SIGNATURE SKIN CARE

They say “your beauty runs skin deep”, so in order to validate this very eloquent claim, SiddySays interviewed Dr. M. Tauquir Ahmed of Signature Skin Care to elaborate on skin therapy and the multitude of treatments that are being offered to repair and beautify the Pakistani woman’s skin.

SS: TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOURSELF?

I am a Cosmetologist and Laser surgeon who previously practiced in London, Lahore and Karachi. As a UK Graduate Doctor & a member of the British college of Aesthetic Medicine with a special interest in Dermatology, I’ve been at the fore front of developing and promoting new treatments. Throughout my career in Pakistan and abroad, I’ve treated a range of celebrity patients including Miss Scotland and Miss Earth Ireland, apart from being the go-to doctor for within the fashion and beauty industry. I also single-handedly launched Vaser liposuction, Carboxy Therapy, PRP and PDT Therapy in Scotland in a short time span of 2 years.

SS: WHAT IS THE SKINS CLINIC TRYING TO AIM AT?

Signature Skin care is committed to providing comprehensive, quality bespoke treatments. We believe in achieving optimum results through personalized treatment plans tailored to suit the individual requirements of our clients.

SS: WHAT SERVICES DOES SIGNATURE SKIN CARE OFFER?

Signature Skin Care is your ‘one stop cosmetic shop’ that takes care of all your cosmetic needs including skin, face, hair, dental and body. Our services are mostly non-invasive in nature but when required, surgical options are also available.

SS: WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A REGULAR FACIAL AND A COSMETIC PROCEDURE?

Regular facial works only on the surface of the skin. It’s not a medicated procedure, and literally has no down time, and consequently, the effects are short-lived. A medicated, cosmetic facial goes one step further; working on the deeper layers of the skin. Sometimes, there is down time involved; few hours or a day or two. However, there results are long lasting and have a greater impact on your appearance than a regular facial. A series of these medicated, cosmetic facials will rejuvenate your skin from within.

SS: WHAT ARE THE PROS AND CONS OF THESE PROCEDURES (IN GENERAL)?

As with any other procedure that is slightly deeper than your average facial, the side effects are largely dependent upon the skin type. Before conducting any kind of procedure, the skin has to be assessed for any kind of suitability. One of the primary risks is that if the treatment is too aggressive, there is the possibility of post inflammatory hyper-pigmentation, which is the single biggest complication of any of these treatments. Whenever we start a treatment, we start with a mild one and gradually increase the level depending upon the receptability of the skin.

The pros are that if these procedures are successful, they give you long lasting results. It is part of a successful age management technique which in the long run is cheaper than going for repeated regular facials.

SS: HOW OFTEN SHOULD ONE GET THESE PROCEDURES DONE?

There is nothing written in stone. This is all very subjective and dependent upon the skin we’re treating, age, their aspirations and expectations.

SS: WHAT IS THE PRICE RANGE, AND IS THE PAKISTANI MARKET ACCEPTING TOWARDS THESE PROCEDURES?

These range between 10,000 – 15,000 Rs. per procedure. And, yes, we have been pleasantly surprised by how receptive the people have been.

SS: WHICH FACIAL OR SKIN PROCEDURE IS THE RISKIEST, AND CAN YOU GET ADDICTED TO A PROCEDURE OR TREATMENT?

The riskiest procedures for a patient are anything that involves resurfacing of the skin. Taking the top layer of skin off runs the highest risk of having any complications whether it is post inflammatory pigmentation or scarring. It can be anything done by a laser or deep peel, an aggressive medicated facial. So assessment of the patient, suitability and scanning of the skin for hydration and pigment status is necessary prior to commencing any treatment.

Yes, they can get addicted. There is actually a condition known as body dismorphic disorder that effects 5% of the population where people are never satisfied with what’s being done. The red flag signs are that they are obsessed with every small spot, pimple or line on their face. They would jump from one treatment to another and so on in hope of achieving a fantasy they have in their minds.

Our staff here is all trained to identify patients suffering from this disorder. When there are red flags, the staff alerts me and I make a point of visiting the patient during the treatment. Also, I discuss with them their feelings and what their expectations are etc. If I am able to corroborate the red flags signs, I make a point to do counseling sessions with them. I prefer slowly easing them into it and explaining how some of the things are not realistic and maybe to take break, sit down and assess why this procedure needs to be done.

SS: CAN THESE PROCEDURES SPEED UP THE NATURAL AGING PROCESS?

Most definitely not. The aim of doing these procedures is successful age management. We are trying to manage the aging process. We are trying to combat factors that are part of the aging process and we try to slow it down. More than likely, there are things that people don’t do that speeds up the aging process; not applying sun block being a primary factor.

SS: WHICH IS THE MOST POPULAR FACIAL OR SKIN PROCEDURE?

That would be treatments for acne and acne scars, pigmentation, skin lifting and skin tightening; I think these are my three big categories that have proved most popular in Pakistan.