Aesthetic Treatment
Glossary

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HIFU (High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound)

Ultrasound focused to a point beneath the skin, where it creates small zones of heat at a set depth, down to the SMAS layer. At Atelier, Dr. Sin Yong chooses the depth for each zone of the face rather than running one cartridge across it all. See the treatment →

Radiofrequency (RF)

Electrical energy that warms the dermis evenly so the skin remodels its own collagen over the following months. It suits skin that has loosened; it does not replace lost volume or bone. See the treatment →

RF Microneedling

Insulated needles that carry radiofrequency heat into the dermis beneath a scar or a loose patch of skin, while sparing most of the surface. It is often the safer choice for Asian skin that marks easily after heat. See the treatment →

Subcision

A needle or blunt cannula passed under a depressed scar to cut the fibrous bands holding it down. It treats the tether itself, which surface lasers cannot reach. See the treatment →

Ice Pick Scars

Narrow, deep acne scars, often only a millimetre or two wide at the surface. Their depth is the problem, so they are treated one by one with focused techniques such as TCA CROSS rather than across the whole cheek. See the treatment →

Boxcar Scars

Acne scars with steep walls and a flat floor. Shallow ones respond to resurfacing; deeper ones usually need the edges or the floor treated separately. See the treatment →

Rolling Scars

Wide, soft-edged acne scars that make the skin look wavy, especially in side lighting. Most are pulled down by bands underneath, which is why subcision usually comes first. See the treatment →

Ablative Laser

A laser that vaporises the top layer of skin so new skin forms in its place. It can do a lot in one session, but it leaves an open wound and carries a higher pigmentation risk in Asian skin. See the treatment →

Non-Ablative Laser

A laser that heats the deeper skin and leaves the surface intact. Each session does less than an ablative laser, so a course is planned, and there is no open wound to heal. See the treatment →

Fractional Laser

A laser delivered as a grid of microscopic columns, with untouched skin left between them. The untouched skin speeds healing, which is why most resurfacing today is fractional. See the treatment →

Collagen Stimulation

Any treatment that gives the skin a controlled signal, such as heat, a needle or a biostimulator, so that it lays down new collagen. The new collagen builds over about three months, not overnight. See the treatment →

Dermal Filler

An injectable gel placed to support or reshape a contour. Dr. Sin Yong treats it as structural work: small volumes placed deep where support has been lost, never filler added on top of filler. See the treatment →

Hyaluronic Acid (HA)

A sugar molecule the skin makes itself, which holds water. Most dermal fillers are cross-linked HA, which is what makes them reversible. See the treatment →

Hyaluronidase

An enzyme that breaks down hyaluronic acid filler within hours to days. It is the safety net for HA filler; it has no effect on biostimulators such as Sculptra or Ellanse. See the treatment →

Collagen-Stimulating Filler

Injectables such as poly-L-lactic acid or polycaprolactone, which prompt the body to build its own collagen around them. They cannot be dissolved, so the placement has to be right the first time. See the treatment →

Pillow Face

A puffy, rounded look that builds up when filler is added session after session, often in the wrong plane. Correction at Atelier starts with dissolving and waiting, not with more product. See the treatment →

Skin Laxity

Skin that has lost its spring as collagen and elastin thin with age, weight change or sun. Laxity responds to energy devices; true excess skin is a surgical question. See the treatment →

Jowls

Soft tissue that has slipped below the jawline, breaking its straight edge. Fat pads, ligaments and skin all play a part, so the treatment depends on which one leads. See the treatment →

Nasolabial Folds

The creases from the side of the nose to the corner of the mouth. They usually deepen because the cheek above has lost support, so the cheek is often treated before the fold itself. See the treatment →

SMAS Layer

The superficial musculoaponeurotic system, a thin sheet of fibrous tissue under the facial fat. Surgeons reposition it in a facelift; HIFU heats it without an incision. See the treatment →

Blepharoplasty

Eyelid surgery that removes or repositions skin and fat. Where the problem is excess skin or a prolapsed fat pad, surgery is the right answer, and Atelier will say so at consultation. See the treatment →

Thread Lift

Dissolvable threads with barbs or cones, placed under the skin to hold tissue in a lifted position while collagen forms around them. It suits mild to moderate descent rather than heavy skin excess. See the treatment →

Melasma

Symmetrical brown or grey-brown patches, usually on the cheeks, forehead or upper lip, driven by hormones, heat and visible light. It is managed over the long term; aggressive heat tends to make it rebound. See the treatment →

Post-Inflammatory Hyperpigmentation (PIH)

Brown marks left after acne, a rash or a procedure, where inflammation has prompted extra pigment. In Asian skin they are common and usually fade with time, sun protection and gentle treatment. See the treatment →

Post-Inflammatory Erythema (PIE)

Red or pink marks left after acne, caused by small blood vessels rather than pigment. Vascular lasers treat PIE; pigment lasers do not. See the treatment →

Diastasis Recti

A widening of the band of tissue between the two rectus muscles, most often after pregnancy. It is a muscle-wall problem, so skin-tightening devices do not close it. See the treatment →

Body Contouring

Non-surgical treatment of stubborn fat pockets and loose skin in someone near a stable weight. It changes shape, not weight. See the treatment →

Vaginal Laxity

A feeling of looseness in the vaginal tissue that some women notice after childbirth or with age. It is discussed privately at consultation, with medical causes considered first. See the treatment →

Key Opinion Leader (KOL)

A doctor whom device or product manufacturers invite to share clinical expertise with other physicians and to speak at their meetings. Dr. Sin Yong holds KOL roles with several manufacturers; a KOL title is not in itself a guarantee of results. See the treatment →

Downtime

The days after a treatment when redness, swelling or flaking may be visible. At Atelier it is stated honestly for each treatment, including when it is longer than you might hope. See the treatment →