I will be going on the most expensive trip in my life this year end with my mother.
When I looked into the mirror, I was not happy with what I saw. For the ageing woman that I am, my cheeks are sagging and my eyes droopy. I hope to look decent in the pictures. I do not think that I am being vain. Nor am I afraid of getting old. I just thought that it isn't value-for-money if I am going to look bad in pictures for the kind of money I pay the tour agency.
So a fortnight ago, I returned to my most trusted doctor to consult about filler and Ulterapy.
This time, the pre-consultation process seemed more sophisticated than the last time I was there (in 2020).
The photography session for the before-and-after treatment was more particular. I was asked to look more directions and more pictures were taken of my face.
I was also led to a small room where I was asked to rest my chin on a machine and my face was photographed up close and later shown on a screen, with the inner layer of my skin being shown on Dr Siew's computer screen.
Dr Siew was appalled at the condition of my skin. He asked me what had happened such that my skin was so red and 'angry'.
I told him that I had gone to a reputable dermatologist in a private hospital, who came highly recommended by a colleague, to treat my melasma which formed a signature butterfly shape on my cheeks. However, while it worked very well for my colleague, it did not work for me. In fact, it exacerbated my problem.
Previously, my melasma was not that obvious. I would tell others I have melasma and they would ask me, "Where is it?"
Now, let's just say I do not need to tell anyone at all. My sister literally calls the two patches 'chao-tar', a hokkien term loosely translated as 'charred'.
It worsened my depression.
It seems the philosophy of the laser treatment was to draw the melasma out and lighten it using cream, until all of them was cleared.
However, the cream had to be used in sequence. I had to first apply the first cream and wait for at least half an hour before I could apply the second cream. But I often fell asleep before the next cream could be applied. That was because I came home at 11pm daily and would be so tired that I struggled to wait for time to pass.
Honestly, I was not convinced that the method worked. It's hard to be convinced when month after month, you come home with two burnt patches after the treatment, and you see them fade a little for a few days after the burnt scabs fall off, and then they return with a vengeance for the next three weeks.
After a year, I totally lost faith in the treatment and simply stopped going.
I had spent about $600 every month for a year and the melasma only became worse. I hated to take pictures because my cheeks would have two signature black patches.
I also had to buy and use concealer in order to cover up the butterfly-shaped melasma on my cheeks. Worse, it didn't work perfectly. The melasma was still obvious in the pictures.
Previously, light powder would suffice. Now, even concealer had little effect. Imagine how depressing it was.
Dr Siew told me that my skin condition was not suitable to undergo Ulterapy. As the procedure required heat to penetrate the inner layer of the skin, he was worried that it could worsen my melasma. He said that my skin needed to stabilise and be calmer before he could carry out Ulterapy on me.
However, he knew I wanted to look decent in the pictures of my trip. He proposed doing filler.
At the same time, he proposed that I take oral medication for my melasma.
In fact, he said that oral medication is one of the most effective ways to treat melasma, but no doctor would tell you, because it is cheap.
My eyes widened in astonishment when he said that. I had been to a few dermatologists and aesthetic doctors but NONE of them had given me this option.
Besides the first dermatologist who prescribed me with cream, when my melasma was not so severe, the rest all proposed laser treatment.
He being Dr Siew, I decided to give oral medication a try. Indeed, a month's supply of pills targeting at treating melasma, a month's worth of oral sunblock and two weeks' worth of whitening pills set me back by just $495.
Dr Siew said it would take six months to see the effect but just two weeks of taking the pills, I am seeing results. My melasma is lightening! Even my mother who is always critical saw the improvements. She was very happy for me.
I will continue with the oral medication and hope my melasma could be further lightened.
I can't believe that so many doctors had been dishonest about this form of treatment just because they want to earn distressed women's money from laser treatment. It sends shudder down my spine thinking about the severe lack of integrity in doctors.
Come to think of it, I did see a poster about oral medication for melasma at a GP clinic near my mother's place. However, I chose to put my trust in the reputable dermatologist as my colleague had spoken very well of her. She said that the dermatologist genuinely wanted the best for her patients and was not working purely for money.
How noble it sounded. Alas!
I solemnly declare that the one who is not working purely for money is Dr Siew. He is genuinely passionate about his work and wants the best results for his clients.
For what he has done for me, I shall always be grateful.
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