From injecting earlobes for good luck to training other physicians, Singaporean Physician, Dr. Ang has a number of interesting stories to share.

Name: Dr Steven Ang
Clinic: Dr. Steven Aesthetics and Laser Clinic
Location: Orchard Road, Singapore
Website: stevenaesthetics.com

About:

Dr Steven Ang started his private cosmetic medicine practice in Singapore in 1998. The same year, he became a member of the International Union of Esthetic Medicine, and in the process, introduced the term and concept of esthetic medicine (cosmetic medicine) locally. He was one of the pioneer cosmetic doctors in laser medicine and surgery, intense pulsed light, botulinum toxin and dermal filler injections in Singapore. In the past, he had been a trainer in botulinum toxin injections. He had developed the course syllabus at a local beauty school. He was a member of the Beauty Task Force, a committee set up by the Consumers Association of Singapore to look into objectionable practices by beauty salons and consumer complaints in Singapore in 2002.

Which factors played in your journey to cosmetic medicine?

I was exposed to using lasers for skin treatment in 1991 while working at a clinic. In the process, I saw a big market potential for cosmetic medicine.

As a teenager, I suffered from severe acne. One of the nasty remarks made by a former classmate that stuck in my mind was: “Your face looked like excreta.” Later, I managed to treat myself and regain confidence. This motivated me to want to help others. My favorite tagline is “Sculpting Beauty, Creating Happiness”.

I graduated with Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery degrees from the National University of Singapore in 1987. I sought further training at the renowned St John’s Institute of Dermatology in London and obtained my Master of Science degree in Clinical Dermatology from the University of London in 1994.

In the early days, there was no formal training for cosmetic medicine. I enrolled at a local beauty college that offered diplomas from the United Kingdom and Switzerland. I learnt the practices of an esthetician. In 1998, I became a member of the International Union of Esthetic Medicine (IUEM), which was based in Europe.

I started my private cosmetic medicine practice in Singapore in 1998, and through my membership with IUEM, introduced the term and concept of esthetic medicine locally.

Slimming and body contouring are another aspect to cosmetic medicine. To learn more, I undertook the clinical and oral examinations conducted by the American Board of Barriatric Medicine (now renamed as the American Board of Obesity Medicine) in 2002.

I now practiced at two locations, in Orchard Road and Redhill. We offer a full range of esthetic services. Our staff strength is 13 personnel. We serve thousands of patients each year.

Every cosmetic physicians has stories. What stories can you share with us?

One thing I learnt about practicing cosmetic medicine is unpredictable situations can arise and you must learn to respond. Once, I have a Chinese patient who consulted about getting dermal filler in his earlobes. According to him, a bigger earlobe will attract fortune and ensure a long life. Being Chinese myself, I know that these ethnic physiognomy beliefs are real. Therefore I proceeded to treat him.

As an experienced physician, what can you advise your fellow doctors in cosmetic medicine?

Over the years, I have learned that there are several critical factors that can contribute to the success of a practice...