Being blessed with acne-free skin had made me complacent for the better part of my twenties.
I do not follow any particular skincare regime nor stock up on expensive creams like some females (or even male) friends that I know.
Too lazy for make-up, I was satisfied with a bit of enhancement for my eyes; which was the lashes.
Hitting early thirties had me taking a good look at myself in the mirror more frequently.
For the past year I have made attempts to be more consistent in my application of sunblock and body moisturisers as I had noticed uneven skintone, freckles and pigmentations on my face; more so on the nose areas.
My body, especially the skin on my legs and hands are noticeably dry too.
I have tried Rosken, Black Paint, Egyptian Magic Cream, Shiseido, Nu Skin ageloc (cost me RM2,400!) and went crazy with the Korean masks and snail serums.
None of these products gave me SIGNIFICANT results even after a period of 2-3 months usage.
Maybe these products DOES HELP in the long run, but for SIGNIFICANT, quick (less than 2 months) and NOTICEABLE results laser and specific skin toning procedures are necessary.
So after the success of my Coolsculpting treatment with Clique Clinic, I returned this time for a solution to my aging skin.
Dr Lim and Josh attended to me again; this time recommending the Q – Switched; a laser treatment (20 mins per session) specifically for sun/brown spots, freckles and uneven pigmentation.
It was this or the Black Diamond Carbon Laser.
Studying my face with trained eyes, Dr Lim decided on the Q-Switched for me after I informed him of my goals; radiant skin, even skin tone and a younger, lifted appearance.
And so Helio III 4G Laser Treatment it is.
There wasn’t ascertainable change after my first and second session.
My first session went well and I didn’t experience any dryness or redness as pre-warned, for it seems that other patients did.
I did however, experienced breakouts after the 2nd session.
A few itchy spots and some pimples popped up.
I washed my face as usual and applied the provided Olecule B5 Moist and Barrier Repair serums diligently twice daily and all that annoying breakouts disappeared after 2 days.
From my understanding, treating dark spots and uneven skin tone may take months.
However, with patience, the painless Skin Toning Q-Switched laser treatments are able to naturally fade off the hyper-pigmentation.
A plus point here is the guaranteed NO downtime factor. I can get back to work/exercise/travel right after each treatment.
Session ONE: 13th August 2015
Each Q-Switched laser session begins with a face and neck wash.
Once the face and neck is wiped dry, the doctor in charge (in my case, Dr Bob) would while his assistant (Adrian in this instance) will hold a pipe that blasts out cool air over the areas of the face and neck where the laser will be administered.
The intensity of the laser can be adjusted. Dr Bob started at 700 and increased it to 900 and 1000 over the next few courses.
So, what does the Helios III 4G Laser do exactly?
The Helios III 4G Lasers produces 2 (TWO) specific wavelengths of light (1064nm/532nm) that is absorbed by pigmented lesions (which refers to small marks from sun exposure which we know as brown spots/freckles/birthmarks).
The light vibrates and shatters the pigment, breaking the melanin into micro-particles.
It effectively treats pigments settled at various depths of the skin. With that, it does not only reduce the treatment time but also increase efficacy of the treatment.
For those who are concerned about pain, rest assured that all you could feel is a slightly prickling sensation.
The Photo Acoustic energy of a Helios III 4G laser emits LIGHT in fast, short pulses.
The impart of the energy is similar to the snap of a thin rubber band.
No anesthesia or numbing cream is necessary and after the treatment the area will feel similar to a mild sunburn.
Last but not least, post-treatment care in the form of moisturiser and sunblock are applied at the end of the session.
And voila, you can proceed to your next appointment, meal, exercise, catch a flight, etc. No issues at all.
Session TWO: 20th August 2015. A mild post breakout happened; though no redness or dryness were experienced.
I had a 1-2 pimples and itchiness on mainly the chin and forehead.
I was slightly alarmed, but was assured that it is common.
BELOW: The Helios III 4G Laser machine.
Session THREE: 28th August 2015.
No post breakouts. All is good though I have yet to detect convincing improvements.
At this point, I was easing into the weekly laser routine.
Session FOUR: 3rd Sept 2015.
No post breakouts. In response to the slight skin improvement so far, Dr Bob increased the intensity to 1000.
As you can see from below, the condition of my skin is still not as flawless as I would like it to be.
Though I got impatient and wanted glowing, blemish skin by now, I recalled the advice Dr Lim and Josh had conveyed earlier.
Likewise with my Coolsculpting session, both had set realistic expectations from the beginning.
For Q- Switched, significant results can only be seen perhaps after the 5th or 6th session (depending on individuals) so patience is key.
Session FIVE: 15th Sept 2015.
*Pics of the session to be uploaded later.
The very next day I had breakouts again though it went off after 3 days.
It was the same; red spots, a few pimples and itchiness on the forehead and chin.
As evident from the images above, I have yet to achieve the radiant and flawless skin I wanted.
Well, I have 5 more sessions to go so I will be updating this space on my progress.
Feel free to email me or FB message (fb.com/RebeccaSawBlog) if you have queries about this procedure!
*****************************************************************************************************************
In addition to weekly Q-Switched laser sessions, I got these Olecule products for daily care.
One was the B5 Moist and another the Barrier Repair.
Based on their recommended usage, I apply them in this order: Wash face –> pat dry –> B5 Moist –> Barrier Repair.
Dosage is one to two drops twice daily.
1. B5 Moist (contains Hyaluronic Acid, Vitamin B5)
Texture: Syrupy and goes on a bit sticky. However absorption is swift and skin feels moisturised thereafter.
Product info:
Multi-molecular weight (Hyaluronic Acid) is an innovative and potent formulation of moisturizing while Vitamin B5 helps tissue repair and nutrients replenishment.
Both work hand-in-hand to improve barrier function and skin appearance.
Vitamin B3 boasts cellular metabolism and speeds up the process of DNA repair in epidermal cells.
2. Barrier Repair (contains Ceramide, Fatty Acids, Squalene, Hexyldecanol, Bisabolol)
Texture: Runny consistency and glides on smooth on the skin. Leaves a matte after-feel.
As its name suggested, Barrier Repair repairs the skin barrier and helps to prevent trans-epidermal water loss. This builds up a protection layer against foreign substances.
In addition to that, it restores DNA damage and strengthens the immune system.
VERDICT:
I felt the immediate effect upon application and though it is does not leave any sticky residue, I’m aware of a layer of “gel” on my face.
Reviews claimed clear skin from acne after 1 -2 weeks of use. Still I never had acne problem to begin with, I could only judge its efficacy based on the twice breakouts I’ve experienced after my Q-Switched.
Meanwhile, on day to day basis I apply them both before my sunscreen.
PRICE:
B5 Moist: RM119
Barrier Repair: RM198
* Purchase online OR you can purchase them from Clique Clinic. Links at the end of the post.
******************************************************************************************************************
My Q-Switched sessions so far:
1. 13th August 2015
2. 20th August 2015
3. 28th August 2015
4. 3rd Sept 2015
5. 15th Sept 2015
The machine:
The treatment room:
Usage of Olecule:
7th August until today 21st September, daily twice.
Still half a bottle each to go, so although I concur with the general opinion that it is pricy, if it is effective then it would be a good investment.
To order: http://olecule.com.my/en_US/shop/ or you can purchase Olecule from Clique Clinic.
Price:
Q-Switched is RM4200 for 10 sessions.
Duration: 15 – 20 minutes, including a face wash prior to procedure and application of moisturiser and sunscreen afterwards.
Maintenance: While scientific studies have proven the effectiveness of Q-Switch laser in combating hyper-pigmentation, the consistent usage of sunscreen is vital to maintain good skin.
In a nutshell: What does Q-Switched do?
The Q-switched laser is used to remove unwanted brown spots, sun freckles, scars or tattoos from your skin.
The laser is absorbed by coloured pigments such as freckles, sun spots and age spots in the skin.
The light vibrates and shatters the pigment, breaking the melanin into micro-particles which are naturally cleared away (absorbed and eliminated) by the body and skin.
****************************************************************************************************************
For consultation or appointment, call Clique at + 603-79601211.
Address: No. 4, Jalan 19/36, Seksyen 19,
46300, PJ, Selangor, Malaysia.
Waze for “Clique Clinic“.
FB: https://www.facebook.com/cliqueclinic
www.cliqueclinic.com