"Are you ready?"

"I think so."

"It's going to feel like a rubber snap!"

*ZAP*

"Okay that was less painful than expected."

Thank you Phoenix Medical Group for my first Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) session! I feel braver already.

I made an appointment for a consultation with Dr Kang a while ago, at the new Greenwich Village mall! After I sat down in the chair, he began by asking me a series of questions to understand my skin conditions. Then, he examined my face. I complained about my dark eye circles, to which he replied that I should get more SLEEP, and he pointed out that I had veins that were showing at the bottom of my cheek.

I shrieked (a little), took a mirror and he gestured the area where he saw the veins. AND I SAW THEM. Gross, squiggly lines. They weren't very obvious but they were THERE. What has been seen can't be unseen!! I asked if they could be removed and he said the magical answer, "yes."

Here's a picture of my cheek, BEFORE the zap. Can you see the veins?? They are wayy more obvious under white light.

Hmm maybe you can see the veins more clearly here?

I was SUPER nervous, anxious, afraid etc. It's only human to be afraid of the unknown. But Dr Kang reassured me, told me what it would feel like, even let me TEST it out once on my arm before letting him zap my face!

 Preparing myself mentally. No make up btw!

It felt like... a rubber snap. A really really light electrical shock. And for areas with hair, I smelt a little burn smell (Which Dr Kang informed me about BEFORE zapping me, so I was mentally prepared). The machine will shoot out some red light, that even with your eyes closed and with protective eyewear, you can still "see" the flash.

With the protective eye gear. You'll feel coldness (because the surface is cold), it's used to numb the area before you feel the zap! I like the cold part, but just when you're getting used to it... ZAP!

After 3 weeks, they're GONE. It's like having a worm, zapping it and it dies. Dr Kang also zapped every inch of my face so that my skin becomes more rejuvenated!

I was starting to understand how people could get used to this, to come back often for treatments. So I proceeded to zap pigmentation marks off my arms. After the zap they will swell and might hurt a little bit, but it will stop hurting after a while.

 So, I have a mole on the underside of my wrist, and it's quite big! Had it since birth or something. One zap wouldn't be enough but I wanted to see the effect.

 Since the machine used a squarish surface, my arm had squarish marks on the places that were zapped! My face didn't have any because the frequency used were different.

 You can tell that my mole has become darker! It will lighten over time and become SMALLER.

Moles will also darken, but will lighten slowly after that, become a crust, and fall off, leaving new skin behind! If you have larger moles, it might not go away after just one zap, so a few sessions are advised. Dr Kang will advise on a case-by-case basis, for personalized treatment!

After 3 hours or so. It will darken further! The skin becomes a little more sensitive to touch but you can go swimming, tanning, apply whatever products, and continue doing whatever you do normally!

AFTER THREE WEEKS.

 The patch is lighter than the skin around it because it's NEW skin! Which will gradually become the same colour as the skin around it :) Notice the pigmentation is GONE!

Dr Daryn Kang obtained his medical degree from the National University of Singapore in 2003 and spent several years in Obstetrics and Gynaecology before leaving for private practice. Pursuing his passion for beauty and general health, Dr Kang obtained his Diploma in Aesthetic Medicine from the American Academy of Aesthetic Medicine. He also has the necessary certifications in competency by the Aesthetic Practice Oversight Committee of the Singapore Medical Council in Botulinum injections, dermal fillers and laser treatments, among others. Dr Kang aims to provide holistic, beauty and well-being treatments for women and men alike. 

(obtained off their website) 

 Pic credits to rachel!

- Upper lip 80/session

- Armpits 200/session

- Forearms and hands 300/session

- Legs 400/session