result from pigment, visible blood vessels, structural shadowing, or a mixture of these. Pigmented circles may respond to topical agents and selected…
Acne-prone skin still needs sun protection. If a particular sunscreen seems to worsen breakouts or irritate your skin, review that product and your routine rather than…
Plasma is a state of matter that is created when a gas is heated to such high temperatures that its electrons become dissociated from their atoms.…
If you suffer from bald spots or hair loss, you may want to consider getting a hair transplant. Hair loss and receding hairlines plague up to…
Syringomas are small benign growths that cluster around the eyelids and neck, and creams meant for whiteheads do not clear them. How Agnes RF and fractional CO2 are used.
Trapezius Botox, popularised online as "Barbie Botox", has been the subject of a systematic review in the plastic surgery literature, which is worth reading before treating…
Childbearing is a notable milestone in a many women’s lives, marking the start of motherhood. However, for many women, the mark of pregnancy is quite literal…
Eczema is the common name for atopic dermatitis: dry, red, itchy skin that persists. What drives it, what sets off a flare, and how treatment is structured.
Dark underarms are caused by hyperpigmentation of the skin. The excess melanin deposit over the skin can be due to a variety of reasons but regardless…
Temple scars respond poorly to the resurfacing lasers that work elsewhere on the face. Why the temple is different, and where a thread lift fits in the plan.
Late-onset adult acne that does not settle with skincare alone: what the options are once creams, facials and prescriptions have already been tried.
This is the long article on how AGNES and Secret RF eye bag removal works and what the evidence shows. For the price, the steps on…
Acne scars remain long after active acne settles. Six things worth understanding about scar treatment before choosing a laser or committing to a course.
Hybrid HA has been on the market since 2015, and a review of three years of worldwide postmarketing data on the high- and low-molecular-weight hyaluronan complexes…
Follicular unit extraction moves individual grafts from healthy scalp to thinning areas. What the technique involves, who it suits, and what to ask before booking.
Gold photothermal therapy is one of the in-clinic acne treatments I offer, and the one I most often discuss with patients who cannot or would rather…
Laser treats two of the four types of dark eye circle and neither of the other two. Pigmented circles respond to low-fluence Q-switched and picosecond 1064…
I have been performing AGNES RF acne treatment in Singapore since the device arrived here in 2014, and over that period one presentation has become familiar.…
When non-surgical eye-bag treatment is not enough, how I grade eye bags before recommending anything, and what the transconjunctival approach actually involves.
Where the two pigment lasers differ, and which suits which pigment, is set out in pico laser vs Q-switch laser.
This is the page I point patients to when they ask whether a mole that looks different needs removing. It covers the features I check, the…
Laser treatment in darker skin carries a different risk profile. What changes in settings and preparation, and why sun protection matters months before treatment.
Nose augmentation is one of the most commonly done procedures today as people chase towards achieving that ‘perfect’ nose which is commonly described as sharp, with…
Hyaluronic acid and PDRN skin boosters do different things. How each works, what each is used for, and how to choose between them.
Patients ask me this almost every week, usually after reading that the pico laser is the newer and therefore better machine, or that PicoSure is the…
Light therapy improves mild-to-moderate acne in some patients, particularly where red and blue LED devices are used consistently, although it rarely replaces a complete acne treatment…
There is no convincing evidence that acne causes cancer, and acne is not a recognised sign of most internal cancers. Several observational studies have reported associations…
What Regenera Activa is, how the micrograft procedure is carried out, who it is considered for in hair loss, and what the assessment before treatment covers.
The Q switch laser is widely used by many doctors for many various reasons. Some doctors use them for acne, some for pigmentation while others use them for pores. Yet on numerous occasions, I get patients who tell me that they had done similar lasers and NOTsee any results. Yet they are somehow able......
