Dr. Michael Ong and Dr. Terrence Teoh established One Doc Medical Sdn Bhd two years ago with the goal of being the number one laser treatment in Malaysia. They have since achieved that dream but the young and dynamic aesthetic medical doctors are not in any way resting on their laurels. They are passionate about delivering the best results for their clients.
Beauty is big business, and the beauty business is gaining traction in Malaysia in tandem with a growing population, rising income levels and increasing awareness of medical tourism. With the increase in the number of aesthetic clinics in the country, aesthetic medicine has become a fairly robust field with more procedures being introduced without the need for invasive surgery.
One Doc Medical focuses on non-invasive facial treatments and is currently recognized as a leading laser and aesthetic centre in Malaysia for skin-related problems such as acne, pores, pigmentation and ageing skin. Established by Dr. Michael Ong and Dr. Terrence Teoh, One Doc has been rapidly expanding across the country ever since.
A graduate from the University of Melbourne in Australia, Dr. Teoh has been practising aesthetic medicine in Singapore for the past eight years. He decided to implement the successful aesthetic business model and high standards from Singapore in Malaysia. Along with Dr. Ong, an aesthetic medical practitioner for three years, they set up two One Doc outlets which subsequently expanded to nine locations in major cities across the country.
“When we first started One Doc, our concept was to specialize in skin treatments for problems relating to acne, pores, pigmentation and anti-ageing,” says Dr. Ong. “This is because 90% of skin problems are related to these areas. As such, we spend a lot of money and efforts in Research & Development (R&D) on how to give the best treatment that targets these four skin problems.”
One Doc has come up with the 4-Step Signature Medical Facial treatment which had won the Marie Claire Beauty Awards 2018 for best medical facial. “The 4-Step Signature Medical Facial treatment targets the superficial and deep layer skin to treat skin problems. We have seen good results in customers who apply a combination treatment that includes this signature medical facial,” explains Dr Ong.
“We initially started with laser treatments. However, to achieve the best results, we need a holistic approach in combining different types of treatments to tackle skin problems in various parts of the face. This is to remove different root causes contributing to the problems. After going through a number of cases, we realised that a combination treatment is the best approach. We are a results-driven company, prioritizing our clients first. We are also transparent about our treatments and pricing,” Dr. Ong shares.
One Doc outlets do not offer plastic surgery or injectable treatments like botox but instead, specialise in non-invasive treatments such as lasers, stem cells and microdermabrasion. With a total staff strength totalling seventy both in management and at the retail outlets, the One Doc aesthetic doctors train their team well following strict standard operating procedures (SOPs), ensuring that the same protocol and procedures are applied in every outlet and treatment. With the support of a strong team, they were able to grow their business by leaps and bounds to overcome major obstacles.
“Apart from using digital marketing, we overcame challenges by focusing on R&D, acquiring advanced machines, keeping up to date with the latest technology and constant efforts to improve ourselves,” says Dr. Teoh.
“The main challenge in aesthetic market nowadays is that new laser technology and new stem cells are produced every year,” reveals Dr. Ong. “As a result, clients have higher expectations, wanting better treatments. For the past six months, we have visited other countries such as Korea and Thailand to find out the best treatment protocol and the best laser machines available. We recently acquired the latest advanced laser machine – Pico Laser – with the intention to upgrade all of our outlets with this new laser machine.”
Dr. Teoh explains, “With the latest technology, treatments are non-invasive and do not have any side-effects.”
“Furthermore, non-invasive treatment is the latest trend,” affirms Dr. Ong. “Everyone wants to beautify themselves and still able to continue with their daily activities as well. With the current laser treatment, they can put on their make-up and continue with their daily routine.”
As a young aesthetic start-up company, One Doc has recently won two awards for their outstanding performance: The 2018 Emerging Asia Award for ‘Outstanding SME’ and the 2018 Frost & Sullivan Malaysia Excellence Award for ‘Aesthetic Medicine Growth Excellence Leadership.’
Such ambitious plans are awe-inspiring and its rewards are potentially attractive particularly for young medical practitioners who wish to go into aesthetic medicine. However, Dr. Ong advises, “To become an aesthetic doctor means going into business and giving up the conventional career path of being a specialist. Many medical doctors want to try aesthetic but hesitate as it requires stepping out of their comfort zone. So, dream big and dare to fail.”
Dr. Teoh concurs, “Be Brave. Competition is everywhere in this market, therefore you need to think about your unique selling point, only then you will be able to survive in the market and be prosperous.”
