Guide · Choosing well
How to choose an aesthetic clinic in Singapore and when an aesthetic centre is enough
An aesthetic clinic and an aesthetic centre are set up for different work. Knowing which one your concern needs, and what to check before you pay, saves money and avoids the wrong treatment.
Written & medically reviewed by Dr Sin Yong · 16 October 2026
Quick answer
- An aesthetic clinic is a medical practice: a doctor assesses and treats you, and it needs a Ministry of Health licence to examine or treat patients or carry out procedures that go beneath the skin. Injectables, medical lasers and HIFU belong here.
- A non-invasive aesthetic centre offers facials, non-invasive device treatments for the face and body, waxing and brows, performed by trained aesthetic staff rather than a doctor. Many everyday skin concerns need nothing more.
- Before you book, ask who will perform the treatment, look the doctor up on the Singapore Medical Council's Search for Registered Doctors, and get the price in writing before anything starts.
- Walk away from pressure to buy a package on the day, prices that only appear after treatment, and injections offered anywhere that is not a licensed clinic.
- SkinRev Lab is a non-invasive aesthetic centre at CityLink Mall, City Hall. Medical treatments are performed by Dr Sin Yong at our affiliated IN Eternity Clinic, Pacific Plaza, Orchard.
The difference
Clinic or centre: what the words mean in Singapore
An aesthetic clinic is a medical practice. A doctor examines you, diagnoses where needed and is responsible for the treatment. In Singapore, a service that examines or treats patients, or carries out a clinical procedure or an invasive procedure that goes beyond the outer layer of the skin to change appearance, needs an Outpatient Medical Service licence from the Ministry of Health under the Healthcare Services Act. Injectables, medical lasers and HIFU are done in clinics.
A non-invasive aesthetic centre is not a medical practice. It offers facials, non-invasive device treatments for the face and body, waxing and brow services. These are performed by trained aesthetic staff, and no doctor is involved in the treatment.
Neither is better in general. They do different jobs, and the useful question is which one your concern belongs to.
Side by side
Clinic vs centre: what each can do
The table shows the usual split. Individual clinics and centres differ in what they offer, so ask before you book.
| Aesthetic clinic | Non-invasive aesthetic centre | |
|---|---|---|
| Who assesses and treats | A doctor | Trained aesthetic staff, such as an Aesthetic Specialist |
| Licensing | Ministry of Health licence for the medical service | Not a licensed medical service; no medical procedures |
| Injectables: fillers, wrinkle-relaxing injections, injectable skin boosters | Yes | No |
| Medical lasers, HIFU, laser hair removal | Yes | No |
| Diagnosis and prescription treatment, for example for melasma or acne | Yes | No |
| Facials and hydration treatments | Sometimes | Yes |
| Non-invasive lifting, tightening and body contouring devices | Some clinics | Yes, depending on the centre |
| Waxing, brows and lip blush | Rarely | Often |
| How prices are usually given | At consultation, because the plan depends on the doctor's assessment | Often a published per-session price list |
Which do you need
Match the concern to the setting
- A centre is usually enough for congestion and blackheads, dullness, dehydration, sensitive skin that needs calming, early laxity, body contouring, hair you are happy to wax, and brows.
- See a doctor for melasma, structured acne scars, acne that is severe, painful or scarring, moles or growths that are changing, lines or volume loss you want corrected with an injectable, and hair you want reduced long term with laser.
- If you are not sure, start with an assessment. A good centre will tell you when a concern belongs with a doctor, and a good clinic will tell you when a simpler non-medical treatment will do.
- Many people use both: a medical treatment for the underlying concern, with facials, waxing or body sessions in between.
Before you book
Six checks before you pay anyone
- Who will actually perform it. Ask for the name and role of the person treating you, not only the person selling it. For a medical procedure, that should be a doctor.
- Check the doctor's registration. The Singapore Medical Council (SMC) has an online register, Search for Registered Doctors, on its website. You can search by full or partial name, or by medical registration (MCR) number. Doctors are listed while they hold a valid practising certificate.
- Where the treatment happens. Medical treatment should take place at premises licensed by the Ministry of Health. If injections are offered somewhere that is not a clinic, do not go ahead.
- A consultation first. Expect questions about your skin, medical history, medication and goals, and an honest view on whether the treatment suits you, before anything is booked.
- The price in writing, before treatment. Ask whether it is per session or per course, whether GST is included, what a first-visit rate covers, and how many sessions, areas or zones are being proposed.
- Aftercare. You should know what to expect over the following days, what to avoid, and who to contact if something does not settle.
Prices
How to read an aesthetic price list
Prices are shown in different ways, and the headline number is not always what you pay. Check whether a price is before or after GST, whether it is per session, per area or per zone, and whether a low trial rate applies only to the first visit or to one area.
Medical treatments are often priced at consultation, because the plan depends on the doctor's assessment. That is normal. What should not happen is a price that is only revealed once treatment has started.
If you are looking for an affordable aesthetic clinic, compare the whole plan rather than the first session: how many sessions are likely, the rate after any trial, and whether a non-medical option would do the job for less.
Warning signs
Red flags worth walking away from
- Pressure to buy a package or prepay a course on your first visit.
- A price that changes, or extra charges that appear, after treatment has begun.
- Injections, or other procedures that go beneath the skin, offered somewhere that is not a licensed clinic, or by someone who is not a doctor.
- Promises of a fixed result, or a set number of sessions, before anyone has assessed you.
- No consultation, no questions about your medical history and no aftercare advice.
- Reluctance to say who will perform the treatment, or which device or product will be used.
SkinRev Lab
Where SkinRev Lab fits: a non-invasive centre at City Hall
SkinRev Lab is a non-invasive aesthetic centre, not a clinic. We are at CityLink Mall #B1-28, 1 Raffles Link, Singapore 039393, on the underground link between City Hall MRT and Esplanade MRT, and open daily from 11am to 8pm.
Treatments here are performed by our Aesthetic Specialists: facials such as HydraFacial Syndeo, the Rejuran® PDRN Facial and SKINLDM; non-invasive lifting and tightening such as SKINLIFT® and SKINTIGHT; body treatments; waxing; and brows and lip blush. We do not inject, and we do not use medical lasers or HIFU. Prices are published per session and shown before GST, except waxing, which includes GST.
Every first visit starts with an assessment. If what you describe belongs with a doctor, you are told at that visit and given the affiliated clinic's contact, at no charge and with no obligation.
IN Eternity Clinic
Where IN Eternity Clinic fits: doctor-led, in Orchard
Medical treatments are performed by Dr Sin Yong (MBBS Singapore, MRCS Edinburgh, MSc Practical Dermatology Cardiff) at IN Eternity Clinic, our affiliated clinic at 9 Scotts Road, #12-01 Pacific Plaza, Singapore 228210, beside Orchard MRT. These include HIFU, lasers, injectables, injectable skin boosters such as Rejuran® Healer, fat freezing and laser hair removal.
The clinic is open Monday to Saturday, 11am to 8pm, and closed on Sunday. Medical treatments are priced at consultation by the clinic, after the doctor has assessed you. WhatsApp the clinic on +65 8815 3008, or ask at SkinRev Lab and we will pass your enquiry on. From City Hall, Orchard is three stops on the North-South line.
As with any doctor, you are welcome to check Dr Sin Yong's registration on the SMC register yourself.
Common questions
Your questions,
answered
What is the difference between an aesthetic clinic and an aesthetic centre?
An aesthetic clinic is a medical practice where a doctor assesses and treats you, licensed by the Ministry of Health. An aesthetic centre offers non-medical treatments such as facials, non-invasive devices, waxing and brows, performed by trained aesthetic staff. Injectables, medical lasers and HIFU belong in a clinic.
How do I check whether an aesthetic doctor is registered in Singapore?
Use Search for Registered Doctors on the Singapore Medical Council's website. Search by full or partial name, or by MCR number. Doctors are listed while they hold a valid practising certificate.
Is SkinRev Lab an aesthetic clinic?
No. SkinRev Lab is a non-invasive aesthetic centre at CityLink Mall, City Hall. Medical treatments are performed by Dr Sin Yong at our affiliated IN Eternity Clinic, Pacific Plaza, Orchard.
Do I need a doctor for a facial?
No. Facials such as HydraFacial Syndeo are non-medical. You need a doctor when the concern is medical, such as melasma or deep acne scars, or when the treatment is medical, such as injectables or lasers.
How much does an aesthetic clinic in Singapore cost?
It depends on the treatment and the plan. Many clinics, including IN Eternity Clinic, price medical treatments at consultation because the plan depends on the doctor's assessment. Ask for the price in writing, with GST, before treatment. At SkinRev Lab, non-medical treatments are published per session, for example HydraFacial Syndeo from S$288 before GST.
Should I buy a package on my first visit?
There is no need to decide on the day. Ask for the per-session price and how many sessions are proposed and why, then take time to compare. Pressure to prepay on the spot is a reason to pause.
Can I use both an aesthetic centre and a clinic?
Yes. A common pattern is a medical treatment at a clinic for the underlying concern, with facials, waxing or body treatments at a centre in between. SkinRev Lab and IN Eternity Clinic are three MRT stops apart on the North-South line.