No-Touch Water Mesotherapy review: By Miya

I have a lovely glow on my face which I'm very happy to brag about. My secret? Well, it's a Korean beauty treatment called water mesotherapy. You may know it as water shine injection, aqua shine, or derma shine. It's basically the same - to inject hyaluronic acid directly into the dermis (the second layer of the skin, below the outermost epidermis) using a bunch of micro needles to bring deep hydration into the skin, restore elasticity, and brighten the face. What you get is skin rejuvenation and a watery glow that can last up to three months.

I was intrigued from the moment I heard about this, but what put me off was the fear of needles, no matter how micro (which is also why I'm not tempted to do any Botox or fillers despite living in the land of plastic surgery). When I chanced upon SeouLeaguer Dermatology's patent-pending "No-Touch Water Mesotherapy" last month (Jan 2017), I knew I had to give it a try. Just imagine - no touch means no pain! My poor face was also dehydrated to the point of peeling due to the harsh winter in Seoul and badly needed rescuing.

I made an appointment through Misooda, which is offering an excellent discount (US$240 instead of the usual US$620) on its website, and made my way to the chic-looking SeouLeaguer clinic located in Seoul's upscale Gangnam district, just a few minutes walk from Apgujeong station exit 4.

I decided to do a hydrating facial first to remove dirt and impurities, and to prime my face for what it's about to receive - a shot of youth. For those who have never tried a facial in Korea, it's a rather clinical experience that began with cleansing, followed by ultrasound therapy to tighten the face using a machine called Cryocell, and a very cooling face mask. The therapist was very professional and her touch, feather light. Forty-five minutes and a short nap later, I woke up to a very nicely moisturised face - a far cry from my nearly parched skin earlier.

Then, I was led to a separate room for No-Touch Water Mesotherapy. There was just one chair inside, an aesthetic procedure chair which reminded me of what I've seen at the dentist. I took the seat and was given a hair band to keep my hair in place. Dr Lee Jung Hoon, the clinic's founder, came in a few minutes later - he looks young, has an infectious laugh, and his skin is flawless! He's the one who invented this "no-touch" procedure, which took less than 10 minutes to complete (so fast and fuss-free that young working executives can just come in during lunchtime for a quick fix).

Dr Lee's Mandarin-speaking assistant explained that he would first be giving me local anesthesia injections in four spots on my face - under the corner of my eyes and the lower sides of my face. She added that it would feel just like an ANT BITE - and it's true, the needle was so fine, it really did feel like an ant bite. A few minutes later, Dr Lee started to inject 9cc of hyaluronic acid mixed with placenta and anesthesia into my face, at the same four needle spots. There was no pain but I could feel some tugging as the doctor moved from spot to spot. Before I knew it, the procedure was over. So fast, so simple, minimal pain, and hardly any recovery period needed. Compared to the traditional water mesotherapy which leaves many pinhole puncture wounds all over the face and requires a few days of healing time, this no-touch procedure is really a God-send!

I was given small hydrogel plasters to cover the needle spots and stop the light bleeding, and a mirror to check my face. It felt a little strange as my face was numb at the four needle spots, but I was told it would wear off in a few hours and I'd be able to see and feel the full effects of the water mesotherapy within 5-7 days.

On the first floor of the clinic also sells great skincare range which the therapist used during my facial. By the third day, I could already feel that my skin was smoother and my makeup glided on easily. Then came the glow, and my skin never felt so nourished, firm and bouncy. I was even tempted to skip my regular skincare regime as it felt as if I didn't need it anymore, but a friend reminded me that it is still necessary to take good care of my skin as the injection is no magic pill - the glow will be gone in about three months. In the meantime, I'm very happy to brag about it!

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