Hello everyone, and welcome to another of my reviews. In this article, I’ll be reviewing my experience at the local aesthetic clinic chain DrHaach, as well as its medi-spa arm Haach.
I’ve previously undergone aesthetic treatment for my back at Lux Aesthetic. While my back acne scars improved over the 3 sessions, there was unfortunately a relapse, which led me to search for other alternatives. I happened to chance upon an ad for DrHaach, and decided to give them a try – let’s see how my experience went.
DrHaach – the Brand
DrHaach is the extended medical arm of Haach, and offers aesthetic solutions for both women and men. Haach itself was founded more than 25 years ago back in 1997 – the same year I was born! In other words, Haach/DrHaach has been in the beauty and wellness industry for as long as I’ve been alive, and that’s no mean feat.
Leveraging on technologies and experienced doctors, DrHaach aims to “help customers feel their best”. The brand does so by using only FDA-approved technology, medical-grade aesthetic procedures and medi-spa therapies to address a wide range of skin problems, and has won a bevvy of awards throughout the years.
DrHaach – Review
There are currently 3 DrHaach outlets locally, located within Orchard Central, Raffles City and Tiong Bahru Plaza. I opted for the Tiong Bahru Plaza outlet as it’s the closest to where I live. Do note it’s located on the 12th floor of the office tower, and not within the main shopping mall.
Being affiliated, the location houses both DrHaach and Haach under one roof. In other words, customers can enjoy the services of both in one visit – which was exactly what I did, though I’ll elaborate more on that later.
After signing in, I was ushered into the treatment room. It’s relatively spacious, with earth tones giving the room a sense of calm. I particularly like the almost full-length windows, which provided not only plenty of natural lighting, but also a great view from the 12th floor.
After marvelling at the room, I was introduced to Dr Kenneth, who is one of the two doctors at DrHaach. My first impression is that he’s pretty affable – he laughs a lot. However, it’s clear that he’s immensely experienced as well, having spent over two decades in the medical profession, with over half of that time specialising in aesthetic treatments. At DrHaach, he specialises in anti-aging, aesthetic and regenerative procedures.
As my back scarring was rather significant, Dr Kenneth recommended a combination of laser and chemical peel treatments – specifically, the Hyser laser and Chemical Hypeel. Hyser is DrHaach’s in-house proprietary laser procedure, and is billed as a “lunchtime laser treatment” that promises little to no downtime as compared to traditional fractional lasers. The Chemical Hypeel is essentially a chemical peel that has been formulated in-house by DrHaach’s doctors to deliver effective results without any downtime. As it’s considered a superficial peel, Dr Kenneth suggested pairing it with the Hyser laser for maximum efficacy, to which I readily agreed.
The Hyser laser procedure is similar to the Q-switch laser treatment that I’ve done previously. One simply exposes the area of concern, and the doctor will run the laser equipment over the affected spots. According to Dr Kenneth, the Hyser laser is able to “shatter tiny fragments of pigmentation or ink, stimulate collagen and kill bacteria”, making it an effective solution for pigmentation, inflammatory acne, acne scars, tattoo removal, or even simply dull skin.
The main difference between Hyser and regular Q-switch laser is in its energy settings, which I’ve been told is proprietary to the brand. I was subjected to three different energy levels, which Dr Kenneth relayed penetrated the skin at different depths and thus performs different functions.
The treatment was relatively painless as well. It certainly wasn’t relaxing, but I wasn’t writhing in pain. The discomfort did increase across the different settings – the third setting (which I assume penetrated the deepest) stung the most – but even that was far from unbearable.
After the Hyser treatment was done, Dr Kenneth proceeded to apply the chemical peel on my back. As aforementioned, the Chemical Hypeel is considered a light peel (with a glycolic acid strength of 30%) and is well-tolerated enough to be paired with the Hyser treatment. This process removes dead skin cells and superficial pigment to regenerate new skin cells and collagen, with Dr Kenneth stating that it should result in an even skin tone, with radiant and smoother skin.
There was a mild stinging effect at first, so Dr Kenneth promptly got his clinic assistant to physically fan and cool my back to reduce the stinging sensation. Overall, the entire Hyser + Chemical Hypeel process took around 30 minutes, making it quick and convenient enough to be done during one’s lunch break.
Haach – Review
However, while the DrHaach aesthetic procedures were quick, relatively pain-free and effective, they weren’t pampering by any means. So when I spotted an ad at the counter for a “Gentlemen Perfect Cleanse” facial by Haach, I was intrigued and decided to try it out.
The aesthetician relayed to me that the “Gentlemen Perfect Cleanse” facial was formulated as a “one size fits all” facial for men. As men generally have oiler/more acne-prone faces, the products and treatments are targeted towards these specific areas of concern.
The facial starts with a slight aromatherapy massage, before proceeding into a double cleanse to strip away oil, dirt, and other impurities.
After the face is cleansed and squeaky clean, a calming mask is applied to prepare the face for extraction.
The extraction is probably the most painful part of any facial, but as the adage goes – no pain, no gain. My Haach aesthetician conveyed that extraction is especially important for guys, as we are more susceptible to clogged pores (and therefore whiteheads/blackheads). Using specialised tools, she proceeded to squeeze out every last bit of gunk from all areas of my face, especially from the nose.
We all get the urge to squeeze our pores and pop our zits at home. But unless you have the tools/clean hands, doing so can often make the situation worse as bacteria/impurities from our hands/nails can cause an infection within the exposed pores, leading to more pimples. As such, it’s important for extraction to only be done by professionals at facials. Here, you can see how the aesthetician is wearing finger gloves, as well as using a sterilised tool to keep the risk of infection to a minimum.
After finishing the extraction, the aesthetician applies a layer of serum on the face, and uses a cold bar machine to enhance its absorption. The serum helps reduces oil production and prevent future breakouts, while the cold bar machine (it’s literally cold) soothes the face after the extraction process but also helps evenly apply the serum and “pushes” the serum deeper into the pores.
Once the serum is fully absorbed, the aesthetician proceeded to apply a layer of hydrating cream on my face (note: most men actually don’t moisturise their faces enough, which leads to the face producing excess oil to prevent overdrying). She then proceeded to give me a facial massage, which caused me to inadvertently smile. After the facial massage is done, a shoulder point massage was given – a truly pampering experience.
Finally, a yellow mask is applied to the face. According to the aesthetician, the mask is meant to soothe irritations (reducing redness and puffiness), tighten the skin, and helps shrinks pores and acne scars by improving overall texture and appearance.
Initially, I was surprised that the mask was applied over the eyes. This caused a tad of psychological discomfort, as I had to keep my eyes firmly shut in order to prevent the (still) liquid mask from getting into my eyes. However, the Haach aesthetician relayed that it was necessary in order to target crow’s feet and eyebags, so I acquiesced.
The mask is left on for about 20 minutes, and it solidifies over time. After its removal, the aesthetician applies some sunscreen as a finishing touch. All in all, the Haach Gentlemen Facial took around 90 minutes – long enough for one to let his hair down, but still relatively quick and convenient for busy individuals.
Conclusion – so the DrHaach/Haach aesthetic treatments “shiok” or not?
Definitely so. Over at DrHaach, I appreciate the amiable nature of Dr Kenneth, as well as his expertise – the Hyser laser + Chemical Hypeel treatments were effective (see photo below) without being time-consuming. Once again, MOH guidelines (clause 5.5, page 11 to be exact) prevent me from posting clear before/after photos in this article, but if you compare how my back looks after the third treatment to how it looked initially, it’s clear that the treatments were effective in clearing pigmented areas and lightening scars. I also loved the pampering yet functional nature of Haach’s Perfect Gentlemen Cleanse facial. I found it interesting that the brand has a facial targeting men – which actually makes sense, considering men face breakouts more often than women. I view it as a great maintenance facial and nice little treat for oneself too. And given that both DrHaach and Haach are located on the same premises, it’s a clear “one stone two birds” scenario.
Those interested in the DrHaach laser treatments can take advantage of affordable trial prices – a trial session of Hyser at DrHaach costs just $39, making it possibly the cheapest laser trial in town. The trial session is non-committal, so you can go down to try out the aesthetic treatment for yourself before deciding if it’s up your alley. Simply book your initial trial session at this link here, and Wah So Shiok readers not only get to enjoy the affordable trial price, but also a 10% discount on future sessions (even on package prices). I’ve personally put my own skin on the line, so I can attest to the efficacy of the treatments. I should also point out that at DrHaach, all procedures (e.g Hyser and Chemical Hypeel) are done by MOH-certified doctors like Dr Kenneth, so you’ll be in safe and experienced hands.
Book your trial (and secure the 10% discount) here.
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P.P.S: Do check out the new “Discounts!” page for exclusive discounts for Wah so Shiok readers! More brands will be added very soon – stay tuned!
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P.P.P.P.S Shiok is a common word Singaporeans use to express admiration or approval. As of 2016, you can find the definition of the word in the Oxford English Dictionary.
