Found in Beauty is a column where experts and creative minds share insights and their genesis in the game. Ahead, we have Dr Hew Yin Keat of M∙A∙C∙ Clinic who is spilling the beans on the local medical aesthetics scene, as well as sharing his journey as a pioneer of the game.
It pays to have a passionate man in your corner. And we’re not just talking about your love life. The same goes for the medical aesthetic doctor that you’re engaging for your next beauty escapade. We recently had the privilege to speak to one of the pioneers of Malaysia’s medical aesthetic industry, Dr Hew Yin Keat. As a founder and medical director at M∙A∙C∙ Clinic, he has his fair share (and then some) of experience in the field. From being one of the very first to bring aesthetic treatments and procedures in Malaysia to vetting future practitioners alongside the health ministry, he is the man for the job when it comes to your face and skin.
From the very start, Dr Hew knew in his heart that medicine was the path for him, though the medical aesthetic interest came way down the line. “I’ve always had the interest, from joining the Malaysian Red Crescent to social work involving first aid,” he shared. His trajectory towards excellence began in his formative years. At 16 years old, he scored the prestigious ASEAN Scholarship that was doled out by the Singaporean government. Through it, he secured an educational path at the elite Raffles Institution and Raffles Junior College. After earning admirable grades, off he went to The Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland. But even after earning his license to practice in the UK and having landed a job there, Malaysia beckoned.
His return to the country was coupled with excitement. The three-year requirement in government service was an opportunity for him to have more hands-on experience, a perk that was not extended to him had he remained in the UK. Placements were randomised, and soon enough he found a home in anaesthetics. Unlike other doctors, who might dabble in other specialities, he stuck to it.
Then came the end; it was 2002. He could very well continue, but the private sector offered a more promising prospect. As he was weighing his options, serendipity struck. An acquaintance reached out, sharing their ambition to cultivate a medical aesthetic industry in the region. “At the time, it was so new. In Malaysia, there were no dedicated clinics only doing aesthetics,” Dr Hew pointed out.
It was a shot in the dark, but with all the clinical studies surrounding that area, it was a comfortable bet. A bigger challenge would be convincing the audience. Make no mistake: back then, people weren’t flaunting the procedures they were having done unlike today, where everyone’s more open. In fact, it was very much taboo. And according to Dr Hew, even the glamorous set was keeping it hush-hush. “I thought I’d give it a year. But soon enough I found that I had quite the knack for it. One thing that transferred well to this side was my patient communication and rapport—a skill that I developed over my days in government service,” said the doctor. And isn’t that what we’re all looking for in a doctor-patient relationship?
Another skill he picked up that has proven useful in this arena? Anaesthetics. “Malaysians are quite fearful, understandably so, especially when it involves something new, some pain, and a needle. But my approach always has pain management at the forefront. Suffice it to say, they’re hooked now,” he joked.
From nurturing one of the first-ever dedicated aesthetics clinics, to now being the head of M∙A∙C∙ Clinic, his path included shaping the entire field here in Malaysia. A true trailblazer, the doctor is known for being the first to bring new beauty innovations to our shore. On top of that, he also works closely with the Health Ministry licensing board in Malaysia for aesthetics practice. Part of that includes serving as an examiner for future practitioners. This means that a percentage of aesthetic doctors in Malaysia had to go through him to get their licenses.
At this juncture of his illustrious career, he has already established that he is the household name here. Many publications (like ourselves) and news media would refer to him for his expertise. Despite his notoriety, he still refuses to push services on social media. Sure, you can read about it on their Instagram, but you would not catch them undercutting with promotions or waiving consultation fees in hopes of persuading you to pay them a visit. Everything is completely up to your consideration. Why so? Because of Dr Hew’s uncompromising principles of integrity.
“This is where social media blurs the lines. Going big with advertisements is considered unethical. The time-honoured tradition of ethics is that you cannot proclaim you’re the best, or even be loud about your services. If you’re good, patients, by sheer word-of-mouth, will come to you. It unfortunately has become normalised. And some patients just don’t know better. At this point, it has come to a place where it’s very much self-regulatory. It really depends on the doctor. If they want to go all out, it can be very easy to do that and pocket the money.”
For instance, this doctor believes that Botox is still the way to go versus fillers. “I think the market has distorted Botox’s image. In the right hands, Botox can do wonders. The great allure of filler is that it can work semi-instantly and give improvements on issues that we previously could not. But read the fine print. Botox has countless papers proving its efficacy, and the body can naturally process it out of its system. Fillers, on the other hand, pose some serious dangers. It can even lead to blindness, and there hasn’t been a single documented case where this can be reversed, even after dissolving it,” Dr Hew warned. For him, it’s always better to start with the least invasive treatments to correct a concern before moving on to a more serious alternative.
At the clinic, he’s geared to the teeth to look into your skin as objectively as possible. Aside from the latest machines, he’s also equipped with an innovative imaging system that can map out dryness, areas of pigmentation, and many more useful data points to help him get to know the lay of the land.
Over the decades, one thing remained the same for his practice. “Everybody wants to look natural, yet enhanced,” the doctor said. But looking to the future, as he always does, the doctor predicts that putting the pieces together will be the key to the next age of medical aesthetics. “We’ve come a long way, and there are many elements that are already put in place. It has remained untapped, but it has the potential to go beyond beauty and skin.” In that case, we’ll just have to stick around to see what Dr Hew has up his sleeves.
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