International Lifestyle Influencer and Beauty writer, ETHEL DA COSTA reviews her lunch-time quickie with a PicoSure skin fix at the The M∙A∙C∙ Clinic. She shares her own first-time experience.
Are you one of those lucky gals who’s constantly looking to upgrade her self-care with good lifestyle choices? Welcome to my beauty tribe.
My mama told me there’s always a first time for everything. First time experiences help you decide what’s good for you, and what you should chuck out. While we do ignore good advice in our teens and appreciate it only in adulthood, I decided to put my mama’s wisdom to test with my first ever PicoSure Laser Energy Treatment. It was my skincare upgrade gift to myself. Now or never. And it had to be with the best in town aesthetic team. I was all in for a super new experience.
Mind made up, appointment set, I swapped my lunch break for a quick fix-me at The M∙A∙C∙ Clinic (No 12, Lorong Maarof, Bangsar). Arriving at the clinic a little before time to get familiar with the procedure and meet Dr Victor Ong, Medical Aesthetic Doctor for my skin consultation, I was immediately made comfortable and taken through the treatment process to understand how PicoSure works. Especially, how it would work on my `exotic’ skin tone (wheat complexion, combination skin tone). I was keen to address specific skin concerns of pigmentation that had bothered me on account of Malaysia’s tropical sun exposure, and I was expertly informed what to expect from my first-time experience.
WHAT IS PICOSURE?
To set the tone for the uninitiated, PicoSure is the world’s first picosecond aesthetic laser for multiple aesthetic applications including tattoo removal, acne scar treatment, removal of pigmented lesions and wrinkle treatment. PicoSure is unique in the sense that it utilizes the755nm wavelength that naturally targets melanin. This unparalleled breakthrough in laser technology delivers ultra-short pulse bursts of energy to the skin in trillionths of a second, to gently target and eliminate pigment through the skin layers without harming the surrounding skin. In simple language, the treatment is intended to improve the look of your skin, achieve a more youthful appearance by removing pigment, or, treating wrinkles and acne scars faster than ever before. Sounded perfect to me!
Reassured that I was in absolute safe hands, I was made comfortable into one of the several treatment rooms to begin my skin prep.
Step 1: Relaxed and face cleansed of any make-up, an in-house aesthetician proceeded to prep my face with the application of a numbing cream. Do note, this step is very essential to avoid any pain you may feel, especially for a first timer not used to a laser. The numbing process is a cool 45 minutes to one hour window, between which I took my easy cat-nap slipping into a natural meditative vibe. It must have been the numbing cream!!
Step 2: Escorted into the treatment room, Dr Victor Ong settled me into an easy reclining chair hooked to the PicoSure machine (developed by Cynosure, the company that manufactures this breakthrough state-of-the-art laser brand). Friendly banter and all of my nerves settled, I’m told that the first setting of the PicoSure is intended to achieve an overall face toning, skin brightening, focused to address uneven skin pigmentation. As the laser hit my skin with quick precise blasts of light, I imagined my favourite Star Wars storm troopers trying to take down Captain Han Solo’s ship. “All is well,” Dr Victor assured me as the numbing cream held on to its promise of no pain. 10 minutes (depending on your skin condition) and it was all over.
Step 3: Resting for a five-minute break, I felt my face begin to register the invasion experienced from the laser heat, having now woken up my skin’s response instinct into action. I experienced little sensations erupting across my face. “Nothing to worry,” Dr Ong explained, “As collagen has been activated and the skin is responding to the nourishment it is receiving from an increase in blood circulation.” That’s great news. A change in laser setting done, Dr Ong proceeded to Phase 2. This time the laser is snappier, sharper, the beam more targeted downwards into the skin with energy focused to reach deeper into the layers.
This setting, I learnt, is intended to stimulate and generate natural collagen, boosting a natural facelift, a tightening of pores, as also targeting scars and breaking down pigmentation. “The honeycomb pattern in the laser lens fractionates the single laser beam into multiple smaller but higher-powered beams of light that hits the skin with higher intensity, producing a cavitation effect under the intact skin which is perceived by the skin as an injury, leading to a cascade of natural healing responses from which new collagen is produced.,” Dr Ong clarified. All of another 10 minutes later, my face red, a little swollen and stinging from the post treatment experience, I immediately noticed a healthier, visible facelift. Must mention that the sensation of heat is natural, so panic you must not. More good news? There is no downtime.
HOW TO CARE FOR YOUR SKIN POST TREATMENT
Sitting with Dr Victor Ong with a set of questions to understand my post treatment care on what I should pay attention to, here’s what you should know: The important guideline is to moisturise and stay away from direct sun for the next 24 hours post your PicoSure treatment.
FAQ 1: How many sessions are required to see 100% results?
Dr Ong: Depending on the concern and treatment goals, you can obtain results from as little as 1 treatment. However, I would recommend at least 4 to 6 sessions to experience the best results.
FAQ 2: Can PicoSure be combined with other laser treatments?
Dr Ong: PicoSure is able to treat most skin concerns from freckles down to melasma. However, that being said, some conditions are better treated with other types of lasers. It might be best to consult us on this. I would generally recommend to space out your treatments to allow time for your skin to heal, rather than combine them all in the same sitting, if possible.
FAQ 3: What is the ideal post treatment after-care to attain maximum benefits?
Dr Ong: There are many great products out there to help you reap maximum benefits from the laser treatment. You should consider skin products which contain moisturising and collagen boosting properties. An example would be serums that contain peptides and growth factors that speed healing, reduce inflammation and stimulate collagen remodelling. You can also consider Hyperbaric Oxygen facials that infuse amazing skincare ingredients into the skin post laser.
FAQ 4: Recommend three products most beneficial to use after a PicoSure treatment.
Dr Ong: 1. Calecim Professional Serum, that contains stem cell derived peptides and growth factors. This helps repair the skin and boost collagen production.
2. Deep Repair Balm by Teoxane, that contains their patented Resilient Hyaluronic Acid for lasting skin hydration. It also has natural plant extracts that help soothe the skin as well.
3. Injectables such as Rejuran and Profhilo are recommended too to improve skin quality from deeper within.
One week down the rabbit hole, my skin felt fresh, and thankful for this intervention. Thank you, M∙A∙C∙ team.
Are you curious enough to try it too? BOOK YOUR APPOINTMENT NOW. Head to https://www.mac-clinic.my/picosure to know more.
You may check FAQs here as well: https://www.instagram.com/p/CgEqjkipvXv/
For a skin consultation, set your appointment at:
The M∙A∙C∙ Clinic
Lorong Maarof, No 12, Bangsar
Tel# 03-22831212/012-3212931
The M∙A∙C∙ Clinic, BSC
Tel# 03-20936136/012-5028212
The M∙A∙C∙ Clinic
Great Eastern Mall, Ampang
Tel# +60 12-307 3131