Dr. David Loh on the Future of Aesthetic Medicine
The field of aesthetic medicine has grown in popularity over the last two decades, with more people embracing the notion of improving one’s appearance with professional help. The right treatment can vastly improve one’s confidence, helping them to put their best foot forward and live life to the fullest.
This desire to help people improve their quality of life was what led Dr. David Loh, a pioneer in the field of aesthetic medicine, to open David Loh Surgery in 2002. At a time when aesthetic clinics hardly existed, and the term aesthetic medicine was just coined.
As one of the first doctors to learn about and bring advances in aesthetic medicine to local shores, Dr. Loh is well-versed in the wide range of treatments available, but advocates only those that have been scientifically evaluated for safety and efficacy.
His personal ethos is to tailor treatments to the patient’s needs, recommending only what is appropriate. At David Loh Surgery, you can also be assured of the highest degree of discretion and attentiveness to your needs. As your safety is paramount, only treatments that have undergone clinical trials – and thus proven to be safe and effective – are used.
Dr. David Loh’s Contributions to the Field
Today, Dr. Loh has published several papers in medical journals, including a paper that was awarded Best Paper (Gold) in its category by Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery (PRS). His research has made significant contributions to the field, including consensus papers on preventing and managing serious filler complications. He also published on his personal techniques for administering filler injections.
In his unwavering commitment to advancing the field collectively, Dr. Loh also imparts advanced administering techniques to emerging physicians, guaranteeing the transmission of his knowledge to the forthcoming generations of medical practitioners.
Dr. Loh is the President of The Society of Aesthetic Medicine (Singapore), a fellowship of medical practitioners who share their best practices and guide each other in the field, advancing the collective knowledge of Singapore’s aesthetic medicine community as a whole. Dr. Loh has been contributing to the Society as part of the executive committee since its inception in 2005, stepping up to helm the Society as President in 2018.
A Journey that Spanned Decades
Dr. David Loh’s journey began in 2002, when the field of aesthetic medicine had yet to become the well-known industry it is today. A general practitioner (GP) at first, his interest in aesthetic medicine was piqued as more patients came to him for aesthetic treatments and left feeling more confident. As he noticed how much aesthetic treatments could add to one’s quality of life, he began to conduct research into procedures such as Botox administration and other techniques, even attending a conference in Vancouver in 2004 to meet the creators of Botox.
At the time, the field of aesthetic medicine was quietly gaining traction as the idea of improving one’s appearance and life began to take hold in the public consciousness. Treatments varied from breast implants to facelifts, while on the other end of the spectrum there were the more common anti-ageing creams and intense pulsed light (IPL) therapy.
Together with a small group of other doctors, Dr. Loh furthered his training in aesthetic medicine overseas and brought these advancements back to Singapore shores. He made several trips to learn about new techniques, examine the latest equipment, and attend conferences to share knowledge with fellow medical practitioners. This lifelong pursuit of knowledge led him to develop close relationships with many of the key opinion leaders in the industry until today.
A New Hope For the Future: Dr. David Loh’s Legacy
Today, the field of aesthetic medicine has been transformed, in large part due to Dr. Loh and his compatriots’ efforts in passing their knowledge on to fellow doctors and educating the public. The formation of the Society of Aesthetic Medicine also played a key role in bringing individual doctors together to form a representative body, where knowledge is shared among colleagues in order to advance the community as a whole and provide better treatments to patients everywhere.
Dr. David Loh now practices at David Loh Surgery, which is located in Novena Medical Centre. He continues to offer non-invasive aesthetic treatments such as Botox, fillers, and various laser skin treatments – all of which are performed with safe, scientifically-proven techniques. Discretion and attentiveness are of paramount importance, and so is Dr. Loh’s principle of providing guidance on the right treatment tailored to each patient.
Frontiers in Aesthetic Medicine
When it comes to new frontiers for the next twenty years, Dr. Loh believes that there will be better techniques that are even gentler and require less downtime. Without mentioning brands, there are already less invasive alternatives for the facelift and tummy tucks. Exosomes and autologous stem cells are causing a stir. Gene editing and anti-ageing treatments on the molecular level, refinement of energy devices for more effective results, and improvements in injection techniques are just some of the advancements we may see. The list goes on. But the bottom line for Dr. David Loh: “everything has to be safe and had gone through the rigours of the research and validation by the scientific community”. Dr. David adds: “We must embrace only evidence-based-medicine, nothing else”.
Safety and efficacy are paramount. With so much noise from industry, it is Dr. David Loh’s hope that there will be more sharing and research conducted by the medical community so as to bring ever-safer treatments to patients. Thus is our common future, for patients and for doctors.
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