Notes on aesthetic medicine by Dr Vincent Tan. Candid essays exploring why aesthetic treatments succeed or fail, the biological realities of facial ageing, and the ethics of clinical restraint.
The chin establishes the projection of the lower third of the face. An imaginary aesthetic line drawn from the nasal tip to the chin projection reveals that when the chin is retruded, the nose visually appears larger, the lips appear pushed forward, and the submental angle blurs into a pseudo-double chin. Modest projection (2–3 mm) creates an elegant taper without ever touching the cheeks.
Aesthetic care rarely fails due to dramatic surgical blunders; it fails quietly through creeping overcorrection, lack of diagnostic coherence, and fragmented treatments where different doctors perform disconnected procedures. Discover the consultation red flags (sales counsellors, high-pressure bulk packages) and green flags that protect your face.
A V-shape is an outline, not a single procedure. Lower-face width is governed by four distinct anatomical layers: bone (mandible), muscle (masseter), fat (submental and buccal), and skin/SMAS (laxity). Indiscriminate masseter injection in mature patients can cause jowl sagging because the muscle was providing structural scaffolding.
When people say a face looks tired, they are almost never describing biological fatigue or lack of sleep — they are describing optical shadows cast by structural tissue descent under ambient overhead lighting. Restoring light reflection requires treating the specific layer: tear trough hollows, dermal quality, or vector lifting.
Before agreeing to any aesthetic procedure in Singapore, empower yourself by asking your physician these six foundational questions.
A trustworthy physician will clearly explain the rate of biological progression and whether watchful waiting or non-invasive maintenance is appropriate.
Treating skin when bone resorption is the cause yields poor results. Accurate anatomical diagnosis always precedes device selection.
Ensure that the doctor who injects or operates the laser is the one who reviews your biological healing at 3 to 4 weeks.
Always understand the reversibility of hyaluronic acid gels (via hyaluronidase) versus irreversible energy-based changes.
Single-device clinics often force their one machine on every concern. A balanced practice maintains multi-modal options.
Aesthetic medicine must be planned with a multi-year horizon to prevent progressive overfilling and tissue fatigue.