Safety is a two-way street and patients can play a part in ensuring that their
aesthetic doctor is acting responsibly.

You may have read about it in magazines – a female celebrity walks into a clinic and emerges with a wrinkle-free face, a flatter tummy and a fuller bosom.

Transforming your looks has never been easier or quicker, thanks to the slew of non-surgical aesthetic treatments like injectable breast fillers available today.

However, such beauty fixes have also been in the headlines for the wrong reasons. In February, local property mogul Franklin Heng was reported to have died from intestinal tears caused by liposuction.

So how does one play an active role in ensuring one’s safety?

First, ask your doctor if the treatment is approved by the Ministry of Health (MOH), said Dr Kevin Teh, medical director of Singapore Lipo, Body & Face Centre (SLBFC).

In 2008, MOH laid out guidelines for aesthetic procedures that all doctors here have to follow.

Dr Siew Tuck Wah of The Sloane Clinic added that one should not be bamboozled by other certifications, even if they are well-recognised. The most well-known is the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), he said. However, FDA approval does not always imply a treatment is approved in Singapore. For example, cellulite treatment Endermologie is approved by the FDA but is not permitted here according to MOH guidelines, he added.

One can also check if a doctor is accredited to perform a specific treatment. To do so, visit the manufacturer’s website, which will list all doctors certified to use the specific aesthetic product it makes.

For example, as Dr Teh is certified to use Macrolane, a brand of breast filler, his name can be found on Macrolane’s website. This is important as the technology used in a specific treatment can differ from clinic to clinic, said Dr Siew. “There are many brands of fillers for the same purpose. So one should always ask which material, machine and technology are being used,” he said.

This way, one can also see if a clinic takes additional safety measures, such as using ultrasound technology.

At SLBFC, ultrasound is used for liposuction patients to assess if there are any weaknesses in their abdominal wall so that damage to internal organs during the procedure can be prevented. Called the Ultrasound-Ultrasafe system, it is also used to measure the exact thickness of fat.

“Some people may look pudgy but they actually have very little fat. With ultrasound, we can make sure that a safe amount of fat is removed,” said Dr Teh.

Similarly, ultrasound technology Ulthera is used at The Sloane Clinic in procedures like facelifts. “Ulthera allows us to make out the skin tissues so we know exactly where we are delivering laser energy to, which improves safety,” said Dr Siew.

All in all, both doctors agreed that ensuring safety is a two-way street. Patients must play a part, such as disclosing health conditions like heart disease, diabetes or high blood pressure that can add to the risk of certain procedures, said Dr Teh.

Women should let doctors know if they are pregnant or breastfeeding. If you are taking medication and supplements, make it known too as they may impair the healing process, Dr Siew added.

Safety checks

1 Ask your doctor if the treatment is approved by the Ministry of Health.
 
2 Check if your doctor is accredited to perform a specific treatment.
 
Visit the manufacturer’s website, which will list all doctors certified to use the specific aesthetic product it makes.

3 Ask your doctor which material, machine or technology is being used.

4 Disclose any health condition as it may add to the risk of a procedure.