Laser treatments: Get regimen tailored for your skin

Aesthetic physicians like Dr Tjang now recommend personalized laser regimens tailored to the skin's many layers and needs.

- 

"Our skin isn't one flat surface — it's made up of layers," he says. "The epidermis is what we see, but underneath, the dermis and subdermal layers are where collagen lives. Even deeper is the fat layer that gives our face its youthful fullness."

Because a single laser device typically targets only one of these layers — for example, the 1,064nm laser reaches the mid-dermis — no one laser can address all concerns at once. That is where combination therapy comes in.

Dr Tjang likens the concept of combination laser treatments to a Japanese omakase experience where you trust the chef to serve what is best that day.

"It's the same with skin," he says. "The doctor assesses what your skin needs at the moment and selects the right mix of treatments."

NAVIGATING THE LASER MAZE

In a time when aesthetic lasers are as common as coffee chains, navigating the options can be daunting, especially for first-timers.

One such newcomer was Mr Ashley Mak, who wanted to fix his acne scars and enlarged pores.

The 38-year-old photographer went to two clinics for consultations.

"One doctor said the downtime would be three weeks, which was too long for me. Another wanted me to take a blood test and go on medication. That felt a little extreme," Mr Mak recalls.