IF YOU WANT smooth, radiant skin without any downtime, then the SpectraPeel laser treatment is for you. This non-ablative skin rejuvenation treatment stimulates collagen from within and patients are able to see results immediately with little or no redness of the skin. It is suitable for the reduction of large pores and can also be used to treat acne. The SpectraPeel will also remove excess sebum and clean away the dead skin cells which can make skin look dull.

After making sure that the patient is comfortable under a warm blanket, a layer of carbon is applied on her face and left to dry for 20 minutes. This carbon helps to dispense light and enhance the laser treatment. Ear plugs are also given to her and eye shields placed on her eyes before the laser treatment starts.

Dr Ang performed two rounds of laser on her face - the first round removed the layer of carbon and then she goes over the entire face again with the laser beams. There is a slight burning smell and a loud "snapping" sound is heard with each laser beam fired. Tricia says that the laser feels like little ant bites on her face with some sensitive areas, like around the nose, stinging more. The entire laser treatment took about 15 minutes.

The patient's face had a very obvious glow immediately after the laser treatment. Her skin looked radiant and when I touched it, felt smooth. The glow was still apparent even after a layer of sun block was applied. Unfortunately, this effect will not be permanent and Dr Ang recommended that she come back for another SpectraPeel laser treatment to maintain her glowing skin.

In most cases, three to five monthly treatments are required for optimum, long-lasting results.