From The Straits Times    |

You chug water like a champ and assiduously apply hydrating serum and moisturiser, yet your skin still looks dry and lacklustre. According to Dr Chew Khek Kah of Nu.U Aesthetics, the solution to your skin woes may lie not in a bottle, but in a needle – one with hyaluronic acid, injected deep into skin to flood it with moisture from within. He answers some common questions here.
Why is drinking more water or applying moisturising products not the answer for hydrating skin?
Both of these can help, but drinking water will hydrate the body first, with only a small proportion of water going to the skin. Moisturisers mostly work on the surface and don’t hydrate deep down, so you don’t get that plumping effect.
What kind of injections can hydrate skin?
Restylane Skinboosters, which are made of hyaluronic acid (HA). They were developed by Galderma using its unique and patented NASHA (Non-Animal Stabilised HA) technology in which the gel binds and retains water, thereby increasing overall volume and offering excellent lifting capabilities. They are typically used to fill lines or reshape the face, but for this procedure, a less viscous form is used, so it doesn’t add volume – it simply absorbs water for hydration. The way we use it is different too: We inject tiny amounts of hyaluronic acid all over skin, instead of giving a few larger injections in targeted zones.
In your clinic, you refer to the treatment as Hydradew Lift rather than Restylane Skinboosters. What’s the difference?
It’s to do with the way the hyaluronic acid is injected – I have developed my own method that delivers it to a controlled depth. This means I can determine exactly where it goes, and I feel that it also minimises downtime and pain.
What kind of results can one expect from Hydradew Lift?
From my experience, people usually experience dewy-looking skin with a mild lifting effect, because the injections do tighten collagen fibres a little. Patients often receive compliments on how their skin looks younger and smoother, and overall, they look fresher. Results can be seen after one week, and will last a few months.
How has your use of fillers changed over the years?
When I first started using them more than 10 years ago, we were mainly treating age lines like nasolabial folds (smile lines). With advancements in technology and techniques, I can now use them as an effective “face lifting” tool, as well as for contouring the face and shaping the nose, chin and cheeks. I’m a regional trainer for Restylane, so I get exposed to the best training and advancements, which means I can offer more to my patients.
What other kinds of filler are there, and what are they used for?
There are plenty of different brands in the market, but the main ingredient in most is hyaluronic acid. However, it is available in varying degrees of viscosity: Thicker versions are used to fill and add volume to deep lines, while thinner ones are just for hydration. These fillers usually last around six months because the body eventually breaks down the hyaluronic acid. There are also a couple of different varieties that stimulate collagen production, so their results last longer. Some even contain microspheres that add volume, and don’t get broken down as quickly. The skill of the doctor doing your injections is just as important as what he’s using, so do ask about his experience and portfolio before you commit.