About · Registration And Scope · Pacific Plaza
An aesthetic physician in Singapore is a registered doctor whose practice is non-surgical aesthetic medicine. It is a description of work, not a specialist title. This page explains the rules behind it, how it differs from dermatology and plastic surgery, and how Dr Sin Yong applies them at Atelier.
In Singapore, all practising doctors must be registered with the Singapore Medical Council (SMC). An aesthetic physician, often called an aesthetic doctor, is a registered doctor who works mainly on concerns about appearance: the face, skin, hair and body, and the correction of earlier treatment that did not go to plan.
Aesthetic medicine is not a recognised specialty in Singapore, so the title brings no specialist accreditation. "Aesthetic doctor", "aesthetic physician" and "aesthetics doctor" mean the same in regulatory terms. What stands behind any of them is the doctor's registration, the SMC rules they work under, and the postgraduate training they have chosen.
Day to day, the work covers injectables (fillers, BTX, skin boosters), energy devices using laser, radiofrequency or ultrasound, prescription care for skin and hair conditions, and minor procedures. The examination matters as much as the procedure, because several problems can look alike.
The Rules
Two sets of SMC rules apply.
Clinics are licensed by the Ministry of Health, and medical devices are registered with the Health Sciences Authority. Only doctors on the Register of Specialists may call themselves specialists. How to check a doctor's entry is set out in how to choose an aesthetic doctor.
Three Kinds Of Doctor
The three often treat the same face, but they start from different training and do different work. Each refers to the others when a concern falls outside their scope.
| Aesthetic physician | Dermatologist | Plastic surgeon | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Register | Registered with the SMC; aesthetic medicine carries no specialist accreditation | SMC register and Register of Specialists (dermatology) | SMC register and Register of Specialists (plastic surgery) |
| Usual work | Treating appearance without surgery; correcting earlier treatment | Disease of the skin, hair and nails; often procedures as well | Operations such as facelift, eyelid surgery, body contouring and reconstruction |
| Rules | SMC Ethical Code; Guidelines on Aesthetic Practices | SMC Ethical Code; accredited training in the field | SMC Ethical Code; accredited training in the field |
| Refers on when | Skin disease needs dermatology care, or the change needed is surgical | The concern lies outside dermatology, or needs an operation | The concern is medical, or needs no operation |
Which Door
"Skin doctor" is used loosely for all three. A working guide:
If you are unsure, an aesthetic consultation that ends in a referral is a reasonable outcome. The conditions guide shows how look-alike problems are told apart: conditions.
At Atelier
Dr SY, Medical Director of Atelier Aesthetics, practises as an aesthetic physician. He holds an MBBS from NUS, the MRCS from the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, an MSc in Aesthetic Medicine (University of London) and an MSc in Practical Dermatology (Cardiff University). The MRCS and the two MSc degrees are postgraduate training; none is specialist accreditation in Singapore.
Dr SY personally performs or directs every treatment at Atelier, and consultations are not delegated to nurses or therapists. He examines before recommending, explains what a treatment cannot do, and refers to a dermatologist or a plastic surgeon when the answer lies there. Dr Sin Yong holds Key Opinion Leader appointments with device makers including CLASSYS and DEKA; these are listed on the About page, and an assessment can still end with a different treatment or none. The clinic is at Pacific Plaza, 9 Scotts Road, about five minutes' walk from Orchard MRT.
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Atelier Aesthetics · Owned by AYA
9 Scotts Road, Pacific Plaza #12-01A, Singapore 228210 · +65 8023 7170
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