I think I have a round face. There, I said it. Genetically blessed with full cheeks reminiscent of a hamster, it was one of my life goals to search for a non-invasive way to transform my face into the desired V-shape.
Having tried everything from facial exercises to massaging my face upwards, I was ecstatic to learn that there was a more scientifically based treatment in the market that required no surgery or downtime – a HIFU treatment, which stands for “high intensity focused ultrasound”.
This treatment promised the effects of a facelift in a quick session, and so I popped by Scinn Medical Centre for a review of the treatment:
Pops of royal blue and classy marble accents greeted me as I entered Scinn Medical Centre, nestled right in the heart of town at the glistening new TripleOne Somerset. What struck me most was the generous size of the centre, which is right next to their sister company Dr Scinn Aesthetics. The latter offers complementary non-invasive skincare and physique management treatments like fat reduction and hair removal.
But I was more than content with the relaxing ambience of Scinn Medical Centre, which was where I was scheduled to have my treatment. The gorgeous waiting area and the presence of a coffee machine made the waiting time fly by in a jiffy as well.
Help yourself to free-flow coffee, tea or butterfly pea wellness drinks
I was then introduced to my doctor for the day, Dr Hoe Ying Min, who was supremely personable and instantly set me at ease.
She said that many of her clients pop in during lunch for a quick session, and reassured me it would be completely comfortable. “It feels just like IPL, and you can even fall asleep!”
With that peace of mind, I was ready to discover the cheekbones I never knew I had. First, the doctor’s assistant cleansed my face, then slathered soothing gel on the device as a cooling agent for the treatment. The device would be heated to around 60 degrees Celsius and with the gel, it would feel only slightly warm to the skin.
The futuristic machine that was to perform the HIFU treatment.
And then, showtime. The machine was fired up and the doctor started placing the ultrasound device around the sides of my face. She was right, it did feel like IPL, with a tingly feeling reminiscent of fine needles being “shot” deep into my skin. But thankfully, it was hardly painful and I could even chat on happily with the doctor as the treatment progressed.
During the course of 20+ minutes, the doctor steadily manoeuvred the device and delivered “shots” across the planes of my face, such as around my cheeks and near the jawline. The latter did result in a slightly stronger sensation, but it was still well below a 3/10 on the pain scale.
Dr Hoe explained it was due to there being less fat around the area, but hey, anything to get rid of that double chin, amirite?
I also noticed that she used different cartridges in the device, one labelled “3mm” and the other “4.5mm”. These have the ability to deliver energy to different depths of your skin layers.
At 3mm deep, you’ll be targeting the deep dermis layer to stimulate collagen and elastin production – the good stuff that keeps you looking young. And at 4.5mm deep will be the SMAS layer – aka the superficial muscular aponeurotic system layer.
Sounds like jargon from a bio textbook, but it just refers to a deep layer of tissue that is a key support structure for the face – the exact layer surgeons address in surgical facelifts. Lifting this = a more uplifted appearance!
As part of a generation used to instant gratification, I was curious as to if I could see results in a single session. To my surprise, there was an immediate difference, and I could bet my last dollar it wasn’t a placebo effect.
For instance, the shadows from the side of my nose to the corners of my mouth (aka, laugh lines or nasolabial fold) were significantly lightened. My jowl and chin area also felt tighter, and a look at my side profile in the mirror revealed a more prominent jawline. Previously, it was just an undefined expanse of skin!
Another surprise: zero redness or swelling. Having gone for previous face-lifting treatments elsewhere that resulted in light bruising, this was a welcome relief. I could even walk right out of the clinic straight to the office. +100 points for working professionals.
Dr Hoe informed me that I could see even better results in 6-8 weeks, due to new collagen being produced gradually.
In a nutshell, I’d recommend this to anyone who’s averse to surgery and doesn’t want to wipe out their entire life savings on beauty treatments.
After all, compared to surgical facelifts, this is far more budget-friendly and non-invasive to boot. No downtime also means that you can easily zip back into your everyday life without hiding from the world or taking MC to recover.
Faring well in aspects such as affordability and recovery time, the HIFU treatment at Scinn Medical Centre is truly a solid option to get rid of fine lines, wrinkles, double chins, saggy skin or chubby cheeks, and emerge with a sharp face similar to that of K-pop stars.
Trial session: If you’re intrigued by the above review, you can now try the HIFU Skin Tightening treatment for yourself at $188 nett, which includes a consultation and treatment.
And if you’re looking for other popular non-invasive treatments like IPL, cellulite treatments, fat reduction treatments or chemical peels, just pop by Dr Scinn Aesthetics that’s right beside Scinn Medical Centre – a convenient option since both are right in the heart of town.
Scinn Medical Centre (TripleOne Somerset)
Address: 111 Somerset Rd, #04-12/13 TripleOne Somerset, Singapore 238164
Phone: 6235 8066
Opening hours: Mon – Fri 11AM-8PM, Sat 11AM-3PM
Dr Scinn Aesthetics (TripleOne Somerset)
Address: 111 Somerset Rd, #04-14 TripleOne Somerset, Singapore 238164
Phone: 6366 6189
Opening hours: Mon – Fri 11AM-8PM, Sat 11AM-3PM
This post was brought to you by Scinn Medical Centre.
Photography by Sharlene Lau.
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