With this issue covering the theme of “adventure”, we can’t help but ask Dr Ong Jin Khang the question: how are adventure and non-invasive, aesthetic treatments offered at The Retreat Clinic related?
“Coming to The Retreat Clinic for treatments is akin to skydiving,” Dr Ong replies, and continues to expound, “You put your faith in the guy doing the tandem with you, trusting that he is a professional, well trained and has your interest at heart. It’s the same when it comes to aesthetic treatments. You have to trust your doctor and that’s important.
“By walking into The Retreat Clinic, it becomes my responsibility on how good you will look walking out. I do my best to explain the steps required in each procedure but for a patient who is new to aesthetics, it can be quite a deep dive into the unknown and daunting for some,” he says.
And the treatments are ultra-cool. For instance, did you know that you can freeze off fat cells for good? And did you know that you can build muscles by contracting your abs 20,000 times in just 30 minutes while lying down? In 2013, Dr Ong established The Retreat Clinic to fulfil his indomitable passion and interest in aesthetics, and to eventually become skilled in every possible aesthetic procedure.
As time passed by, he came to the realisation that he should focus on just some of them. “I prefer to be highly skilled in a few procedures, combining them together to bring the best results to my patients,” he attests. Armed with prolonged and intense experience through practice and education, they now take pride in their signature combo treatments that help improve results within a shorter time frame.
The Retreat Clinic is undeniably going from strength to strength. The secret? One word: honesty. “I only treat what is needed and never more. I explain the pros and cons of every treatment and if it doesn’t work for the patient, I will not recommend it.
I’ve always stuck with evidence- based treatments and FDA approved machines to further ensure the safety of my patients.” Dr Ong says that people are shunning and making negative comments about people who go for aesthetic procedures merely by bassing it off on unjustified impression about them.
“Why hate on those who make efforts? Isn’t looking in the mirror and feeling good the epitome of growing old gracefully?” he says. “The prejudice and discrimination cause patients to shy away from face-to-face consultation and end up using Google to seek information where they usually make uninformed decisions, which lead to them being misinformed or misled with unverified data and information.
“The vitriol in their comments is unnecessary and I believe with proper patient education, the general public can understand more about aesthetic treatments and how much of an impact it can make in their lives. If we can help make some people realise that it is okay to take care of your appearance and thus make your confidence grow, it is going to be a win for us and everyone else,” he continues.
When we question Dr Ong why aesthetic procedures are still a taboo subject, he replies: “Everyone wants the perception that they are beautiful naturally – and the idea of undergoing aesthetic treatments is deemed unnatural and dangerous. That’s where The Retreat Clinic makes a difference-making people look good, naturally. We pride ourselves in educating patients about the pros and cons of each treatment and how it can benefit the patient.”
Dr Ong believes that over the years, more Malaysians have come to acknowledge that laser treatments and getting Botox and dermal filler injections can get them the results that they long for instead of just going for facials. People are more safety-cautious and they know which are the treatments that are effective and safe,” he says.
Though it’s not all just skin-deep. “I’ve handled high BMI patients who never exercised in their lives before. Through dietary advice and body contouring treatments, these patients were motivated to start changing to a healthier lifestyle,” he says.
“It was amazing to see how we could change people’s habits and lifestyle for the better so that they could reap the benefits of being healthy and the confidence from looking good!” Although the industry is still in its infancy, the steps in the past few years, no matter how small, are indicative of greater things to come. On the other side of the coin, there are patients who either get too adventurous, to put it mildly – or become overtly obsessed.
“I’ve had a patient who wanted a very projected forehead due to feng shui reasons. I advised her that she would look exceptionally strange if she proceeded with it,” he says. What does Dr Ong do in these kinds of cases? “I turn down patients who have unrealistically high expectations. I also refuse to treat patients who want to treat unnecessary and imaginary issues. I was once told by my lecturer that a good doctor knows how to treat a patient but a great doctor knows when to not treat a patient.
I have stuck to this principle till today,” he says. The things that make The Retreat Clinic different from the others are Dr Ong’s unyielding commitment to keep himself up to date with the latest advancements in the industry to offer safe, transparent and highly effective treatments to not only meet but exceed his expectation – while adhering to the guiding principles of aesthetic practice.
Every individual and body is different, so it is highly recommended that you consult a certified aesthetic physician for a personalised evaluation in order to identify the best treatment solution.
For consultations with Dr Ong Jin Khang, consultant aesthetic physician and founder of The Retreat Clinic, visit www.theretreatclinic.com or call +6011-330 28232 to make your appointment.
This story first appeared in the November ’19 issue of Men’s Folio.
