No tell-tale signs please
No tell-tale signs please
October 08, 2007
By Ng Wan Ching
The Electric New Paper, Singapore
MINIMALLY invasive, more natural-looking results, less down time - these are increasingly key words in the world of plastic surgery.
If people can tell that you've gone for plastic surgery, then the results are not so optimal. And more so if you have to endure pain and for longer periods during recovery.
That is why plastic surgeons now have newer and better tools and techniques to make things better.
Dr Andrew Khoo, a consultant plastic & aesthetic surgeon at Aesthetic & Reconstructive Centre, takes us through some of the latest offerings at his clinic.
Fractional laser therapy
This is a new laser therapy that treats the deeper skin layers - between 1 to 2.5mm from the skin surface.
The laser is designed to create deep 'pores' in the skin - over 20 to 30 per cent of the area - which then heals and tightens.
'The healing process is then initiated from the 70per cent of the skin that is untouched,' DrKhoo said.
The deep therapy allows a more effective removal of wrinkles and skin tightening with less recovery or down time compared to other types of lasers.
The treatment takes 30 to 60 minutes, and costs $1,200 to $1,500 a session.
The number of treatments needed depends on each patient, between three and five.
The fractional laser machine will be available from November.
New devices for browlift and facelift
These are patented devices which are significant advances over older sutures used for browlifts and facelifts.
Made of biodegradeable material, they are stronger and have larger hooks than traditional sutures, to be anchored to underlying bony structures.
Dr Khoo said: 'These two advances allow a stronger pull and a more secure anchorage, allowing a better result in minimally invasive browlifts and facelifts.'
The procedure takes 11/2 to 2 hours and can be done under local anaesthesia or intravenous sedation. It costs $6,000 to $8,000 per area.
Ultrasound assisted liposuction
This method of surgical liposuction is a significant improvement over traditional techniques.
A specially designed internal ultrasound probe is used to pre-emulsify the fat before the actual liposuction is done.
The result is a more efficient liposuction with less trauma to the surrounding tissues.
Dr Khoo said: 'This is especially good for fibrous areas such as the back, buttocks (for women) and chest (for men).'
The ultrasound probe also heats up the overlying skin causing it to contract better, giving a more defined result.
The procedure is done under general anaesthesia as a day surgery.
It costs $7,000 to $12,000 per area and takes three hours each.
Cohesive gel anatomical breast implants
Cohesive gel implants have improved the safety of the breast augmentation procedure.
The gel tends to stick to itself.
'As such, in the rare event of a rupture of the shell, this gel has a tendency to stay within the implant and not flow out like traditional silicone gels,' said Dr Khoo.
A further advance has been the use of anatomical implants.
These are teardrop-shaped implants which mimic the shape of the breast more closely than the traditional round implants.
'This has been a great advantage for Asian patients who tend to have very thin breast tissue and subcutaneous (under the skin) fat layers, giving them a more natural shape,' Dr Khoo said.
The procedure is done as a day surgery under general anaesthesia and takes two hours on average. The cost ranges from $11,000 to $14,000.
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