Ulti-Lift: Exclusive Q&A with Dr Winston Lee of South Bridge Aesthetics Clinic

 

Most people go into the medical field for the prestige or the money, but Dr. Winston Lee is one of the very few who can say that it was his genuine passion for bringing out the best in people that lead him to venture into the field of aesthetics.

This zeal, combined with his growing expertise and experience is what led the National University of Singapore Medicine graduate to open his own practice, South Bridge Aesthetics offering cutting edge aesthetic treatments in a comfortable, posh, spa-like setting.

Patients can rest assured they’re in good hands considering Dr Lee’s 10 years of experience across a diverse range of disciplines that include renal medicine, endocrinology, rehabilitation medicine, and emergency medicine. But we’re not here to discuss his paper credentials, remarkable as they are. After all, the mark of a good doctor lies in the inventions and treatments they come up with and Dr Lee already has one under his belt. Not one to play by the books, Dr Lee has experimented with various aesthetic treatments and come up with the revolutionary treatment package, Ulti-lift, which combines the two most popular non-surgical treatments, Ulthera and Thermage into a holistic regime to achieve maximum results.

Putting his busy schedule aside, Dr Lee shared with us the many benefits of his pioneering anti-aging treatment as well as how to combat the aging process the natural way.

Marie France Asia: What are Singaporeans views on plastic surgery?

Dr Lee: Singaporeans still view plastic surgery as a bit of a taboo but when it comes to things like botox and fillers, my patients are a bit more open in discussing with each other which doctors and clinics are the best.

MFA: You’re the creator of this combination anti-ageing treatment, the Ulti-lift. How would you describe the treatment and how did it come about?

Dr Lee: The strange thing is it actually started with myself. I wanted to buy the machines for my clinic so I actually went to the Thermage and Ulthera vendors respectively and they demonstrated the treatments on myself. Ulthera did half my face so I had a very good half face lift. From experience I know the combination didn’t leave any major downtime or side effect, it was very tolerable. And I could actually see the effects. In fact, they seemed to evolve over the next few months prior to me setting up the clinic. The recommended time to see best results would be between 3 to 6 months. People expect it to be an instant transformation but in actual fact it’s a gradual transformation because you’re actually encouraging your bodies natural regenerative and collagen production. What I like about the Ulti-lift is that it gives patients a more natural look instead of an artificial look which you get with a normal face lift.

MFA: How long does the treatment last?

Dr Lee:  A year and a half to about two years. Then you can do a top up to maintain the look. Frankly even if you did a surgical face lift, the results will fade over time, not to mention the downtime and the bruising.

MFA: Is the ultilift only suitable for the face?

Dr Lee: In terms of FDA approval,  both Thermage and Ulthera are suitable for the face. But when it comes to saggy skin and areas like the tummy, only Thermage is suitable.

MFA: What age do you recommend getting an Ulti-lift?

Dr Lee: I think the mid-thirties is a good time to start getting your skin treated. Having said that, what’s more important is the patient’s skin condition, their level of collagen and whether or not there’s adequate soft tissue. For instance if a 70-year-old has very little soft tissue but a lot of saggy skin, the results won’t be as spectacular because Ulti-lift utilizes the body’s natural collagen. In cases like this, a surgical face lift would be a better option.

MFA: Any side effects we should be aware of?

Dr Lee: There may be some mild bruising on the face which will disappear within 4 to 6 hours maximum. No worries though as it’s not the type of redness where you can’t step out in public. There may also been some aching sensation, but other than that, nothing too painful to handle.

MFA: Does the treatment itself hurt?

Dr Lee: My key focus is the patient’s comfort so we give painkillers about 45 minutes to an hour before the procedure. We’re using a BLT cream which is a cream that lasts for about 3 hours in terms of numbing. As a precaution, we actually put two layers of the cream to ensure the patient’s discomfort is as minimal as possible. The level of pain felt really depends on each individual patient.

MFA: How long is the treatment?

Dr Lee: We recommend 2 visits about a week apart, and each treatment itself will take about one to one and a half hours. So if you have a long lunch break of two hours, you can actually do it during your lunch break.

MFA: Apart from Ultilift, what other anti-aging treatments procedures do you offer?

Dr Lee: Our main focus is the Ultilift but we also offer the carbon laser which is quite popular with our patients. It’s basically the application of the carbon waves on the face, with two different laser modes. The first one increases the production of collagen while the second one reduces the size of the pores as well as exfoliate the face by removing the top layer of the epidermis.

MFA: What age are most of your customers?

Dr Lee: They range from 40s to 50s. The 20-year-olds think they’re invincible, the 30-year-olds feel they’re not ready for these treatments, but they’re quite happy trying out the carbon laser treatment to improve their texture and increase their collagen production.

MFA: What are some more natural ways to slow down the aging process?

Dr Lee: It’s the same good old advice our parents have been telling us. Smoking is a big no-no when it comes to skin health. Sun exposure is another thing which causes at least 60 to 70% of the problems in our skin. I can’t emphasize enough the importance of using sunblock. Other than that, nutrition, good hydration and of course exercise does make a difference.

MFA: Based on our location in Singapore, what’s the number one enemy of our skin?

Dr Lee: If you want to look at our local setting, I think our greatest enemy is the sun, like it or not. So lather on the sunblock, carry an umbrella wherever you go and try to avoid the sun as much as possible by walking under sheltered walkways.

Ulti-Lift starts at a special launch price of S$4,500 for the entire treatment. For more information or to book a consultation, head to sbaclinic.com

Karen George