Out, damned spot! Out, I say!
Having lived in Sydney for a few years, I was rather reckless with sunscreen application – BY NOT USING ANY – needless to say, there were spots that emerged and did not, after using sunscreen religiously, go away.
I had tried laser treatments in the past, ranging from cream prescribed by my dermatologist to laser facials in reputable wellness centres but for some reason, they never worked.
Until now.
Above shows the sectioned off area leading to the private treatment rooms in the facility
I was introduced to Dr Reborn by my friend, Jessica who is rather experimental when it comes to beauty treatments. She was trying a bunch of treatments at Dr Reborn, including laser facials and said I should give it a go if it was bothering me so much. The first time was a special trial and while the results weren't immediate, I felt it was worth to invest in a package, 10 sessions for $6,500. To be honest, that price is very decent, those who have looked into laser facials would recognise the value in this. But I'm sure you'll have doubt in the results, and truth be told, so did I.
The outlined Lutronic Spectra Q-switched is the machine used for Dr Reborn's laser facial and hits 6 major features
To give you a better understanding of the equipment used for this laser facial you can see the chart above. The facial wouldn't just be helping me with my spots / pigmentation (which my dermatologist has diagnosed as hormonal and even more difficult to tackle) but also with wrinkles, acne, collagen stimulation and skin rejuvenation which sounded like a mixed bag of goodies too good to be true.
Now back to the facial. After cleansing my skin and covering my eyes with surgical tape, my therapist, Monie would then start with:
Step 1: Rejuvenate skin – The first part of the session felt like many tiny elastic bands were shooting at my face and I definitely felt the pain on my cheeks and areas where I had more hair / bigger pores eg. around my lips and nose. The fact that my skin was rather dry didn't help. Because I have sensitive skin (eczema I'm afraid), my therapist was extremely attentive by covering sections of my face with hydrated cotton pads right before the laser landed. This kept me from having parched laser-ed skin which would have been excruciating.
Step 2: Minimise pores – For this part of the treatment there was minimal pain and was quite relaxing
Step 3: Lighten skin pigments – This would be where Monie would tackle pigments one by one. A side benefit would be that the hair around my lips and nose would be removed after this procedure
This was taken in 2010 and you can see how dark and prominent my spots were
This was taken a few days after my 10th laser treatment. The redness decreased in a day. When comparing to my previous self, beyond being older and wiser, my spots are now significantly less prominent
Over the past year I've been making monthly visits to tackle my spots with the added bonus of collagen stimulation and smaller pores. While progress has taken time, I have noticed that my spots are a lot less darker than 6 years ago. I'm planning to continue these monthly visits till my spots entirely fade and may consider to do quarterly sessions to maintain a pigment-free complexion.
Tip: Do hydration masks before and after the laser treatment to make sure your face is prepped and recovers quickly. Don't schedule laser treatments less than 4 weeks to ensure your skin is ready for another treatment.
dr reborn
HK$6,500 for 10 sessions
Multiple locations across Hong Kong, Macau and Guangzhou, I frequent the Mong Kok branch.
Address: 53/F, Office Tower, Langham Place, 8 Argyle Street, Mong Kok, Kowloon
Tel: +852 8203 0058
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