Cover Dr Felix Li (Photo: Dr Felix Li Medical Aesthetics Clinic)
Dr Felix Li (Photo: Dr Felix Li Medical Aesthetics Clinic)
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We speak to Dr Felix Li and ask him everything to know before plunging into the world of aesthetic treatments
Today’s beauty aesthetics patients are more discerning and decisive in terms of what they want to achieve in the doctor’s office. More of them are educating themselves as information on aesthetic treatments as well as doctors can be accessed easily through a plethora of resources.
Such treatments are becoming increasingly popular as people seek to address concerns such as fine lines, wrinkles, acne scars, hyperpigmentation, and other skin imperfections. From non-invasive options like chemical peels and microdermabrasion to more advanced procedures like laser therapy and dermal fillers, there is a wide range of aesthetic treatments available to address various beauty concerns. While these treatments can be a great way to enhance one's natural beauty and boost self-confidence, it is important to approach them with caution and choose a reputable and experienced provider to ensure safe and effective results.
As such, we turned to an expert to delve deeper into what anyone should know before trying out aesthetic treatments.
Below, we ask Dr Felix Li, the founder of Dr Felix Li Medical Aesthetics Clinic, to answer our burning questions and share more about what beginners need to know.
Read more: 10 Tatler-approved beauty treatments to try in Singapore
Above Photo: Getty Images
Photo: Getty Images
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What would you advise patients who can’t seem to decide on the type of treatment that they want to try?
Singaporeans in general have a more conservative outlook towards aesthetics, and so I know it took a lot of courage and determination for new patients to come in to our clinic to seek treatment for the first time.
In my experience, the two main barriers to seeking aesthetic treatments for the first time are:
1. They are not sure whether the treatment will have good results, whether the treatment would address their concern(s), and whether the treatment will meet their expectations;
2. They are concerned with looking "plastic" or looking "done", of unnatural facial expressions, or unnatural-looking facial features—looking like a certain celebrity or a friend they know.
While the two barriers appear to be opposite, they are actually inherently similar—both stem from the uncertainty of what aesthetic treatments actually do, and what results can be expected.
This in turn stems from advertising prevalent on new media that are misleading or overpromising, purporting trendy or miracle solutions, but often turn out to be very disappointing or even harmful. Therefore, patient education is the key, to helping first-time patients understand the science and anatomy of how our faces change with age, the method and evidence behind how each treatment works, the downtime, safety and results that can be expected from each treatment, and how every face is unique and every patient needs and treatment plan are individualised and tailored.
Above Photo: Getty Images
Photo: Getty Images
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What do you think are some important guidelines that you will highlight for first-time patients?
Now that she understands what the treatments do, it is important to decide whether the treatment is suitable for her, whether the treatment is likely to meet her expectations, and whether she is ready for the treatment
For this, a first-time patient should consider her needs, and expectations, as well as downtime and potential risks
1. Needs
Look in the mirror and ask yourself, if you had a magic wand that could change 3 aspects of your face, that is guaranteed to work, is painless, safe and free, what would you change, and in what priority? This is known as "patient wants".
When your doctor makes a professional assessment and determines and prioritises the aspects that would most positively impact your appearance and ageing. This is known as "patient needs".
In the age of educated patients who are increasingly knowledgeable and discerning, "patient wants" are commonly aligned with "patient needs", and in these cases, the patients are most likely to be satisfied with the results of their treatment.
In the cases where they are not perfectly aligned, communication is key for the patient and doctor to collaboratively design a treatment plan together that will best meet and exceed the patient's expectations, both in the short and long term.
2. Expectations
It is then important to discern whether the treatment(s) the patient has in mind is likely to meet the patient's expectations. This requires the patient to be clear on what her expectations are—for example if she desires complete correction of a very crooked nose with a deviated septum, then a non-surgical nose augmentation will not be a realistic option to achieve her goals. At the same time, the doctor has to be clear and confident on whether the proposed treatment plan is likely to meet the patient's expectations—there is no better way to gain trust than to make a promise and deliver upon it, but the converse is also true.
3. Before proceeding with any treatment, it is important to plan ahead for any associated downtime and to understand and accept any risks associated with the treatment
A confident doctor is not the same as one with bravado, claiming that everything will be fine in his skilful hands. Rather, a good doctor is one who will provide accurate information to help his patient make the best-informed decision for herself while minimising any associated downtime or risks as much as possible.
Are there aesthetic treatments that you think are generally suitable for everyone? What are they? If not, is it thus more important to receive proper consultation from a doctor?
Aesthetic treatments that slow the rate at which our faces change with age could be considered generally suitable for everyone.
Every face is unique and beautifying treatments in particular need to be carefully individualised—there is not a nose or a chin that is harmonious with every face. However, the passing of time, sun and environmental factors leading to facial ageing affects us all. As such, treatments that restore support to the structure of the face (such as fillers), treatments that lift and tighten skin (such as Ultherapy and other energy-based devices), and treatments that promote new collagen production in the skin (such as biostimulators and lasers) all go beyond improving aesthetic outcomes in the short term, to conferring a positive impact against the process of facial ageing in the longer term.
Nonetheless, a proper clinical consultation remains key before any aesthetic treatment. Even if a treatment could be generally beneficial for a patient, it may not be the treatment that is the priority for that particular patient, which would greatly reduce its impact and consequently patient satisfaction. At the same time, the individual patient may not be suitable for the treatment, for example, a patient who would not have the schedule to accommodate downtime may be distressed by a prolonged period of swelling, regardless of the beneficial results.
What do you think are the most popular treatments among first-time patients in Singapore that you’ve encountered?
It is common for first-time patients in Singapore to request laser treatments, as it is non-invasive (concern of looking fake or unnatural) and generally have lower costs (concern of wasting money on treatments that do not work or meet their expectations).
Unfortunately, this train of thought can lead to disappointing results, as the patient is choosing to undergo a treatment based on the consideration that it will not do what she does not want, rather than a treatment that can deliver the results she wants.
It comes back simply to our checklist above, to match the patient's wants and needs and to design a suitable and individualised treatment plan. If the patient's main concern is lightening pigmentation, and her desire is for even skin tone, brighter complexion, improvement of fine lines and open pores, and smoother, healthy skin—she is very likely to be satisfied by the results of her laser treatments.
If her main concern is sagginess, skin laxity and a tired appearance, and her desire is a more lifted, contoured, and youthful appearance—she is likely to be disappointed by the results of her laser treatments, regardless of non-invasiveness or cost, which would only reinforce the barrier that aesthetic treatments do not work for her.
What are some of your personal favourite treatments to perform on patients?
Filler treatments are by far the most common treatments that I perform in my clinic. Our Signature Facelift is a structured and individualised method of injecting fillers based on patient anatomy, that delivers predictable and replicable results for our patients every time. It is built around the philosophy of using fillers to first restore support to the face as a whole, reverse signs of ageing, and slow down the rate at which the face changes with age; instead of the conventional method of using fillers to volumise or shape a certain facial feature.
So instead of just delivering "apple cheeks" or a sharper chin, we help our patients look less tired, less saggy, fresher, and like most of them would describe, a younger or better version of themselves.
Through restoring support and counteracting the effects of ageing, the results often last beyond the longevity of the fillers themselves. An interesting observation from the pandemic was that it was not unusual to see returning patients still looking younger and more lifted than before their previous treatments more than two years ago—even after all the previous fillers have been resorbed by the body.
This is usually very satisfying for the vast majority of our patients, who would return for the same treatment every year, embark on beautifying treatments if that is their desire, and refer their family and friends for the same. In turn, this patient satisfaction is my greatest pride and joy.
The ability to change how my patients look is merely my profession, but to change how my patients see themselves and how they live their lives with confidence and positivity is what gives true meaning to my job. This is why I dedicate a large portion of my time to training and education, whether lecturing at overseas conferences or conducting hands-on workshops for local doctors every month, to share this method that brings so much satisfaction and meaning to patients and physicians alike.
What would you recommend to someone who’s keen on trying aesthetic treatments for the first time, especially for an upcoming special occasion?
Visit your doctor way ahead of your special occasion for a proper assessment and clinical consultation, six months would be a good rough gauge.
This is especially important for first-time patients, who will need more time to understand and consider their doctor's recommendations, before making the best-informed decision for themselves.
As opposed to rushing into decisions and gambling on quick fixes, which could lead to negative outcomes that may not be able to be reversed in time before the big day.
Bearing in mind that certain treatments involve downtime, certain treatments require a period of time to show the best results, and certain treatments are best done in stages after a prior treatment has been completed.
Planning ahead also allows the doctor to prioritise and schedule your treatments such that you will look your very best on the big day, with no stress or surprises.
The internet offers plenty of guidance and “consultation” these days—what would you say to a patient who wants to try a treatment that you believe is somewhat unsuitable?
With the sheer amount of information available online these days, it is a real challenge to discern accurate information meant to educate, from inaccurate or even intentionally misleading "information" meant to entice, especially as the latter is designed to capture eyeballs, and boosted appear before you more frequently than the former.
Even with accurate information, it can sometimes be confusing for a new patient exploring options for aesthetic treatments to fully understand the information, or what it means for her in particular. If a new patient came in requesting a treatment she saw online that cannot reasonably harm her but may not be impactful for her or meet her aesthetic goals, I will counsel the patient to help her prioritise her treatment options and set realistic expectations.
If however the purported treatment was potentially harmful or dangerous, or would reasonably lead to an objectively negative outcome, I would counsel the patient about the risks involved and the likelihood of a bad outcome, and offer alternatives that may better suit her needs.
Oftentimes, the key lies in thorough patient consultation, educating the patient on her treatment options instead of promoting a single one, as well as providing my honest and professional opinion on the pros and cons of each option for her, enabling her to make the best-informed decision for herself.
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What would advise someone who only wants to try aesthetic treatments because they're "trendy", without knowing much about the entire process?
Patients who may have been disappointed by previous treatment results may sometimes seek the "latest technology" to achieve their goals when it was exactly this mindset that led to their disappointment in the first place. Well-proven treatments that stood the test of time are today increasingly studied, understood, and refined to deliver even better results, more consistently and safely while trendy fixes and miracle cures have either disappeared amidst disappointing results or are made illegal around the world for the harm they cause.
Beauty trends come and go and have little to do with you, who you are, or how you would like people to see you. Whereas looking youthful, radiant and confident will always be attractive—uniquely beautiful for who you are.
Andrea Saadan is the Senior Digital Editor of Tatler Singapore. She oversees all digital content for the website and currently leads the Beauty and Lifestyle verticals. As a child, she had always enjoyed reading and writing but it was only after she joined her college newspaper, The Spectrum, in Buffalo, New York, that she considered a career in journalism. Her love for all things beauty started from the age of two—when she was caught playing with (and damaging) her mother’s YSL lipstick. On top of her day job, she is also an unpaid beauty consultant for friends and family. Besides make-up, her obsessions include the wizarding world of Harry Potter, podcasts, ice-cream, her walking pad and watching endless re-runs of The Office (US).
