Dr Rachel Ho on the Importance of Being Selective with Your Aesthetic Doctor
Medical Director of La Clinic, Dr Rachel Ho, stresses the importance of investing in experienced and reputable clinics and doctors when embarking on your journey with dermatology.
Much like anything else relating to one’s health, being fastidious about the aesthetic treatments you invest in is key – and no one stresses this more than La Clinic’s Dr Rachel Ho. With a Master of Medicine in Otolaryngology and more than 10 years of experience in dermatology, the aesthetic doctor finds joy in specialising in minimally invasive aesthetic treatments and providing consultancy services to skincare and cosmetics companies.
Outside of clinic work, Dr Rachel Ho updates her blog with educational posts on dermatological conditions, skincare and healthy skin practices that can help first-time patients make better decisions. Dr Rachel Ho was also part of our esteemed panel of judges for L’Officiel Singapore’s Beauty Awards last year, where we tried and tested over 600 beauty products before arriving at a final list fit for our readers' beauty arsenal.
“This is a field that’s very academic, fluid and practical at the same time,” says Dr Rachel Ho when asked about her history with dermatology. “Dermatology is very relatable for me as a practitioner – the skin is a very dynamic organ that’s reflective of a conglomerate of factors such as a person’s overall health and daily habits, so managing dermatological conditions can be very cerebral and I find this challenge always keeps me excited.”
When it comes down to it, the doctor finds it rewarding to treat patients in her field due to the visible results and joy they get out of her treatments. “For dermatological conditions such as acne and eczema, the symptoms are very visible for the majority of patients,” she starts. “In a society where people are often judged by how they look; and where unreal beauty standards can be imposing; these conditions can mar a patient’s confidence, outlook, relationship with others and performance at work and school.”
“Managing these conditions can also give very visible results; so there’s a lot of gratification for my patients and me. Because I take a lot of ownership of my patients, the gratification from the improvement of their conditions and other psychological and emotional well being is very rewarding.”
Because of the increasing demands and availability of aesthetic clinics in this day and age, Dr Ho finds it key to educate the public on the importance of finding the right clinics and doctors for them. The ideal clinic? One with patient, seasoned, and well-trained doctors who practice safe and trustable treatments, as well as put patients first. Ultimately, aesthetic doctors should always align with their patients’ choices before proceeding with treatments.
“Complications and poor outcomes are very real and can be hard to remedy if you’re in the wrong hands,” Dr Ho elaborates. “The results of poor aesthetic outcomes – for example overfilled, frozen or expressionless faces, or unnaturally enhanced features that are not aligned with ideal facial proportions for one ethnicity – can be very visible and difficult to hide, and the emotional distress can be immense. These poor outcomes can be largely avoided with an experienced doctor that has a solid grounding in anatomy and physiology.”
“Aesthetic dermatology is a field where clinical acumen and experience will determine a patient’s outcome. Making the right recommendations for the correct diagnosis is essential. For example, not all types of hyperpigmentation should be treated with a laser. If you aren’t getting the correct recommendations, you won’t be getting outcomes. I prefer going with a “less is more” approach with careful and restrained use of treatments for natural-looking enhancements. Over-done looks or excessive amounts of injectables are some things I discourage.”
Below, Dr Ho answers some quick-fire questions about what existing and future patients should look out for when considering aesthetic treatments, what sets La Clinic apart from others in Singapore, and what treatments work best for every skin concern.
What should first-time patients look out for when considering doctors or clinics for their treatments? Are there any red flags they should look out for as well?
Do your research. In this age, information is so accessible. Besides asking people around you, run a search for information on the doctor and clinic. Patient reviews, interviews and features can reveal a lot about the doctor’s experience, outcomes and philosophies.
Any doctor or clinic that touts unrealistic beauty standards or expectations or uses laudatory terms such as “first clinic to use….” or “the best” are red flags.
You specialise in minimally invasive cosmetic treatments and good skin. Who do you think can benefit from these treatments?
Non-surgical facelifts through face threadlifts, dermal fillers and botox are ideal for patients who have early signs of sagging and fat loss and do not wish for surgery. These can be treated with dermal fillers to replenish volume loss in the face and lift the skin; Botox to reduce wrinkles and tighten the skin (aka Dermalift) and face threadlifts to mechanically lift the skin and soft tissues.
What can patients expect from a regular visit to La Clinic?
Personalised and responsible care for each patient. I do my best to get patients the care that they all deserve. It’s a very unhurried and relaxing experience to allow patients to be honest with me about their vulnerabilities, insecurities and motivations for seeking treatments.
Patients are given the space to open up and share with me. And then I take the lead to also give them a detailed analysis of their skin and appearance, before discussing treatment options so that they can make an informed choice.
Some of the praises we get from patients is that they feel very at ease and comfortable with opening up and don’t feel pressured to make a decision.
What sets La Clinic apart from others you’ve seen in Singapore?
I think that the approach is very patient-centric and we believe in patient empowerment to make informed choices. Besides my blog where I share educational tips on healthier skin habits, skincare ingredients and the treatments offered at my clinic, I spend a lot of time doing consults ensuring that patients are well informed about the treatment outcomes. It’s definitely not a place where patients get pushed to make decisions or get cajoled into signing up for countless treatment packages.
My clinic also offers hormone management for patients who may have symptoms of hormone imbalances such as menopause. La Clinic has a holistic approach for managing wellness internally through lifestyle and hormone management and externally through skincare and dermatological treatments.
What services would you recommend people try at La Clinic?
That’ll depend on what they need actually. For acne, I’d say the Q-switch laser, chemical peel and LED light trio treatment is evidence-based and complement acne medications well. It also has a very high yield for reducing dark spots.
To address early sagging and enlarged pores, I’d recommend Profhilo. It’s an injectable moisturiser that has intense collagen-building benefits for lifting the skin and shrinking pores.
To find out more about La Clinic and its services, visit its website here.
