Keeping up appearances

The popularity of laser treatments has been on the rise as more people prefer a less invasive form of therapy to stay youthful

SINGAPORE (June 3): Watch the latest Hollywood blockbuster Avengers: Endgame and you will marvel at the perfect complexion of veteran actress Gwyneth Paltrow, who plays Pepper Potts.

Since starring in the first Marvel movie Iron Man more than a decade ago, Paltrow seems to look better with every new sequel. She certainly holds her own against younger actresses in the series such as Scarlett Johansson, 34, and Elizabeth Olsen, 30.

It begs the question: What is her secret to looking youthful?

Lasers, apparently. The 46-year-old actress has been very upfront about her fear of ageing in an industry that depends on looks. She has, in numerous interviews, revealed the steps she has taken to retain her youthful appearance.

Aside from exfoliating four times a week and regular chemical peels, Paltrow gushes about her preference for non-ablative laser and light treatments that work wonders for her pigmentation and for firming up her skin. She says: “I have a great dermatologist in LA who gave me this amazing laser the last time I was there.”

The “amazing laser” that she is referring to is the Fraxel Light, a Food and Drug Authority-sanctioned procedure that uses the power of micro lasers to obliterate stubborn pigmentation, close pores and smoothen rough skin.

“Apart from working on the surface of your skin, a procedure like Fraxel [Light] also digs deep into the recesses of the skin to stimulate cell renewal, and repair and replenish collagen for a radiance that is red carpet-worthy,” explains Dr Low Chai Ling, founder and medical director of SW1 Clinic.

Fraxel Light is not the only choice for celebrities looking to maintain their looks. Laser therapies in general are fast becoming Tinseltown’s go-to beauty fi x, thanks to the low-to-no-pain comfort factor, the lack of downtime and brevity of each procedure.

Another glowing example of an increasingly popular new-age laser therapy is the Broadband Light (BBL) therapy.

This is by no means a straightforward laser-based procedure; this more advanced version of the famed Intense Pulsed Light, or IPL, hair removal method targets the removal of pigmentation, enlarged pores and saggy skin.

Using different wavelengths of light catering to all skin types, these rays of light energy penetrate the skin to repair and rejuvenate which, in turn, activates an inner glow that is so often destroyed by the deterioration of the skin’s quality.

“The BBL procedure stimulates new collagen to form within the skin and, in the process, it reduces fi ne lines, shrinks pore size and smoothens acne scars, while improving skin’s elasticity. The pulsed light setting of BBL also diminishes flushing caused by skin irritation and smoothens rough and dehydrated skin,” Dr Kenneth Lee, medical director of SW1, elaborates.

The stigma of pain and high medical bills attached to invasive plastic surgery procedures will always be a deterrent to many. These days, even Hollywood celebrities shun going under the knife, instead opting for cheaper, faster and multi-purpose alternatives.

After all, between a painless, lunchtime beauty pick-me-up right before that important client dinner and a surgical procedure that might put you out of action for weeks, the people’s choice has never been clearer.

 

SW1 Clinic is located at:
290 Orchard Road
#13-01 to #13-06 Paragon

6A Shenton Way
#02-19/20 OUE Downtown
Gallery Tower 2

For more information,
call 6817 8888 or visit www.sw1clinic.com