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How’s your skin health? Are you seeing more dark patches and freckles or sagging around the eyes and cheeks?
November 17, 2024
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With the global pandemic going into its second and third wave, and showing no signs of relenting, we’ve become used to social distancing, mandatory mask-wearing, staying in and working from home.
And even though these measures keep us safe from Covid-19, it’s not doing our skin and bodies any favours. In addition to a heightened awareness of mental wellness, our stay-home days have also resulted in an increase in skin concerns – from too many hours in front of our digital screens and skimping on skincare like sunscreen to injuries from exercise strain, and of course, weight and fat gain from a general lack of movement.
The good news is: Help is at hand. Here’s what you can do.
#1: Injuries From At-Home Workouts (And Work)
It seems like everyone became a runner during the Circuit Breaker. And those who didn’t turn to home Youtube workouts to keep fit and moving. What happened then? Injuries, sprains and falls are caused by exercise strain and over-exertion.
There was another threat to our physical health: Text Neck – the result of spending much more time glued to our digital devices. The result? A strained neck and back. And the pain isn’t going away, even with increased stretching, muscle-strengthening exercises and painkillers.
Unfortunately, persistent and consistent pain is common, thanks to our sedentary lifestyle, the poor ergonomics of our home office, prolonged working hours, and even stress build-up.
#2 Putting Your Best Face Forward After Months of WFH
Many of us have come to enjoy working from home. After all, we don’t have to wake up early (oh, that extra hour of sleep!), get dressed, put on makeup, and jostle with the crowds on our commute.
But WFH has its downsides too. The longer hours we’re clocking in front of our screens, compared to pre-Covid-19 days, doesn’t just give us eye strain. The constant blue light washing over our skin from our e-devices plays a part in skin ageing, resulting in increased fine lines, wrinkles, pigmentation and unsightly dark circles.
To address these concerns and get your skin glowing and looking youthful all the time, Dr Ivan Puah, medical director of Amaris B. Clinic, recommends these treatments below.
Skin Treat #1: For hyperpigmentation
The US FDA-approved Pico Fractional Laser, is a non-ablative laser that effectively targets hyperpigmentation (freckles), melasma, post-acne scars, sun-damaged spots and age spots. It delivers laser energy to the skin in super-fast pulses. Pico Fractional Laser is also safer and has less downtime than traditional pulse laser.
Skin Treat #2: For deep lines, wrinkles and tired eyes
With mandatory mask wear, people often see the upper half of your face when you’re out. Wrinkles and lines aren’t just signs of ageing; they also mar your looks by making you look tired, angry and fierce.
To target crow’s feet, frown lines (from WFH stress and all those virtual meetings!) and other facial wrinkles, the Anti Wrinkle treatment at Amaris B. Clinic is a fantastic non-invasive injectable that helps eliminates the appearance of crow’s feet, frown lines and other facial wrinkles.
It’s especially effective on overactive muscles (the ones you activate when you frown, smile or squint), smoothing existing unwanted lines as well as preventing deeper ones from forming. It is also popular for those who want to fight the signs of natural ageing or those who have developed lines from excessive sun exposure, which inevitably damages the skin.
To get you looking bright-eyed and well-rested, Dr Puah incorporates his EyeArt Method to lift saggy brows and lighten the shadows of dark circles. You’re in good hands because Dr Puah is an appointed trainer to fellow doctors in cosmetic injectables.
The result: You look fresh and youthful instantly.
Skin Treat #3: Restore lost facial volume
Did you know that just from stress, trauma and yo-yo dieting, we can lose up to 35 per cent of volume in our face, especially around the mid-face? When this happens, you can clearly see that volume loss has led to sagging of skin and hollowness, giving the impression that one looks gaunt and is suffering from extreme fatigue.
ADR-C Facial Enhancement is a popular minimally invasive facial fat grafting procedure. It is not only for those above 40, who wish to slow down the ageing process but also 20- and 30-somethings who experience a facial fat loss due to dieting.
Dr Puah has over 15 years of experience performing facial and body grafting procedures. He customises this treatment to the patient’s unique facial concerns, and restores lost facial volume, improve facial contours and achieves a more supple complexion.
He starts by removing tiny amounts of fat tissue from the tummy or thighs. The extracted fat tissue is then cleansed and transplanted via injections into the face. The results are natural and long-lasting.
Another upside of this WFH situation is having the space to address your skin issues with aesthetic treatments without worrying about the downtime needed, which in turn allows your skin adequate time to heal.
#3 Putting on fat from a sedentary lifestyle
To keep your body trim and toned, you must do two things: Eat less and move more. When you don’t do either, you gain weight and fat. Add to that comfort snacking, and it’s no surprise that we’re experiencing expanding waistlines, thighs, and clothes that are moving a size or two up.
And before you say it: Crash diets Do. Not. Work. They leave you feeling worse than before, so stop right there.
To address body concerns such as bingo wings, a muffin top or saddlebags, you can opt for Amaris B.’s VASER (Vibration Amplification of Sound Energy at Resonance) Liposuction. This permanent surgical fat removal procedure suits those struggling with fat gain or who have disproportionate body fat distribution issues. It’s also suitable for people with stubborn fat pockets that simply won’t budge with exercise and dieting.
How it works: Tumescent fluid, a special mixture used in liposuction to increase comfort and aid in smoother recovery, is infiltrated to numb the area and shrink the blood vessels. A probe which emits high ultrasonic frequencies is then inserted into the fat layers – its job is to expand and contract the air bubbles within the tumescent fluid. These vibrating air bubbles gently separate the fat tissues for extraction.
Once the fat is emulsified, Dr Puah will carefully manoeuvre the probe to remove the liquified fat as he sculpts the body for a smooth and contoured appearance.
However, it is essential to note that Vaser Liposuction targets stubborn fat and is not meant to be used for weight loss. Dr Puah recommends a healthy diet and regular exercise to maintain your new figure.
How Amaris B. Clinic and Dr Ivan Puah can help you
It’s crucial to know that a doctor’s skills and experience are essential when it comes to procedures like liposuction. With more than 15 years of liposuction experience and as one of the first doctors to introduce this novel fat removal technique to Singapore in 2008, Dr Puah understands the intricacies.
Dr Puah completed his Vaser Liposuction training in Colorado and Argentina. He is also trained in other body-sculpting procedures such as Laser Liposuction, tumescent liposuction and 4D Liposuction (Hi-Definition Lipo). Dr Puah holds a Graduate Diploma in Sports Medicine from Nanyang Technological University and is accredited by the Ministry of Health to perform liposuction in Singapore.
Thanks to Dr Puah’s leadership, Amaris B. Clinic is more than just a run-of-the-mill aesthetics clinic. It complements its main passion for body sculpting and medical aesthetics with integrative medicine, including weight loss and fitness assessment, pain management, and sports injury rehabilitation.
At Amaris B. Clinic, you can expect a fully hands-on team of trained professionals who will do their best to enhance your appearance, health, and fitness at all levels by customising their approach to your treatment.
