Trinity Medical Centre : Fixing clogged pores

Well, you can say I've been preparing this blog post for half a year already (except of course it's not an expose). I've always had pretty good skin in year 2014 cos I was very diligent in my skincare regime and Albion was awesome. However, I decided to try out a new and very renowned brand in November 2014 hoping that it would make my complexion even better. Look at what happens to greedy girls. To my dismay, it was really the WORST nightmare. I don't wanna name the brand of the skincare cos it has actually worked for many many people. I'm just one of the unlucky ones who reacted so badly to it. 

Let's call it Brand X. 

I used a full range by Brand X for a month and it gave me massive breakouts and clogged pores around my jawline and cheeks. I had never faced such bad complexion before, to such a point where my face was extremely bumpy. I couldn't and didn't want to hide it with make up so I ran to Doctor Lim from Trinity Medical Centre for help. Of course, I completely stopped using Brand X. 

Think I'm exaggerating about my bad skin condition? Here's a collage to validate my point.

I used to have dewy skin like this just slightly more than a year ago. Can you imagine how devastated I was?

Dr Lim advised me to do extraction + aqua ST treatment + carbon laser every 3 weeks to treat my skin and remove the bumps underneath my skin. The pores on my cheek were rather enlarged (I used to pick on my pimple when I was young) so I could understand why it would be clogged but I just didn't understand why would my jawline be SO clogged since the pores are barely visible. And I never had breakouts on my jawline before! There were at least 20-30 small bumps on each side of my jawline each time I visited Dr Lim. 

I entrusted my complexion to Dr Lim and diligently went for my treatments.

You can read about both treatments here.

It took almost half a year and almost 6-8 sessions for all the bumps on my jawline to disappear. Slowly but surely. 

It's a bit long but I'm just so glad it has finally COMPLETELY disappeared. The bumps affected my self-esteem so much and I didn't like being under the sun cos it was even more obvious.

Carbon Laser

Now that 7 months have passed, my complexion has improved tremendously from the first time I ran to Dr Lim for help and I'm so so so grateful for what he has done.

My complexion still isn't as good as it was before but I'm sure it will get there soon!

Here's how it looks now!

*With only eye make up*

As you can see there's still a bit of bumps on my cheek but it has decreased and lightened significantly. My jawline isn't clogged anymore too! It's also a bit dehydrated cos I'm still laying off moisturizer.

Personally, I think the one treatment that really helped me a lot was Carbon Laser. It controlled my oil sebum and also prevented clogging of pores. So if you are facing the same problem and can only afford one treatment, I say go for Carbon Laser. Also, I've laid off a lot of skincare products during the past 6 months. I am only using my toner and acne gel.

I'mma get back to using the one and only Albion once I feel the time is right!

Looking forward to my next treatment with Trinity Medical Centre.

If you're looking for skin solutions, feel free to head down for consultations (:

Trinity Medical Centre

87, MARINE PARADE CENTRAL#02-500A, Singapore 440087.Tel : +65) 6344 0027
Ending off with a picture I took last week with little filter (:

XX

Sophia

Instagram and Twitter : @sophiachong

BRIGHTER X SMOOTHER SKIN!

I've recently joined Trinity Medical Centre in a bid to get the perfect skin. Ever since my skin improved, I've been trying to find ways and products to improve it further but you know certain problems like enlarged pores, pimple scars and acne can be really hard to fix with just products alone. There's just so much products can do. 

Therefore, right now I'm doing my facials and laser treatments with Trinity Medical Centre. I've gone for 2 sessions so far and I'm pleased with the progress!

Waiting for my turn (:

When I had my first skin consultation with the doctor, she mentioned that my skin is pretty well maintained except for common asian problems like enlarged pores, pigmentations (from old pimple scars) and occasional pimple/blemish outbreaks. And the good news is that, IT ALL CAN BE FIXED WITH THEIR LASER AND FACIAL TREATMENTS. Wooo to the freaking hoo! Cos I've been looking for the divine solution to minimize my pores(hopefully even close them completely hahaha) and zap my scars off. So happy I've found the solution!

So here's my bare face (w eye make up only)!

The right side of my face is a bit red and irritated cos of the mega pimple I had below my eyes. So you can see, the problem area of my face is mainly my cheeks! Enlarged pores and pimple scars!

So, Doctor Lim wanted me to start with facial treatment called Aqua ST first!

The Aqua ST system is the newest skin treatment that provides both non-invasive exfoliation and delivery of topical solutions to safely and painlessly cleanse, exfoliate, extract and hydrate the skins. In addition, the Aqua ST is unique because it does not use crystals or other abrasive particles that can irritate the skin. Love it cos there's no downtime!

It treats hyper pigmentation, photo damage, acne, dehydration, congestion, blackheads and fine line wrinkle.

The 3 serums I used for this treatment were : 

AS - The Aqua ST AS (All-Skin) 

It assists in dislodging dead cells for exfoliation and provides residual hydration that aids in firming and smoothing fine lines. 

SA - The Aqua ST SA (Salicylic Acid) 

Solution is specially formulated for oily and acne prone skin. It active ingredients include Pentylene Glycol and Spirea Ulmaria Extract to penetrate the pores and dislodge dead cells for exfoliation. 

AO - The Aqua ST AO (Anti-Oxidant) 

Solution is formulated with stabilized Vitamins A, E & White Tea Extract to combat free radicals and environmental damage to the skin cells.

Here's the room where I did extraction and Aqua ST!

This is the Aqua ST machine!

 Aqua ST treatment was very soothing and painless, and my skin instantly felt smoother and suppler! Not lying!!! I really touched my face a lot after the treatment to feel the difference. 

Have to go back for another 4-6 sessions to see more lasting and significant results :D

After that, I moved to the other room for my Carbon Laser Peel Treatment! I love laser treatments cos the results are instant and so MAGICAL!

The Carbon Laser Peel treatment took about 15 minutes and it's not very painful! It just feels like something is tapping on your skin? It also depends on the pigmentation. The darker it is, the more painful it is. So mine was about 4/10 pain level?

Like I mentioned, the Carbon Laser Peel treatment helps to reduce imperfections like enlarged pores that originate from the outer skin layer.

Benefits of the Laser Carbon Peel for Anti-Aging

* Large Unsightly Pores Shrink

* Reduction in oily skin

* Clearing of Acne without med's adult and teen

* Yellow/Brown patches fade or disappear

* Increased Skin Tone and Texture

* Scar Shrinkage ( must be young scars of smaller diameter)

* Occasionally results are similar to Erbium peels

*

Benefits of the Laser Carbon Peel for Acne

* Reduces risk of Acne Scars

* Eliminates the need to extract comedones

* Simultaneously targets P. Acne bacteria and shrinks the Sebaceous gland

* Normalizes skin cell layering ( hypercornification)

* Reduces Sebum and gland size 30%

* Reduces the size of cysts, papules and acne nodules

* Safe and effective for ALL types of Acne

The full result will prevail in about 5 sessions, CAN'T WAIT!!!!

And my face is FREAKING smooth after laser. So smooth I was addicted to touching my face the whole day, couldn't stop hahaha.

 OK ENOUGH OF MY RAMBLINGS. PICTURE TIME TO SHOW YOU MY 1 WEEK PROGRESS!

Day 1 after treatment :

Day 2 after treatment : 

*with a fair bit of make up*

Skin was still a bit red from extraction but no downtime from Aqua ST treatment! 

Day 4 after treatment :

One week after treatment : 

with SUPER LITTLE make up, almost non-existent hahaha.

Can't wait for my next session!

For those who are interested, you can contact them at

87 Marine Parade Central (Beside Parkway Parade)

Level 2, #02-500A

Singapore 440087

Tel : 6344 0027

https://www.facebook.com/trinitymedicalcentre.aesthetic

http://www.streetdirectory.com/trinity-medical-centre/

XX

Sophia

Instagram and Twitter : @sophiachong

LIFE CHANGING SKINCARE WITH ALBION!

*YOU DON'T WANT TO MISS THIS*

Hi girls, I'm so excited to share with y'all this blog post. Took awhile to churn this out ever since Albion sent me their range of Exage products cos I wanted to really try out the products for at least a month to give you an accurate and unbiased review. The first time I heard about Albion was when KayKay wrote about it and subsequently from my other friends. Everyone I know who has tried Albion always says AWESOME stuff about it so when I heard Albion was sending me products, you can imagine how happy and excited I was. I felt like I was gonna embark on a better journey for my skin.....which is essentially the case (:

Before I started using Albion, I was using a mixture of brands such as Clinique, Hada Labo, Origins etc and I was honestly pretty satisfied with the results then. I wasn't blessed with flawless snow white skin hence I'm very diligent with my skincare routine and am always on the hunt for good skincare products. My complexion did improve when I stuck to my Clinique-Hado Labo-Origins routine. From frequent breakouts, pimple scars, oily skin, blemish problem on cheek and forehead area and enlarged pores to lesser breakouts, mild blemish problems and less oily skin. Overall, it was acceptable and what I thought as "the best I could achieve". I was genuinely satisfied my skin even took a better turn and was determined to maintain how it was until I started on Albion. It was REVOLUTIONARY. 

I've been using Albion products for about 2 months now and my skin has improved TREMENDOUSLY, it's unbelievable. My skin has become significantly less oily, in fact dewy now. To me, dewy skin is damn hard to achieve. It's always either too dry or too oily. Hence, dewy skin is the nirvana of complexion. Fairer too of course, more even complexion, almost ZERO BLEMISHES/ACNE on my cheeks and little on my forehead (unless before my period, but minimal too). My skin feels very moisturized at an optimal level, and my pores don't appear as big as there is lesser excess sebum. I may be a drama queen if I'm the only one who thinks my skin has improved a lot but nope, many of my friends have mentioned I have nicer complexion now. Even Vera, my best friend whom I've known for years recently went to HK with me and said "Sophia, your complexion now is very good". 

Of course, I won't say my complexion is flawless or perfect now cos it's not. But it's significantly better than what it used to be. SO MUCH BETTER and I love it. I never thought I could achieve such complexion in 2 months with just skincare products, but Albion proved me otherwise. 

Enough of words, here are pictures to substantiate my words (and to guide you on my daily skincare routine).

Here are the products Albion sent me.

From L to R,

1. Anna Sui Dolly Girl Edition (SMELLS DAMN GOOD)

2. Herbal Oil Gold $82

3. Skin Conditioner 330ml ** ($147), 165 ml ($86)

4. Exage White Crystal Milk III ** ($82)

5. Exage White Conditioning Cleansing Milk ** ($50)

6. Exage White Clear Lucent Wash ($41)

7. Albion Skin Conditioner Mask (8 pcs $53)

I've been using ALL the products religiously except for herbal oil gold but I'll focus more on my top 3 favorite products highlighted in yellow!

EXAGE WHITE CONDITIONING CLEANSING MILK

Cleansing milk aka make up remover is super important to me cos I love having a fresh clean face after a day out with make up. And I'm pretty particular about the texture, scent and effectiveness of a make up remover since it's the first step to cleansing. I love how mild and lightly scented the cleanser is, yet does its job well at the same time. I don't even need an oil based remover for the eyes, yet it's not overly oily for the face either.

Here's a cute made up dolly face on my hand. You can see, it's wearing thick make up ^^

Also love the pump dispenser cos it's a lot less messy and more convenient!

1-2 pumps should be enough for a regular made up face. Maybe 3-4 for very thick make up.

Just one swipe across half the face and it's almost gone, leaving behind traces of stubborn eyeliner which can be easily removed in 1-2 more swipes (:

I believe in double cleansing so after I'm done removing my make up, I'd wash my face with Exage White Clear Lucent Wash. I'll also use Albion Skin Conditioning mask every once a week to keep my face super moist! If you have Skin Con (short form for Skin Conditioner), you can just soak cotton pads with it and place it all over your face to act as a face mask too!

And this is how I look after masking!

Zero make up, zero photoshop/filter. I've only adjusted the brightness and contrast of the photo.

EXAGE WHITE CYSTAL MILK III

Then I move on to a vital step of my skincare routine! Exage white crystal milk kinda softens and moisturizes my skin, and prepares it for the next step which is Skin Con! This step has allowed me to skip moisturizer as it locks in enough moisture to my face!

Here's my fresh out of shower face ready for some pampering! Zero make up/filter/photoshop!

1 pump for the whole face and spread it evenly on your face with a cotton pad.

Then rub in circular motion until fully absorbed! For some reason, I just think the crystal milk works wonders together with Skin Con. It's like some superpower that both can generate together hahaha.

SKIN CONDITIONER!!!

This is Albion's best-selling products which I can fully see why! It's the one toner I probably don't wanna live life without. I feel like my life will crumble without this. Most toners that I've tried before tend to make my skin feel tight but this on the other hand, makes my skin feel supple and hydrated. It also helps in whitening. On top of that, my skin becomes dewy after using this. No more dry flaky spots at some areas and no more oily t-zone. It is my BEST FRIEND! 

I pour the skin con sparingly on a cotton pad and dab it on my skin. And the only reason why I bother applying it sparingly on my face is because I know it works and I want more. Sometimes, I just wish I could soak my face into a tub of Skin Con every night if my financials allow hahahah. Maybe I'll wake up to be snow white the next morning. 

After skin con, I'll just apply my serums or pimple cream if I have any pimple. 

So here's how my bare face looks like after my skincare routine!

Pardon the pimple scar on my cheek cos my itchy hands couldn't resist squeezing the pimple so it's in the process of healing now. 

I still have pimple scars which I'm in the midst of fixing (laser treatment, will blog about that next time) but overall you can tell that my complexion has improved a lot, it's a lot more dewy and moisturized and I barely have any blemishes.

It's extremely important to have good skin above nice make up. You need a good canvas so your painting looks good (: 

Extremely thankful to Albion to sending me these miraculous products, if not I'm pretty sure right now I could still be foolishly satisfied with my mediocre skin which I thought was the best I could get. So thank you Albion, X!

You girls can get your Albion products from Takashimaya Level 1, under Cosmetics and Fragrances department. Highly recommend the 3 products I mentioned!

Simple quote "Sophia Chong Albion" from now till end Feb at Albion counter to receive a complimentary piece of Albion Skin Condition Mask with any purchase!

XX

Sophia

Instagram and Twitter : @sophiachong