Dr Dalila, Macau’s cosmetic beauty queen

Dr Dalila Gomes

Imagine an ice cube on your forehead. Now imagine that the center of the ice heats up while the outside remains agreeably cold. This is the somewhat curious feeling experienced while having a Thermage radio wave frequency facial, one of the many state-of-the art treatments offered by Dr Dalila Gomes at her downtown clinical dermatology practice, Dali Clinic.
The brainchild of Dr Dalila, Dali Clinic operates in the fields of dermatology, aesthetic and cosmetic treatments. As chief doctor and co-founder, she built the practice on the concepts of health, beauty and elegance, aiming to provide a professional yet enjoyable experience for her clients.
The clinic provides premium medical services, combining state-of-the-art equipment with a pioneering clinical concept. Treatments offered include dermatological facials, chemical peels, laser hair removal, skin rejuvenation, laser vein treatment, and cellulite and fat reduction.
“Our treatments are all clinical, even the facials”, says Dr Dalila. “We use medical products – we don’t use beauty salon products. That’s the difference”. All of the procedures are non-invasive, completely surgery-free and require minimal recovery time, and many of them can even be done within a lunch break.
Dr Dalila has lived in Macau since childhood and then went to study abroad, giving her the advantage of having both local and international knowledge. She has a Medical degree from Oporto Medical University (Portugal), a Dermatology Diploma from Cardiff University (UK) and is Board Certified by the American Academy of Aesthetics Medicine (AAAM).
“We abide by recognized international safety standards and we have all the certifications for the machines by the companies themselves – they are all from the USA. We had to undergo exams to be able to be certified”, she says.
“Our CV also marks us out. I try to always keep updated and I did my courses abroad, so that is important”, she explains. “I keep updated by going to conferences and now I’m also doing a refresher course in Hong Kong”.
One of Dr Dalila’s most effective treatments is Thermage, a non-invasive technology to treat wrinkles that can be done on the face, eyes, or the body. The unique radio frequency procedure can help improve the appearance of sagging or loose skin, giving a smoother, sleeker and younger look and feel. Thermage works in just one treatment with little down time – its main advantage over surgery.
“Patients come to do a lot of anti-aging treatments like facial rejuvenation. We can use rejuvenating facials and lasers, Thermage, clinical peeling, micro-needles. People are very concerned with the face and not getting old; these are the main concerns”, she states.
However another of their most popular services is laser hair removal. “Mostly clients come for laser hair removal because our machine is state of the art and the results are very good”, Dr Dalila says. “It’s not painful; you feel a little pricking, but it’s very fast zaps”. Patients come more or less every 5 to 6 weeks for a series of 5 or 6 sessions, depending on the area of the body and the amount of hair to be removed. “Our laser has two wavelengths; one wavelength for white skin, and another for dark skin. So this laser can treat everyone – without risks”, she clarifies.
Another therapy Dr Dalila specially offers is Cool Sculpting, a treatment that uses controlled cooling to freeze and eliminate unwanted fat cells without surgery or downtime. The technology, which feels as if a vacuum cleaner containing frozen air is sucking on your skin, non-invasively gets rid of targeted fat around your waistline (abdomen and love handles) and thighs. The treated fat cells are crystallized and frozen under the skin, so surrounding tissue is left undamaged. Over time, the body naturally processes the fat and eliminates these dead cells. Dali Clinic is the only place in Macau that currently offers the procedure.
As with many of the treatments, some form of pain is involved. However it is never to an intolerable level, so taking painkillers is unnecessary. During Cool Sculpting for example, the sucking action for the first ten minutes of the procedure borders on painful, but after this initial period, the rest of the hour-long treatment is basically painless. “Some people compare the pain to a heavy workout at the gym. Some people say it’s not even painful. So there are different types of feelings in different types of patients”, says Dr Dalila. And it also depends on the area of the body, with the legs being more painful than the tummy. “But it’s tolerable”, says the doctor.
What must be emphasized once again, however, is that every treatment is non-invasive and no stiches or recovery time is necessary. “This is all non-invasive and there are no side effects of the general anesthesia, no suchers [stitches], no scars, nothing. Just bruises”, Dr Dalila describes. When it comes to the result, the doctor is certain of one thing: “They are happy”.
As well as Dali Clinic’s specialist treatments, clients also like the architecture of the clinic, the setup, and the central downtown location. They similarly benefit from an exceptionally high level of service in all areas. “We try to add on some nice details to our services”, explains Dr Dalila. “For example, there’s this laser that we do – Clear & Brilliant – it’s a very simple treatment; however with this treatment we offer patients a facial massage with serums done by the therapist, and to finalize, a facial mask for additional hydration. So we try to offer a full service”.
“Most of the patients really love to come here. On our Facebook page some of them write a review after they come and they are really happy”, she says. “We try to be professionals; we aim to make everything work perfectly. I’m always on time with patient bookings, she explains. “In a private clinic this is quality service”.
Dr Dalila is also ably assisted by her team of three staff members who help her with the daily operations and treatments. “They help me with all the treatments mostly; they do all the set up and prepare the patients. Then when I come I just do the consultation and the treatment itself”, Dr Dalila explains. “We work as a team and that’s paramount for success. Alone I couldn’t do it”.
Equally, for the clinical dermatologist, patient interaction is likewise extremely important. “I love my job”, Dr Dalila says simply. “I love medicine and always wanted to be a doctor. I’m always happy as long as I’m working!”