Proudly retokada: Celebs who own up to having plastic surgery
In an era of self-expression and self-love, there are the ones who remain skeptical over cosmetic surgeries, and there are some who find fulfillment in them. But we can't blame them for wanting to look and feel better, right?
PhilSTAR Life rounded up some of the local celebs who have added or decreased a thing or two to their bodies and they sure are proud of it.
Janine Berdin
Janine Berdin made headlines on Oct. 5 after beauty parlor ML Salon and Spa shared photos of her major glow up on Instagram. Apart from her purple ash blonde hair, the singer is seen with a fairer skin tone, sharp nose, and countered cheekbones.
The 18-year-old singer also uploaded her own Instagram post that day, expressing how happy she was for achieving her "anime girl dreams."
Janine rose to fame after winning Tawag ng Tanghalan Season 2 in 2018. While her transformation triggered mixed emotions from netizens, the Kapamilya star admitted feeling at her best now.
"Siguro naging blooming po ako kasi hindi po ako natakot of change. I think that's what everyone should keep in mind—na we shouldn't be afraid of change, na puwede tayong mag-change… na if there's something you don't like about yourself and that you are not happy about it, then you can do something. Do something to make yourself happy. You only live once, hindi ba? Just do things that will make you happy," Janine said in an interview with vlogger Darla Sauler.
She added, "Kasi kapag hindi ka masaya sa sarili mo, magre-reflect. Kasi nakikita ko rin sa mga post ko rati, mga videos ko, parang nakikita ko rin kung gaano ako ka-self-conscious. Now, when I look at my photos now, when I look at all the videos I take, parang ang saya ko. Parang nakikita ko na ang saya ko na, parang ang saya ko na sarili ko."
Angeline Quinto
Another Kapamilya star who has quashed those plastic surgery rumors real well is Angeline Quinto. The 30-year-old singer-actress went all-in on her Instagram post uploaded on July 31, 2020. She posted a photo of herself with the caption, "Big deal sa ibang tao ang pagpaparetoke ng ibang artista, hindi naman ho namin itatago kung ano ang ipinaayos namin. Never ko ikinahiya kung ano ang mga pinagawa ko. At hanggang ngayon, napakalaking issue sa iba."
She underlined that undergoing cosmetic surgery is part of working in the limelight. "Parte ho ng trabaho iyon at kung may pangbayad naman, bakit hindi. Kaya nga ho may Dra. Vicky Belo. Ikaw naman ang magta-trabaho at gagawa ng paraan para makapagparetoke ka, e. Hindi naman hihingin o nanakawin ang ipangbabayad. Kesa ho manggaling sa ibang tao ung ipangbabayad, mas pangit ho. #RetokePaMore”
Angeline’s showbiz career prospered after winning ABS-CBN's singing competition entitled Star Power in 2011.
In 2013, she had eyelid surgery and liposuction of her back and arms. "Pinagawa ko 'yung sa mata ko kasi halos lahat ng nakakatrabaho ko, napapansin nilang medyo malungkot ang mata ko kahit hindi naman ako malungkot. Minsan nao-offend na ako kasi feeling nila, ayaw ko daw silang kasama. Nagsasawa na ako sa ganun. Para medyo maging mas masaya tignan ang mata ko," she said in an interview with ANC's Beauty Belo 101 in 2014.
She added, "Gusto ko naman magpa-lipo sa likod kasi medyo nahihirapan ako kapag yung mga soot kong mga blouse, fitted... Sa arms din po. Kasi sa TV parati nilang napapansin na mataba akong tignan kahit sa personal naman hindi. Siguro kapag nagpa-lipo ako, mas malaking tulong na mas maganda ang kalabasan ng itsura ko sa telebisyon."
In her interview with PEP.ph in 2018, Angeline fessed up undergoing breast reduction in 2015. She elaborated, "Medyo nahihirapan na din po ako pag ASAP. Siyempre, every Sunday po kaming nasa ASAP. Dumadating po kami sa point na sobrang fit na yung gown sa katawan ko, pero pagdating dito [sa dibdib], mahirap."
Michelle Madrigal
Former actress Michelle Madrigal kept her breast implants all under wraps until she announced that she wanted to have them explanted last year.
Michelle had her breasts enhanced in 2007, when she was just 18-year-old. She admitted doing it "for vanity" in her YouTube video uploaded on December 4, 2019. She started, "I had my implants done in 2007 or 2008, so it's been a while. I've had these babies for 12 to 13 years, so I was really young."
"In the industry, if you wanted to pose for sexy magazines and at that time that was the super in thing to do so all I cared about was my looks. I wasn’t thinking properly... I guess at the time I just did it for vanity and I really thought that it could fix my insecurities but even then, even in my early 20s, I was still insecure," she added.
The Star Circle Quest Batch 1 contender decided to have her implants removed after experiencing constant chest pain, anxiety, joint pain, brain fog, depression, and hives, which were all symptoms of Breast Implant Illness. "I’m in a different phase in my life now. I’ve accepted myself for who I am. It’s just not sustainable for my lifestyle anymore," she remarked.
Michelle underwent the surgery on Dec. 11 that year and expressed feeling lighter and happier "knowing that I am on the way to healing and recovery."
Rufa Mae Quinto
Playing the role of Booba comes naturally for sexy comedian Rufa Mae Quinto. Although being full-bosomed led her to bag the iconic role in the 2001 film, the actress couldn't be happier for having her breasts explanted later.
She revealed undergoing the extraction in an Instagram post in May 2014. Her caption read, "Yes, finally my boobs [are] all natural. Am silicon free! In fairness, talagang pasabog makatotohanan ang ganap! Pang tutukan! Saya! Thanks Dr. Lacson for taking care of my ganap sa boobs. I've been suffering from pain for more than a year because of my left boob. So now, okey na. I wanna share lang na kinaya ko ang lahat. Gogogo #booba"
In the comments section of her post, Rufa explained that the pain disabled her left arm for almost two years. Her family then encouraged her to visit the doctor.
"I can't think of anything funny anymore so family said samahan Ako MRI ayun meron na pala ganap. So help me God benign naman," she said.
Vice Ganda
For It's Showtime host Vice Ganda, his curvy hips is beyond question. "Matagal na 'yan. Diyos ko wala namang maniniwala kung sinabi kong totoo 'yung balakang ko," he blurted out in an interview with ABS-CBN News in 2015.
"'Di ba kaya nga masyado na akong namihasa sa pagta-tanga. Iyon lang 'yung mga pagkakataong napapakita ko 'yung balakang ko."
Gretchen Barretto
Gretchen Barretto also has her doctor to thank for her plump and kissable lips. The 50-year-old actress admitted having her lips enhanced in an interview with PEP.ph. "I'm not denying it. Yes, I had my lips done. Or I have my lips done every now and then. It's fillers only," she said.
Lani Misalucha
Asia's Nightingale Lani Misalucha has always talked openly about her aesthetic surgeries. "Who doesn't want to look good?" she said in an interview with ABS-CBN News in 2012.
The veteran singer continues to be a proud “retokada” through and through. "Alam mo ilang beses na sa aking tinanong iyan, hindi ako napipikon at hindi ako nagde-deny. Sinasabi ko nga, 'Bakit, kung titingnan niyo ba few years back, ganito na itsura ko?' Obvious na obvious, 'di ba?" she also said in a chat with Jun Lalin of Abante in 2019.
She continued, "Noong 2001, ang una kong pinagawa, ngipin ko." Shortly afterward, the 51-year-old star also had a nose job and chin augmentation that would help regain her youthful appearance.
She added, "Regular na tao, ginagawa. So why not us?"
