Medically reviewed by Dr Sin Yong · Last reviewed · 19 min read
Plain-language explanations of the terms used in aesthetic medicine — what they mean, and where they apply. Written by Dr Sin Yong, Orchard Road, Singapore.
4K Body Lift is Dr Sin Yong's high-definition body-sculpting protocol on the Secret DUO radiofrequency platform. It is radiofrequency only, does not use EMS or electromagnetic muscle stimulation, and is planned around the fat compartments addressed in liposuction without incision or anaesthetic. Learn more →
An ablative laser is a laser that vaporises the outer layers of skin to prompt renewal and collagen remodelling. Carbon dioxide (CO2) and erbium:YAG lasers are the main examples. Because the surface is removed, these lasers generally involve more recovery and aftercare than non-ablative approaches, and settings are adjusted for darker skin types. Learn more →
Androgenetic alopecia is the most common type of hair loss, also called male or female pattern hair loss. It is driven by genetic sensitivity of hair follicles to androgens, which makes them shrink over time. In men it often affects the hairline and crown; in women it usually causes diffuse thinning at the parting. Learn more →
An atrophic scar is a depressed scar that sits below the surrounding skin because collagen was lost during healing, most often after acne or chickenpox. Atrophic acne scars are classified as ice pick, boxcar or rolling, and each type responds to different techniques, so most plans combine several. Learn more →
A biostimulator is an injectable that prompts the body to produce its own collagen over time, improving firmness and volume gradually rather than immediately. Common examples are poly-L-lactic acid, calcium hydroxylapatite, polycaprolactone and poly-D,L-lactic acid. Biostimulators are not dissolved by hyaluronidase, so assessment and technique matter. Learn more →
Bipolar radiofrequency delivers current between two electrodes in the same tip, so the heat stays in a defined zone around them. Most RF microneedling devices, including Secret RF, are bipolar; monopolar RF sends current to a return pad elsewhere on the body and heats more broadly. Learn more →
Blepharoplasty is surgical correction of the eyelids, which removes or repositions excess skin, fat or muscle in the upper or lower lids. It is the surgical option for hooded upper lids and eye bags. Some energy-based lifting treatments are used as a non-surgical alternative where the degree of change suits them. Learn more →
Body contouring refers to non-surgical treatments that refine body shape, reduce localised fat or firm loose skin in areas such as the abdomen, flanks, arms and thighs. It is distinct from weight loss: it is suited to people near a stable weight who want to address specific areas. Learn more →
Botulinum toxin is a prescription-only medicine that temporarily reduces muscle activity by blocking the nerve signals that make muscles contract. In aesthetic medicine it is used to soften expression lines, slim enlarged jaw muscles and reduce excessive sweating. Effects wear off over months as nerve signalling recovers. Learn more →
Boxcar scars are acne scars with sharply defined, vertical walls and a flat base, giving a box-like depression in the skin. They may be shallow or deep, and their edges catch light and cast shadow. Treatment usually aims to soften the walls and raise the base, often with fractional resurfacing. Learn more →
Calcium hydroxylapatite is a biostimulator made of microspheres of a mineral naturally found in bone, suspended in a gel carrier. It gives some immediate lift from the gel and then stimulates collagen around the microspheres. Diluted forms are used for skin quality. Radiesse is a widely known brand. Learn more →
Collagen stimulation is the process by which a treatment prompts the skin to produce new collagen, the structural protein that gives skin firmness. Heat from lasers, radiofrequency or ultrasound, controlled micro-injury, and some injectables can all trigger it. Change builds gradually over weeks to months as new collagen matures. Learn more →
A collagen-stimulating filler is an injectable, such as poly-L-lactic acid, calcium hydroxylapatite or polycaprolactone, that works mainly by prompting the body to build its own collagen rather than by adding volume directly. Results develop gradually. These products are not reversed by hyaluronidase, so placement and dosing are planned carefully. Learn more →
An uneven surface after liposuction or fat grafting: ripples, ridges, a step, a dent or a lump. Excess can be reduced; a deficit needs support. Learn more →
Cryolipolysis, also called fat freezing, is a non-surgical treatment that cools localised fat to a controlled temperature, injuring fat cells while sparing the skin. The affected fat cells are cleared by the body over the following weeks to months. It is used for stubborn pockets, not for weight loss. Learn more →
A dermal filler is an injectable gel used to restore volume, support structure or refine contour in areas such as the cheeks, chin, temples and lips. Hyaluronic acid (HA) fillers can be dissolved with hyaluronidase if needed; non-HA fillers, such as calcium hydroxylapatite or poly-L-lactic acid, cannot. Learn more →
Diastasis recti is a separation of the two vertical abdominal muscles along the midline, most commonly after pregnancy. It can cause a bulge or doming in the tummy. It is a muscular and connective-tissue issue, which is different from loose skin or excess fat, and is assessed separately. Learn more →
Downtime is the period after a treatment during which visible effects such as redness, swelling, bruising or flaking may be present before the skin returns to its normal appearance. It varies with the treatment, the settings used and the individual, and is discussed at consultation so plans fit around work and events.
An erbium glass laser is a non-ablative fractional laser at 1540 nm, a wavelength absorbed by water in the dermis. It creates columns of heating beneath an intact surface to stimulate collagen, so it is used for acne scars, texture and fine lines, generally with shorter recovery than ablative lasers. Learn more →
Facial overfilled syndrome is the medical term for a face that looks heavy or rounded because filler has been placed in excess or in the wrong layer, usually over repeated treatments. The everyday name is pillow face. Learn more →
Enlargement of grafted fat after it has taken, usually with later weight gain, so a grafted area looks fuller than it did once the result settled. Learn more →
Fat tissue that has died, usually from poor blood supply. After fat grafting it can form a firm, sometimes tender lump that may calcify. Learn more →
A filler nodule is a firm, localised lump after dermal filler. It may be product placed too superficially, an inflammatory reaction, a delayed-onset nodule weeks or months later, or rarely a granuloma; the type decides how it is managed. Learn more →
The Fitzpatrick skin type is a six-point classification of skin according to how it responds to sun, from type I (always burns, never tans) to type VI (deeply pigmented, rarely burns). It helps doctors choose laser settings and anticipate the risk of post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, which is higher in darker types.
A fractional CO2 laser is an ablative laser at 10,600 nm that vaporises microscopic columns of skin while leaving surrounding tissue intact. The healing response remodels collagen, so it is used for acne scars, surgical scars, texture and photoaging. Recovery involves several days of redness and crusting, depending on settings. Learn more →
A fractional laser is a laser that treats the skin in microscopic columns rather than across the whole surface, leaving untreated skin between each column. That untreated skin supports faster healing. Fractional delivery can be ablative, such as fractional CO2, or non-ablative, such as 1540 nm erbium glass. Learn more →
FSX Laser, also called the Flawless Smooth Skin laser, is Dr Sin Yong's combination laser skin protocol using 1540 nm and 1927 nm wavelengths: the 1540 nm wavelength reaches the dermis for collagen work, while 1927 nm acts more superficially, where pigment and surface texture sit. Learn more →
HIFU is focused ultrasound energy delivered to precise depths beneath the skin surface, including the SMAS layer, where it creates small points of heating. These prompt a collagen response that can firm and tighten tissue over the following months without incisions. Depth, energy and the number of lines are chosen for each area at assessment. Learn more →
Hyaluronic acid is a sugar molecule found naturally in skin, where it binds water and helps keep tissue hydrated and supple. In aesthetic medicine it is used in cross-linked form in dermal fillers and in lighter form in skin boosters. HA-based products can be broken down with the enzyme hyaluronidase. Learn more →
A hyaluronic acid filler is a dermal filler made of cross-linked hyaluronic acid gel. Different products vary in firmness and spread, so softer gels suit lips and fine lines while firmer gels support cheeks, chin and jawline. HA fillers are gradually broken down by the body and can be dissolved with hyaluronidase. Learn more →
Hyaluronidase is an enzyme used to break down hyaluronic acid filler, for example to correct overfilling, migration or lumps, and urgently in suspected vascular occlusion. It is a prescription medicine given by injection. It does not dissolve non-HA fillers such as Ellansé (polycaprolactone) or Sculptra (poly-L-lactic acid). Learn more →
A hypertrophic scar is a raised, thickened scar that stays within the boundary of the original wound. It usually appears within weeks of injury or surgery and often flattens gradually over months to years. Unlike a keloid, it does not spread into surrounding skin and is less likely to recur. Learn more →
Ice pick scars are narrow, deep acne scars that extend into the dermis like a small puncture, usually under two millimetres wide at the surface. Because they are deep and narrow, they respond to depth-focused techniques such as TCA CROSS or focused fractional laser rather than to treatments that work only on the surface. Learn more →
An insulated microneedle has a coated shaft so radiofrequency energy is released only at the bare tip, sparing the skin surface. Non-insulated needles release energy along their whole length. Learn more →
Intense pulsed light is a broad-spectrum light device, not a laser, that uses filters to target pigment and blood vessels. It is used for sun spots, redness, broken capillaries and photoaging. Because it treats several targets at once, careful settings are needed for darker skin types and for melasma.
Jowls are sagging soft tissue along the lower face and jawline that blurs the jaw's definition. They result from a combination of skin laxity, descent of fat compartments and weakening of supporting ligaments. Some jowls are mostly loose tissue and some are mostly fat, which changes how they are approached. Learn more →
A keloid is a raised, firm scar that grows beyond the boundary of the original wound, caused by excessive collagen production during healing. Keloids are more common on the chest, shoulders and earlobes, and in people with darker skin or a family history. They can itch or hurt and tend to recur after treatment. Learn more →
A key opinion leader is a doctor recognised by device manufacturers for clinical expertise with their platforms, who is invited to share that clinical expertise with other physicians and to speak at meetings and workshops. Dr Sin Yong is a KOL for several device companies, including CLASSYS, DEKA and Fotona. Learn more →
Laser toning is a technique using a nanosecond or picosecond laser at low energy, often 1064 nm Nd:YAG, passed over the skin in multiple sessions. It gradually breaks down excess pigment and evens tone with minimal surface disruption. It is used for melasma and dullness, with conservative settings to avoid rebound pigmentation. Learn more →
LDM (local dynamic micro-massage) ultrasound is a skin treatment that alternates between two ultrasound frequencies to create a rapid micro-massage effect within the tissue. It is used to support hydration, calm sensitivity and aid recovery after other procedures. It does not involve injections and is generally comfortable. Learn more →
The malar fat pad is a compartment of superficial fat over the cheekbone that gives the mid-face its fullness. With age it thins and descends, which flattens the upper cheek and deepens the nasolabial fold and tear trough. Restoring support here is often part of mid-face rejuvenation. Learn more →
Malar oedema is swelling from fluid collecting in the upper cheek just below the lower eyelid. It can follow under-eye or cheek filler, particularly when product sits above the malar septum, and is often worse in the morning. Learn more →
Melasma is a chronic pigmentation condition causing symmetrical brown or grey-brown patches, most often on the cheeks, forehead and upper lip. It is influenced by hormones, sunlight, visible light and heat, and is more common in women with medium to darker skin. It tends to recur, so management is long-term. Learn more →
Small-volume liposuction through fine cannulas. In Singapore it is regulated as liposuction: MOH-accredited doctors, approved settings and a seven-day cooling-off period. Learn more →
Microwave fat reduction is a body-contouring method that uses microwave energy to heat subcutaneous fat selectively while the skin surface is cooled. The heat damages fat cells, which the body then clears gradually, and can also tighten the overlying skin. Onda Coolwaves is one example of this technology. Learn more →
Monopolar radiofrequency is a form of radiofrequency in which energy flows from a single treatment tip to a return pad placed elsewhere on the body. This lets heat spread volumetrically through the dermis and deeper fibrous tissue, prompting collagen contraction and remodelling. Thermage and Volnewmer are examples of monopolar platforms. Learn more →
Nasolabial folds are the lines running from the sides of the nose to the corners of the mouth. Everyone has them, but they deepen as the mid-face loses volume and its soft tissue descends. Treatment usually looks at cheek support and skin quality rather than filling the fold alone. Learn more →
A non-ablative laser is a laser that heats the deeper skin to stimulate collagen while leaving the surface layer largely intact. Examples include 1540 nm erbium glass and 1064 nm Nd:YAG. Recovery is generally shorter than with ablative lasers, although a course of sessions is usually needed for gradual change. Learn more →
PDRN (polydeoxyribonucleotide) and polynucleotides are purified DNA fragments, usually derived from salmon, used in injectable skin treatments. They are thought to support tissue repair and hydration by providing building blocks for cell renewal and reducing inflammation. Rejuran is a well-known polynucleotide product used for skin quality. Learn more →
Photoaging is premature ageing of the skin caused by long-term ultraviolet and visible-light exposure, separate from natural chronological ageing. Signs include fine and coarse wrinkles, uneven pigmentation, sun spots, broken capillaries, roughness and loss of elasticity. Daily sun protection is the foundation of prevention and treatment. Learn more →
A picosecond laser is a laser that delivers energy in pulses lasting trillionths of a second. The very short pulse breaks pigment into fine particles mainly through a pressure effect rather than heat. It is used for pigmentation, tattoo removal and skin rejuvenation, and is often used at low energy for toning. Learn more →
Pillow face is an over-filled, rounded appearance that can develop when too much filler is placed over time, especially in the mid-face. It blunts natural facial contours and can make the face look heavier. Assessment looks at which product was used, where it sits, and whether dissolving or rebalancing is appropriate. Learn more →
Poly-D,L-lactic acid is a biodegradable polymer used as microspheres in collagen-stimulating injectables such as Juvelook, where it is combined with hyaluronic acid. Its particles are rounder and partly porous compared with the PLLA in Sculptra. Learn more →
Poly-L-lactic acid is a biodegradable, biocompatible polymer used as an injectable biostimulator. Injected in a course of sessions, it prompts a gradual collagen response that restores volume and firmness over months rather than immediately. The particles are slowly broken down by the body. Sculptra is a widely known example. Learn more →
Polycaprolactone is a biodegradable polymer used in injectable biostimulators and in some dissolvable threads. As a filler, PCL microspheres in a gel carrier give initial volume and then stimulate collagen as the gel is absorbed. Ellansé is a widely known PCL filler. It is not dissolved by hyaluronidase. Learn more →
Post-inflammatory erythema is lingering pink or red marks after acne, caused by dilated or damaged small blood vessels rather than by pigment. It is more noticeable in lighter skin and blanches when pressed. Because it is vascular, it responds to different treatments from brown post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. Learn more →
Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation is darkening of the skin that follows inflammation or injury, such as acne, eczema, insect bites or an over-aggressive treatment. It is more common and longer-lasting in darker skin types. It usually fades with time, sun protection and treatment of the underlying inflammation. Learn more →
A Q-switched laser is a laser that releases very high-energy pulses lasting billionths of a second (nanoseconds), designed to shatter pigment particles in the skin. Q-switched Nd:YAG at 1064 nm and 532 nm is widely used for pigmentation and tattoos, and at low fluence for laser toning. Learn more →
Radiofrequency is electrical energy that warms the deeper layers of the skin through resistance in the tissue, rather than through light. The controlled heat stimulates the body's own collagen production, so it is used for firming and tightening on both the face and body. Monopolar, bipolar and microneedle delivery reach different depths. Learn more →
Regenera Activa is an autologous micrografting technique for hair thinning. A few small samples of the patient's own scalp tissue are taken and mechanically processed into a suspension of cells and growth factors, which is then injected into thinning areas in the same session. It is performed under local anaesthetic. Learn more →
RF microneedling is a treatment that combines fine insulated or non-insulated needles with radiofrequency energy, releasing heat directly into the dermis at a chosen depth. The combined micro-injury and heat prompt remodelling of scar tissue and new collagen, so it is used for acne scars, enlarged pores, texture and mild laxity. Learn more →
Rolling scars are broad, shallow acne scars with sloping edges that give the skin an undulating, wave-like appearance. They are usually caused by fibrous bands tethering the skin to deeper tissue, which is why releasing those bands with subcision, alongside collagen-stimulating treatment, is a common part of the plan. Learn more →
S3 Resurfacing Lift is Dr Sin Yong's multi-depth acne scar protocol on the DEKA Tetra Pro fractional CO2 platform. The method is matched to each scar type — ice pick, boxcar and rolling — and it is also used for scars that did not fully respond to earlier CO2 laser or RF microneedling. Learn more →
A skin booster is an injectable treatment placed in fine droplets into the superficial skin to improve hydration, texture and elasticity rather than to change contour. Products include lightly cross-linked or non-cross-linked hyaluronic acid, polynucleotides and some biostimulators. A course of sessions is usually recommended. Learn more →
Skin laxity is looseness or reduced firmness of the skin, caused mainly by the gradual decline of collagen and elastin with age, sun exposure and weight change. It differs from volume loss, although the two often occur together. Mild to moderate laxity is commonly addressed with energy-based tightening treatments. Learn more →
The skin’s ability to shrink back over a smaller volume, such as after liposuction or weight loss. It falls with age, sun damage, stretch marks and previous weight change. Learn more →
The SMAS, or superficial musculoaponeurotic system, is a layer of fibrous connective tissue beneath the facial skin and fat that links the facial muscles. Surgical facelifts reposition this layer, and some energy-based treatments, such as focused ultrasound, are designed to deliver heat at its depth. Learn more →
A solar lentigo, often called a sun spot or age spot, is a flat, well-defined brown patch caused by cumulative ultraviolet exposure. Solar lentigines appear on sun-exposed areas such as the face, hands and forearms. They are harmless, but any changing or irregular spot should be examined by a doctor. Learn more →
Subcision is a technique that releases the fibrous bands tethering a depressed scar to the tissue beneath. A fine needle or cannula is passed under the scar to cut these bands, allowing the surface to lift. It is mainly used for rolling acne scars and is often combined with resurfacing or volume-restoring treatments. Learn more →
Submental fullness, often called a double chin, is excess fullness under the chin and jawline. It may come from fat, loose skin, muscle bands, chin projection or genetics, often in combination. Identifying the main cause guides whether fat reduction, skin tightening or chin support is appropriate. Learn more →
TCA CROSS (chemical reconstruction of skin scars) is a technique in which a high concentration of trichloroacetic acid is applied precisely into the base of individual atrophic scars, usually ice pick scars. The controlled injury prompts collagen to rebuild from the base, and several sessions spaced weeks apart are typically needed. Learn more →
The tear trough is the groove running from the inner corner of the eye down and outwards along the upper cheek. It becomes more visible with volume loss, thinning skin and bony changes, and can cast a shadow that looks like dark circles or tiredness. Filler here requires careful product choice and technique. Learn more →
Telogen effluvium is a temporary form of diffuse hair shedding in which more hairs than usual enter the resting (telogen) phase and fall out together, usually two to three months after a trigger. Triggers include illness, fever, childbirth, crash dieting, stress and some medicines. Most cases settle once the trigger resolves. Learn more →
A thread lift is a procedure in which dissolvable sutures, commonly made of polydioxanone (PDO) or polycaprolactone (PCL), are inserted under the skin to reposition soft tissue and stimulate collagen along their path. The threads are gradually absorbed. Threadless approaches aim for lift through stimulated tissue tightening instead. Learn more →
Time Freeze Laser LCLR® is Dr Sin Yong's dual-wavelength laser lifting protocol on a long-pulsed 755 nm and 1064 nm platform, working through controlled dermal heating. Together with VF Lift – Vertical Facelift, it is built to target Sculptra and Ellansé and take away the excess. Learn more →
The Tyndall effect is a bluish tint seen when hyaluronic acid filler sits too close to thin skin, most often under the eye. It is usually corrected by dissolving the superficial filler. Learn more →
Ultrasound-guided hyaluronidase means scanning the area to see where hyaluronic acid filler sits, then dissolving only that deposit under image guidance, rather than treating a whole region. Learn more →
Vaginal laxity is reduced firmness of the vaginal tissues, which some women notice after childbirth or with age and hormonal change. It may be associated with reduced sensation or mild urinary leakage. Energy-based treatments are one option discussed after a medical assessment of symptoms and history. Learn more →
Vascular occlusion is a rare but serious complication of filler injection in which product blocks or compresses a blood vessel, reducing blood supply to the skin or, very rarely, the eye. Warning signs include blanching, mottling and pain. It is treated urgently, including hyaluronidase for HA fillers. Learn more →
VF Lift – Vertical Facelift is a non-surgical lifting protocol developed by Dr Sin Yong on the CLASSYS Volnewmer 6.78 MHz monopolar radiofrequency platform, planned zone by zone along vertical vectors. It is radiofrequency only and does not use focused ultrasound (Ultraformer), and it is customised for both the face and the body. Learn more →
Dr Sin Yong's non-surgical lifting protocol on CLASSYS Volnewmer monopolar radiofrequency (6.78 MHz), applied along vertical vectors. It does not use focused ultrasound, and it is customised for the face and the body. Learn more →
Dr Sin Yong's dual-wavelength laser lifting protocol. Together with VF Lift it is built to target areas over-stimulated by Sculptra or Ellansé and take away the excess. Learn more →
Flawless Smooth Skin: Dr Sin Yong's laser skin protocol for texture, pores, pigmentation and mild laxity, including lax upper-eyelid and brow skin. Learn more →
Dr Sin Yong's multi-depth fractional CO₂ protocol on the DEKA Tetra Pro for ice pick, boxcar and rolling acne scars, including scars that did not fully respond to earlier treatment. Learn more →
Dr Sin Yong's combined laser protocol for pigmentation and redness: R2 Glow calms the UV-driven inflammation that keeps producing pigment; T2 Frax Radiance is directed at the deposit, with a thermal pass aimed at the dermis. Learn more →
Dr Sin Yong's high-definition body sculpting protocol on the Secret DUO radiofrequency platform. Radiofrequency only; no electromagnetic muscle stimulation. Learn more →
The medical term for a skin tag: a soft, benign growth on a narrow stalk in friction zones such as the neck, eyelids and underarms. A sudden crop can accompany weight gain or insulin resistance. Learn more →
This glossary is general information, not medical advice. Suitability for any treatment is assessed individually at consultation.
This Aesthetic Treatment Glossary explains, in plain language, the terms used in aesthetic medicine, from ablative laser and biostimulator to subcision and TCA CROSS, each linked to the page where it applies. It suits anyone reading a treatment plan who wants to know what a word means; the treatment finder sits alongside it.
“Most aesthetic confusion is two different treatments wearing the same marketing name.”
— Dr Sin Yong
Medically reviewed by Dr Sin Yong, MBBS (NUS), MRCS (Edinburgh) · Last updated 13 October 2026 · Editorial policy
The body version of the VF Lift – Vertical Facelift: Volnewmer monopolar radiofrequency worked along vertical vectors on the abdomen, buttock fold, upper arm and thigh for skin that has lost recoil. Learn more →
Boxcar scar: a flat-bottomed, depressed acne scar with defined vertical edges, shallow or deep. How it differs from other scars and how depth sets the laser. Learn more →
Ice-pick scar: a narrow, deep, pit-like acne scar under about 2 mm across, often mistaken for a pore. Why resurfacing falls short and how TCA CROSS helps. Learn more →
Rolling scar: a broad, wave-like depressed acne scar with sloping edges, tethered from beneath. Why it is a subcision problem before it is a laser problem. Learn more →
Tethered scar: a depressed scar held down by a fibrous band to deeper tissue, so it stays pinned when the skin is stretched. Why release comes before lasers. Learn more →
Fitzpatrick skin type: the six-grade scale of how skin responds to sun. Why types III to V, which cover most patients in Singapore, change how lasers are set. Learn more →
Poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA): the biodegradable polymer in Sculptra, a collagen biostimulator rather than a filler. How it works and why it cannot be dissolved. Learn more →
Polycaprolactone (PCL): the biodegradable microspheres in Ellansé, carried in a gel that fills on the day while collagen forms around them. Not dissolvable. Learn more →
Calcium hydroxylapatite (CaHA): the mineral microspheres in Radiesse. Undiluted it fills and stimulates collagen; diluted it treats skin quality. Learn more →
Polynucleotide (PN): long nucleotide chains purified from salmon DNA, injected into the dermis as a skin booster to support repair. How PN differs from PDRN. Learn more →
Exosome: a nanoscale vesicle, 30 to 150 nm, that cells release to carry proteins, lipids and RNA to other cells. How exosomes are used topically after lasers. Learn more →
LDM (local dynamic micro-massage): non-thermal dual-frequency ultrasound that alternates megahertz frequencies to micro-massage the dermis, not heat it. Learn more →
Fractional laser: any laser that treats skin in a grid of microscopic columns with untreated skin between them. Ablative CO₂ and non-ablative erbium compared. Learn more →
Nd:YAG laser: the 1064 nm laser whose long wavelength reaches the dermis and is only modestly absorbed by epidermal melanin, so it works in darker skin. Learn more →
Alexandrite laser: the 755 nm laser strongly absorbed by melanin, used long-pulsed for hair removal and discrete sun spots. Why it is chosen by skin type. Learn more →
Q-switched laser: a pigment laser firing nanosecond pulses that fragment melanin with more heat than a picosecond laser. Where it still has a role. Learn more →
IPL (intense pulsed light): a broad-spectrum flash lamp, typically 500 to 1200 nm, not tuned to one wavelength. Not a laser, and why that matters here. Learn more →
SMAS, the superficial musculoaponeurotic system: the fascial layer about 4.5 mm below the skin that a facelift repositions and that HIFU heats at set points. Learn more →
Masseter hypertrophy: enlargement of the clenching muscle at the jaw angle, usually from bruxism or clenching, giving a square lower face. The clench test. Learn more →
Erbium laser: two lasers share the name. Erbium:YAG at 2,940 nm is ablative; erbium glass at 1540 to 1550 nm is non-ablative and in FSX Laser. Learn more →
Ultherapy: Merz's micro-focused ultrasound with visualisation (MFU-V), heating points at 1.5, 3.0 and 4.5 mm down to the SMAS with real-time imaging. Learn more →
Thermage: Solta Medical's monopolar radiofrequency platform, 6.78 MHz with cryogen cooling, for mild to moderate laxity. How it sits beside Volnewmer. Learn more →
PDO thread: an absorbable polydioxanone thread placed under the skin as a smooth mono or barbed cog thread, and how it compares with PCL and PLLA. Learn more →
Telangiectasia: a small vessel that stays dilated at the skin surface, a fine red or purple thread on the nose, cheeks or chin. Remodelled, not broken. Learn more →
Seborrhoeic keratosis (age wart): a benign, waxy, stuck-on brown plaque of surface skin cells. Not a viral wart; diagnosed by dermatoscope before removal. Learn more →
Sebaceous hyperplasia: a benign enlarged oil gland seen as a small soft yellowish dome with a central dimple. Not acne, and it cannot be squeezed out. Learn more →
Syringoma: a benign growth of sweat-duct tissue in the dermis, seen as clusters of firm skin-coloured bumps under the eyes. Nothing inside to extract. Learn more →
Milia (milium, 'milia seeds'): tiny sealed keratin cysts, 1–2 mm and pearl-white, with no opening to the surface, which is why squeezing fails. Learn more →
Cherry angioma: a small benign cluster of capillaries seen as a bright red to purple dot, more common with age. No pigment cells, no melanoma risk. Learn more →
Xanthelasma: a soft, flat, yellowish eyelid plaque of lipid-laden cells near the inner corner. Benign, but about half of patients have abnormal lipids. Learn more →
Hypertrophic scar: a raised, often red scar from collagen overproduction that stays within the original wound, unlike a keloid. Definition and treatment. Learn more →
Striae (stretch marks): dermal scars from collagen tearing under rapid stretch. Red marks are early and vascular; white marks are the mature scar. Learn more →
Androgenetic alopecia: pattern hair loss from DHT-driven follicle miniaturisation, staged on the Norwood or Ludwig scale. Why staging comes first. Learn more →
Platelet-rich plasma (PRP): the patient's own platelets, spun from a blood draw and injected into the scalp. Evidence, and its role as an adjunct. Learn more →
Autologous micrografting: the patient's own scalp tissue, processed into micrografts and returned to thinning areas in one session (Regenera Activa). Learn more →
Solar lentigo (sun spot): a discrete, flat, sharply bordered brown spot from cumulative sun exposure. How it differs from melasma; the dermatoscope rule. Learn more →
Hori's naevus (ABNOM): blue-grey speckled spots over both cheekbones from pigment cells in the dermis, common in Asian women and mislabelled melasma. Learn more →
Rosacea: a chronic inflammatory condition of the central face: flushing, persistent redness, thread veins, acne-like bumps. A diagnosis, not a skin type. Learn more →
Demodex: microscopic mites living in the follicles and oil glands of most adult faces. Harmless at normal numbers; demodicosis when they overgrow. Learn more →
Comedone: a blocked hair follicle, the starting lesion of acne. Open comedones are blackheads, closed comedones whiteheads; inflammation makes a papule. Learn more →
Tranexamic acid: a prescription medicine, originally for bleeding, used orally, topically or by injection for melasma. Who is screened; not a supplement. Learn more →
Related
See also: For GPs.
DEKA TORO: a DEKA laser platform combining a 785 nm picosecond emission with 532 nm and 1064 nm Q-switched nanosecond emissions, used for T2 Laser Tattoo Removal on the DEKA TORO and for T2 Frax Radiance. Learn more about the DEKA TORO laser.
Related terms: Q-switched laser and Nd:YAG laser. The tattoo protocol itself is on T2 Laser Tattoo Removal.
This glossary gives plain-language explanations of the terms used in aesthetic medicine: energy devices such as HIFU, monopolar and bipolar radiofrequency and fractional CO2 laser; injectables such as hyaluronic acid fillers, biostimulators and skin boosters; scar types; and Dr Sin Yong's own protocols. Each entry says what the term means and where it applies, with a link to the page that covers it.
Monopolar radiofrequency sends energy from a single treatment tip to a return pad elsewhere on the body, so heat spreads volumetrically through the dermis and deeper fibrous tissue; Thermage and Volnewmer are examples. Bipolar radiofrequency passes current between two electrodes in the same tip, keeping heat in a defined zone; most RF microneedling devices, including Secret RF, are bipolar.
Hyaluronic acid fillers can be broken down with the enzyme hyaluronidase, which is used to correct overfilling, migration or lumps and urgently in suspected vascular occlusion. Non-HA products cannot: calcium hydroxylapatite (Radiesse), polycaprolactone (Ellansé) and poly-L-lactic acid (Sculptra) are biostimulators that hyaluronidase does not dissolve, so placement and dosing are planned carefully.