SECRETARY J. Mok, 35, froze when she heard of the Health Ministry's (MOH) stand on a range of aesthetic treatments offered by doctors last week.

Two years ago, she had gone for mesotherapy, one of the 11 procedures listed by MOH as unproven and potentially unsafe. The treatment claims to dissolve fat by injecting a cocktail of drugs into the affected area. It was painful and left scars on her tummy. She never went back to the doctor.

Indeed, patients like her said that the only reason they went for these aesthetic treatments was that it was being done by a doctor.

The Singapore Medical Council is investigating six doctors, including a specialist, following complaints about their aesthetic work.

But while some support the ministry's stand, others like teacher S. Das, 27, feel its move was too harsh. She said: 'Just because it isn't proven to work all the time doesn't mean it should be disallowed. After all, some people have seen success.' Read more in the special, Is it worth it?

This story was first published in thesundaytimes on Mar 23, 2008.