Category: MUST READ

Clean Slate: How The Latest Lasers Are Erasing Tattoos

Tattoos date back more than five thousand years, and were used to identify soldiers, mark slaves, criminals, and in some parts of the world, used to indicate social rank, political status and religious authority. Western civilization first discovered skin inking in 1681, after months of raids on Spanish settlements, Lionel Wag=fer, a pirate surgeon, documented skin pricks with thorns followed by ink staining in Cuna Indians while recuperating from an injury which left him immobile for several months. Fascinating at first, but Wafer noticed that this method of staining the skin was permanent, and in all his best efforts as a doctor, could not effectively remove the tattooed pigments, even after much scarring of the skin with tattoo removal attempts.   Why Are Tattoos Permanent? Ever wondered why getting a tattoo means it’s forever? According to medical science, when we have a tattoo, macrophages travel to the tattooed site and start eating up the ink. Other cells also suck up the tattoo ink but can’t do anything with it, living Continue Reading

Pore Police: How To Transform Your Skin In 4 Weeks

Different women may want different looks – some prefer bigger eyes while some may be perfectly happy with their single eyelids, for example. But the quest for smooth, poreless, radiant skin is the most universal. Pores are the most misunderstood – it is almost as if they were made to be visible, being the natural channels for oil and sweat and even contain hair follicles. Little wonder, so many complain of large pore problems, especially in our hot, humid climate. Here are the best tips to get that flawless complexion. Read More: Why A New Chin May Be All You Need To Look Younger   TIP #1 Scrub For A Fresher Canvas Who would have thought something so basic can be so crucial a step to achieving better skin, at the comfort of your own home? Frequent exfoliation removes dead skin cells and encourages cellular turnover. A fine scrub such as Crystal Healing Scrub is different from other cleansers – its fine granules effectively dislodges debris and stimulates microcirculation. A Continue Reading

How To Choose Between Liposuction And Cryolipolysis

There are diets that are impossible. I mean really impossible because the effort is impossible, it simply doesn’t work, or at the very least, it stops working beyond a certain point. To those of you who are starting to despair, there are some really cool medically proven tricks to help you get rid of that muffin top or slim down those thunder thighs. Cryolipolysis and liposuction are medical fat reduction procedures. The main difference is cryolipolysis is a non-invasive procedure that gets rid of fat cells in the area treated without surgery, whereas liposuction is an invasive surgical procedure. We speak to Consultant Plastic Surgeon Dr Chia Hui Ling about the differences between these treatments.   WHAT IS LIPOSUCTION? Dr Chia: Liposuction involves surgically removing fat from the body and therefore frequently involves general anaesthesia. Small incisions are made in the skin to gain access to a fatty bulge. After some prep work on the area, a cannula is inserted into one of the small incisions made and suction is Continue Reading

Peel Prep: 5 Things You Should Know About Chemical Peels, According To Doctors

Chemical peels were first used in 1834, starting when carbolic acid was discovered by German chemist Friedlieb Runge. In the early 1900s, deep chemical peels (phenol peeling) were used to treat acne scars in New York by dermatologists and in 1960s, chemical peeling received its formal recognition in America after discussion in national meetings and following impressive results. But prior to this, chemical peeling has already been used hundreds of years ago. Cleopatra used lactic and tartaric acid (in milk and red wine) to give herself mild chemical peels. We now know that sour milk and wine contain alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) which are found in a range of over-the-counter skincare products and in professional treatments in clinics. Chemical peels are extremely efficient treatments – they treat a variety of problems such as uneven skin tone, smoothens the skin by encouraging cellular renewal, removes fine lines and wrinkles, dark spots and even acne. But chemical peels intimidate people, because peels are fundamentally acids and if applied incorrectly, can cause side Continue Reading