Before the Circuit Breaker, I mentioned to a friend that I had an appointment at an aesthetic clinic called Epion, and her immediate reaction was, “that’s the one with the very nice clinic, right?”. Yes, she’s right. Epion’s interior is gorgeous; it’s a mix of mid-century modern styling and Bauhaus furniture. There are bold, graphic elements, and a choice of colour combinations that are more reminiscent of a boutique hotel than a clinic. It feels warm and inviting, rather than cold and sterile — not that there’s anything wrong with sterile; it’s just a look that’s expected of a doctor’s clinic, but an aesthetic clinic can certainly get away with something more creative, and that’s exactly what Epion has achieved.
Above: The registration desk at Epion Aesthetic Clinic.
Above: The interior at Epion Aesthetic Clinic.
Above: The interior at Epion Aesthetic Clinic.
Above: The interior at Epion Aesthetic Clinic.
At the helm of the clinic is Dr Melvin Tan — its Founder and Medical Director. His signature EPION method includes a curation of treatments using techniques and high-tech machines that are comfortable, safe, effective, and have minimal downtime. I visited the clinic to try two renowned procedures: HIFU ($2,800 per session for full face / $2,996 after GST) and CoolMini ($700 per session / $749 after GST).
WHAT IS HIFU?
High-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) is a non-invasive procedure that uses non-ionising ultrasonic waves to heat tissue. In an aesthetic treatment, HIFU is used to tighten skin. The results are comparable to a face lift, but without the need for incisions, scarring and recovery time. Most reviews that you’ll find online have dramatic before-and-after pictures, and believe it or not, many of those transformations are real — the procedure actually works.
WHAT IS COOLMINI?
CoolMini is a non-invasive procedure that uses a hand-piece that fits just under the chin to freeze and eliminate neck fat. While some clinics claim that the effects are permanent, most reviews online state that the results last anywhere from 90 days to a couple of years, depending on diet and lifestyle.
Above: A treatment room at Epion Aesthetic Clinic.
This is my experience with both treatments.
HIFU PREPARATION: Dr Tan prescribed three pills for me to take two hours before the procedure: Arcoxia, Ultracet and Zimol. To be honest, they did little to numb any pain during the procedure, but they were wonderful in calming my nerves leading up to the table. The nurse applied numbing cream to my entire face and rubbed it in well, and within minutes, my skin was tinging (the numbing cream’s effect lasted a good 1-2 hours after the appointment and I had trouble chewing the cookie they gave me).
HIFU PROCEDURE: Just before the doctor “zaps” the face, he gives a heads-up by saying, “it feels like this”, and then ZAP! It feels like being shocked with an electric current, with some areas being obviously more sensitive than others. There were zaps where I couldn’t feel anything at all; and then there were parts of the face and jawline that had a sharp stinging pain, but not intolerable. A friend who tried Thermage (another type of non-surgical facelift) described the feeling as “someone drilling a red hot needle as thick as a pen into your face. I think it was 900 shots.” HIFU was nowhere near this description. It’s not painless, but it’s bearable, and with the doctor making conversation and trying to distract me, the treatment moved along quickly. At one point, the nurse placed a breast implant into my hand to let me squish — that was a nice distraction.
IMMEDIATELY AFTER HIFU: The next day, my lower cheeks looked swollen as though I had a toothache. And by the third day, they felt sore to the touch, but not painful. I was glad that I had no major events to attend that week of the treatment, because I felt like a pau. One thing that Dr Tan said was right: nobody will notice my swollen face; only I will. One week after the treatment, the lower parts of my cheek got even more tender, and I had to avoid pressing on my face because it actually hurt.
Above: A treatment room at Epion Aesthetic Clinic.
COOLMINI TREATMENT: I returned to Epion two weeks after my HIFU treatment (all tenderness in the face was gone), and sat back on the operating table where the nurse applied a liberal amount of numbing gel to my chin and neck. After about 45 minutes, my skin felt strangely numb (as it should), and the nurse placed the CoolMini suction arm to one side of my neck. As the applicators are of a certain size, there needs to be some fats for them to grab on to; I couldn’t do both sides of my neck at the same time because I didn’t have sufficient fats to accommodate two applicators on my neck at once. I essentially had to finish one side (around 45 minutes of fat freezing) before moving on to the other — I’m not complaining. Immediately after the applicators were removed, my skin appeared bruised, but the bruising subsided by the time I reached home.
Many reviews claim that the procedure — especially done on the neck area — is painful. I felt nothing. It was so comfortable, I fell asleep for a short while.
Above: The powder room and wash room at Epion Aesthetic Clinic.
Above: The interior at Epion Aesthetic Clinic.
ONE MONTH AFTER HIFU AND COOLMINI: I had dinner with friends just before Circuit Breaker kicked in, and they commented that my jawline was more defined. It’s now been slightly over three months since both procedures, and my double chin is still there, but definitely reduced. A few treatments may be necessary to see more obvious results, so that’s where most clients look at purchasing packages with a clinic, rather than doing one-off treatments.
Would I do it again? Probably not for HIFU, considering its price and discomfort. CoolMini? Absolutely! In fact, I’m really looking forward to it.
EPION Clinic is located at 145 Tanglin Road, Tudor Court Singapore 247931. Call 67322122 for appointments and enquiries. Visit WWW.EPIONCLINIC.COM for more information.
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