Besides my fat-melting procedure, The Urban Clinic gave me a clearer skin too.

During our BFF chat aka consultation, I told Dr Yanni about the increased pigmentation on my cheeks. I loved it when she confidently said, “Oh we can get rid of that!”. It is not the usual wishy-washy “You need 20, 30 treatments but we also need to monitor how your skin reacts to our treatment” crap that I’ve been told at various beauty salons.

Anyway, the pigmentation that I worried about is pregnancy melasma or more commonly known as the mask of pregnancy. The dark splotches plague many pregnant and postnatal women and it is usually caused by hormonal changes.

The Urban Clinic uses LifeViz Mini camera which renders a 3D image of my face for a detailed, accurate look at my skin condition. It appeared that I had a bigger problem than I’d thought. There’s dark/red pigmentation across my entire forehead, temples and right underneath my cheek bones. These will eventually appear on the skin surface as I get older.

LASEMD for melasma (pregnancy pigmentation)

This condition can be corrected by LASEMD, a laser facial treatment which opens microchannels on the skin, delivers purified vitamin serum deep into the dermis layers and let it heals from within. Normally when we apply creams/serums on our skin, the penetration is less than three percent. With the LASEMD (which is also known as Korean Baby Skin Laser), the penetration is 82.5%.

There are five different serum used for LASEMD to choose from:

• Vitamin C (VC): Rejuvenate photo-damaged skin, blemishes and promote healthy collagen structures;
• Vitamin A (VA): For ageing skin, to increase skin elasticity and tensile strength, and decrease wrinkles;
• Tranexamic Acid (TA): Especially good for brightening and as a treatment for melasma;
• Stem Cell Conditioned Media (SC): Rejuvenate skin by supporting the formation of collagen and elastin fibres;
• Resveratrol (RS): Good for UV-related skin carcinogenesis and photoaging.

For my first treatment, Dr Yanni decided on the TA serum to erase the melasma formation on my skin.

Can you see how the white powder and liquid are separated in the bottle? That’s brand new serum. It was mixed by the machine right before the procedure to keep the solution as fresh and pure as possible.

At The Urban Clinic, I was treated to a proper cleansing, exfoliating and extraction of black/white head prior to the laser treatment. All in all, it took 45 minutes. When the skin was prepped, Dr Yanni performed the laser treatment herself. Dr Yanni ran the laser’s rubber head through my entire face to create laser microchannels for the ampoule distribution.

The laser process has mild prickling sensation but it’s not unbearable. It was over pretty quickly. More ampoule was applied on my face, followed by a cooling mask for 10 minutes. After the usual moisturiser and sunblock, I was ready to face the world again.

My skin was pinkish right after the treatment but I could apply make-up right after the procedure, if I wanted to. There’s no downtime at all. There wasn’t any special care instruction given either, except for continuing the treatment at home with the leftover serum. I was to apply it twice times a day.

So how is my skin now you ask?

Photo taken right after LASEMD treatment

Photo taken a month later, without foundation, concealer and blusher.

I can’t be more pleased. The result is very visible within days. My skin feels soft. Not like baby Will’s kinda soft but I can safely say my skin feels just as soft as Lauren’s four years old skin. My skin tone is more even to naked eyes and makeup glides on smoothly. My always-dull forehead seems brighter too.

According to the Vizpro 3D image (taken at TUC), my red pigmentation has lessened considerably. I have gone back for another LASEMD treatment three weeks later and we used the VC serum to treat photo-damaged pigmentation. I absolutely love what the laser treatment does to my skin. I’m proud to show off my naked skin so much that I hardly put on foundation when I go out these days.

The Urban Clinic Skincare Products

After the LASEMD treatment, Dr Yanni prescribed a skincare regimen for me. Yes, as if being a doctor, entrepreneur and mother aren’t impressive enough, that woman also concocted a range of skincare products for The Urban Clinic. Respect!

Amino Acid Power Wash, 150ml, $29

Instead of using oil/fat, this gentle and hydrating foam cleanser uses amino acid to remove daily dirt and grime. It is luxuriously lather-full without drying out my skin. It contains glutamate surfactants, cucumber and algae extract to restore skin moisture balance and it’s especially effective in reducing redness and irritation for post-procedure sensitive skin.

Herbal Balancing Toner, 120ml, $39

The second step is this hyaluronic acid herbal toner. It softens the skin and the ingredients regulate sebum production, reduce pore size, soothe skin and help to reduce skin inflammation and acne. I like that a little goes a long way with this one.

If I still have my leftover Lasemd serum, it goes on right after toner. Otherwise, I move on to the next step.

Copper Peptide Hydrator, 30ml, $89

Gram for gram, copper peptide is worth twice that of gold. During the day, I apply the Copper Peptide Hydrator right after toner / Lasemd serum. Peptide stimulates the synthesis of fibroblast and collagen. This improves wound healing and stimulates skin renewal. Kinda perfect to use after a Lasemd treatment. It also has potent antioxidant, antiaging and anti-inflammatory effects. It gently hydrates skin to improve its texture and is also excellent for post-procedure recovery.

Sometimes when I feel as though I want to keep things simple without too many layers of products, this is the last step in my skincare regimen. It is hydrating enough on its own.

9GF Liquid Elixir, 30ml, $69

This is my favourite product of the lot. It has a slippery texture and feels like oil when applied onto the skin. It fully absorbs within half a minute and nary a hint of greasiness to be found. I use this at night right after toner and before moisturiser.

It contains Vitamin E and 9 different growth factors to stimulate collagen remodelling and improve skin elasticity. AcmellaOleracae extract is considered as a topical botox and relaxes wrinkles formed from tense facial muscles. Together with Dermawhite ®, this product improves skin elasticity and reduces the appearance of wrinkles for a luminous and youthful appearance.

It comes in a convenient pump-action bottle and the price is excellent.

Magnificent Cream, 30ml, $59

This is another great product from The Urban Clinic. Made with guava, lotus, horse chestnut, white tea and rose extracts and shea butter, this moisturiser is rich yet my skin drinks it up like water. It hydrates without leaving a layer of gunk on my face. It is also suitable for the tender areas around the eyes.

Dr Yanni Xu has a dream to see more people benefit from first-class aesthetic treatment, and judging by the affordable prices of the skincare products, I’d say she has done it. If you have any skin concern, I highly recommend you book a consultation with Dr Yanni at The Urban Clinic.

*****
The Urban Clinic
252, North Bridge Road, #01-15, Raffles City, S179103 | Phone: 62540407, 62540419
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