Singapore aesthetic doctor shares insiders’ tips on choosing an ideal doctor & gives a glimpse of what his job is really like

Think "aesthetics doctor", and the image of a well-groomed medical professional who rubs shoulders with a celebrity probably comes to mind. Dr Ivan Puah, the founder of Amaris B. Clinic, says that people's first impression of his job is usually “glamorous.” “This is not true,” he laughs and says.

Indeed, a typical day for him in the clinic sounds surprisingly more similar to our day in the office than a walk down the red carpet. He typically begins at 9.30 am and ends at around 7 pm. “I will either be seeing clients, who had booked in for consultation or treatments with me, or I will be operating on patients scheduled for liposuction, fat grafting or gynecomastia surgery.”

When he’s not working, the father-of-two mostly spends his time with his family, playing tennis, soccer and jogging.

WHAT MADE DR. IVAN PUAH DECIDE TO BECOME AN AESTHETIC DOCTOR?

“Glamour” was definitely not the reason why Dr Ivan Puah chose aesthetic medicine and eventually started Amaris B. Clinic in 2004. For more than a decade, the clinic has been providing cosmetic and aesthetic services and has built a strong reputation, particularly for body contouring treatments.

“Since I was a child, I’ve always had a strong interest in Science and am fascinated with the way in which the human body functions,” recounts Dr Ivan Puah. This childhood fascination eventually became a dedication and passion for the craft.

AMARIS B. CLINIC IS ABOUT QUALITY AND AFFORDABILITY, SAYS DR. IVAN PUAH

While aesthetic procedures only gained prominence and have become more spoken about in recent years, Amaris B. Clinic has always been ahead of its time.

“Back in 2004 when Amaris B. Clinic was first set up, there were only a handful of cosmetic and aesthetic service providers, and prices for medical beauty enhances were quite costly,” Dr Ivan Puah notes.

Amaris B. Clinic became one of the early medical providers in Singapore and Southeast Asia that offers a full range of liposuction, fat grafting treatment, gynecomastia, and corrective liposuction surgery.

“Our objective for the practice back then was – and still is – to focus on providing a full range of quality yet clinically proven and affordable cosmetic procedures for patients,” explains Dr Ivan Puah.

THE EVOLVING PERCEPTION OF COSMETIC PROCEDURES

Just as medical technology is improving, Dr Ivan Puah also notices that consumers’ perception of aesthetic and cosmetic treatments has evolved.

“Cosmetic surgery used to be a hush-hush affair – especially so for men – but now, as we enter the new digital age, people have easier access to the latest information and trends, and this has changed,” says Dr Ivan Puah, who feels that social media has helped patients gain more insights into this field, and made them more receptive towards it.

The accessibility to information has also made more men open to aesthetic treatments and cosmetic surgeries to improve their looks and self-confidence.

“There is a significant increase in men looking for high-definition body sculpting and male breast reductions in the past two to three years,” he adds.

These days, the most common procedures that Dr Ivan Puah performs are liposuction, high-definition body sculpting, fat transplantation to breasts and male breast reduction.

HOW TO CHOOSE THE IDEAL AESTHETIC DOCTOR AND CLINIC?

As there are more aesthetic clinics to choose from, it is essential to know how to find the ideal doctor among so many that look equally qualified.

“It is really important to have high levels of trust in the relationship between you and your doctor. Remember, you are not just getting a technical procedure. You are handing over the future of how you look as an individual. I think it is imperative to know about the doctor’s aesthetic sense, experiences, and reputation,” Dr Ivan Puah advises.

Communication with your doctor is also very important after you’ve chosen one based on his/her experience and reputation.

Dr Ivan Puah describes an ideal patient-doctor relationship: “During every consultation, you should have the opportunity to have your questions answered by the doctor to your satisfaction.”

He explains that the communication process should allow the patient to have realistic expectations of the treatment and raise any concerns before proceeding.

“At Amaris B. Clinic, we provide ethical and honest advice to all our patients. If the patient requests a cosmetic treatment that is not suitable, we will not perform the treatment. In general, we will manage our clients’ results according to their clinical condition, and the type of treatments perform.”