The bulk of sun damage occurs before age 18, warns aesthetic practitioner Dr Kenneth Thean. Depending on your genes, hormones and lifestyle, the dark, patchy spots on the face, also known as melasma, could appear sooner than later and never go away. But that does not mean you have to walk around with a bag over your head. Some treatments can mitigate the symptoms.
“Melasma is a chronic skin disease. We can clear it and control it, but we cannot cure it,” he says. “Think of it like weeds. In normal skin, the body produces pigmentation and removes it at the same rate. But due to various factors like age and sun exposure, the melanocytes go into overdrive and produce pigmentation faster than the body can dispel them. So, you need medical intervention to remove them at a higher rate.”
The founder of Ensoul Medical Aesthetic Clinic, Thean focuses on skin health and “disease-aesthetics”, offering long-term solutions for severe acne and pigmentation problems. He does not offer cosmetic treatments like thread lifts and fillers but will administer Botox to address a medical issue. He is also a master of lasers, with over 50 medical-grade laser machines in his practice.
“Choosing to focus on the disease aspects of aesthetics — that is, treating skin conditions such as pigmentation, acne, and acne scars — is a decision we make because we believe that healthy skin is both physically and psychologically important at any age. Good skin health equals a healthy and happy well-being,” says Thean.
An industry veteran, Thean was the founding administrator of Singapore’s National Skin Centre, where he revolutionised the treatment process by bringing in senior dermatologists from the private sector to review cases presented by junior doctors. His approach improved treatment outcomes and increased efficiency by customising appointment times for each doctor using their visitation data.
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When Thean started using lasers, he had three rotating machines to address individual concerns — a co2 laser, an IPL machine and a Q-Switched nanosecond laser. He knew each machine inside out and soon discovered from some Korean doctors that combining machines for better results was possible. And that was how he became one of Singapore’s noted laser experts, who’s always on the cutting edge of the latest research and technology in skin health.
His years of experience have made him a key opinion leader in the industry. “To be an expert in this field is expensive because you have to buy the machines and practise a lot on each machine. On top of that, you have to go overseas for training for all these machines. It’s a bit of a sacrifice, but it’s my hobby,” Thean says.
Personalised consultation
Then firmly believes in the interconnection between good skin health and overall well-being. A walking advertisement for his practice, he looks at least 20 years younger than his 65 years. This is because he prioritises his physical health and leads an active lifestyle.
His passion for his work is fuelled by his belief in a holistic approach to treatment in which he puts people first. At Ensoul, education is an integral part of every consultation as he takes the time to explain treatment protocols to ensure his clients understand what they will be experiencing.
My first consultation took about 30 minutes, during which Thean took the time to understand my skin issues and the treatments I’ve tried. He then explains how each layer of skin works and shares his unique pigment-erasing methodology, which he aptly calls the Four-Dimensional Approach. It combines the use of four key laser machines to address underlying issues like thinning the collagen, loosening of elastin and dehydration, offering better results than just using individual lasers. Thean compares the process to complementing cardio with strength training and endurance to see positive results when working out in a gym.
Each laser has one specific wavelength, or pulse duration, for a specific purpose. To address hyperpigmentation, Thean starts with a Picosecond: Nd YAG laser designed to target pigmentation. This laser uses extremely short pulses of laser energy to break down the pigment particles at a cellular level, resulting in clearer and more even skin.
He follows this with a long pulse Nd: YAG laser to decrease inflammation and stimulate the fibroblast to synthesise more collagen and elastin. Next, he focuses on pores and old skin with the Erbium: YAG laser, which gently resurfaces and removes dead skin cells. This not only helps to kill the surface micro-
organisms and clear out pores, but it also stimulates collagen production within the skin, which can help reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
To address abnormal blood vessels, Thean uses a 577nm Yellow Laser specifically designed to reduce the amount of dermal vascular endothelial growth factor (VGEF). Excess VGEF causes blood vessels to be overactive and feed melanocytes. This laser’s wavelength also targets dilated red veins, which makes them shrink and fade over time so that skin looks brighter.
Finally, he uses an intense pulsed light (IPL) treatment to address skin tone and texture. This treatment uses a broad spectrum of light to target multiple skin concerns at once, to give the facial glow and radiance, and repair sun damage, redness, and uneven texture.
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Painless lasers
Part of the reason some people shun lasers, aside from the cost, is the pain that they think comes with it. Over a decade ago, when I tried fractional lasers, it felt like Stormtroopers were hitting my skin aggressively with their blasters. But with the advancement of technology, the machines now feel more like tiny little ant bites or a relaxing sun tan.
Given his decades-long experience with lasers, Thean has mastered administering each machine with finesse, reducing the pain a client may feel. Depending on your pain tolerance, he may lower the intensity of the laser or blow cold air on the affected area while carrying out the treatment.
Thean also complements the treatment with custom-blended dermatological products to give patients optimal skin enhancement and improvement. After my laser session, I relocate to another room for the El Plus — Cell Repair Treatment that features a proprietary cocktail serum packed with potent, active, medical-grade ingredients such as hyaluronic acid, glutathione, multiple vitamins, tranexamic acid and repair ingredients to help further reduce inflammation, reverse cell damage, reduce the activity of pigment-producing cells, and stimulate faster skin recovery. It is administered by a friendly aesthetician who uses a low-level ultrasound machine to push all the goodness into my skin. I leave the clinic glowing, with no sign of pain or redness.
A week later, I noticed a visible improvement in my skin in terms of clarity and firmness. My pores look refined, and my broken capillaries have disappeared. Although the melasma spots remain, they have greatly lightened.
When I ask how many more sessions I would need to erase the spots, Thean says it could take anywhere from three to 30 sessions, depending on how stubborn my skin is. Once I’ve achieved my desired results, maintenance may only require a visit once every other month.
As for pricing, Thean charges about $380 for a laser session (not including the infusion and consultation fees) regardless of the number of lasers used . He says: “I want to solve your problems and attain the best results. I’ll customise a solution that works no matter how many lasers are used, and I don’t charge extra for them.”
