‘It’s my life, my rules’: How Pinoy celebrities got completely honest and fierce about getting plastic surgery

Plastic surgery has been a showbiz taboo not only in Hollywood, but also in the Philippines.

Be it something as simple as a botox or bolder treatments like a nose job or liposuction, celebrities who underwent cosmetic procedures have been a hot topic for harsh reasons. There’s a certain stigma that comes with it: some say it’s “extreme,” while others think it’s mainly for vanity.

While such is the case, times are a-changin’. There are a few Pinoy stars who have gotten the work done and spoke up about it completely, openly, and boldly. Here’s how they did it.

Arci Muñoz

After making the rounds online over rumors about the noticeable changes in her nose, Arci Muñoz had one thing to say: “It’s my life, my rules.” The local star then questioned what was wrong with going under the knife. “What’s wrong with that? As if naman I committed a crime,” she said. “I just really don’t give a—you know it already.” 

Alodia Gosiengfiao

“Queen of Cosplay” Alodia Gosiengfiao shocked fans when she fearlessly appeared in a vlog with Dra. Vicki Belo, detailing her experience when she had a 360° liposuction that focused on her upper abdomen, lower abdomen, and waist. When asked why she decided to have the procedure, she explained that she wanted a "nice hourglass shape."

"Recently, I’ve been wearing a lot of corsets for my costumes, ganyan. I try to incorporate that para we have like a nice hourglass shape. Before, I can do spandex, mga latex, ganyan. But now, I try to compensate and make it better through other ways. Pero sana mabalik lang what we can do before," she said. Her waist size went down from 27 to 24. 

Chie Filomeno

In a television chat with “King of Talk” Boy Abunda, Chie Filomeno admitted that she got a nose job. She revealed in a separate interview that she wanted to have it fixed due to a mishap that took place when she was delivered through an emergency Cesarean. “Since emergency, ‘yung doctor, paghiwa niya, natamaan ang ilong ko. Tapos sabi nila, magre-regenerate daw kasi baby pa naman ako, so okay. Tapos 14 years old na ako, wala, hindi pa tumubo yung buto.” The actress declared that it gave her a confidence boost. “It helped a lot, like I got a lot of projects. Yung confidence, syempre since alam ko na ayan na, may buto na, andyan na siya, mas naging confident ako at nakita ng tao na ‘yun.” 

Janella Salvador

Janella Salvador didn’t hold back as she revealed that she got a liposuction to her 7 million followers on Instagram. While she’s been enjoying every second of motherhood, she admitted that practicing self-care was “easier said than done.”

In her first months as a mother, she confessed that she "physically did not feel like myself."

"I hid behind big coats, robes, and loose clothing. The lack of sleep made me overeat so I was 40 pounds heavier than my ideal weight. I did not like what I saw in the mirror but paid no attention to that," she shared. She emphasized that weight gain is totally normal after pregnancy, but she also highlighted her desire to "jumpstart my journey back to sexy" with the help of Dra. Vicki Belo. For her, it was the "best decision ever."

Mika Salamanca

Late last month, vlogger Mika Salamanca tweeted some selfies after her nose job with the caption: “Officially retokada.” She even got completely honest about her rhinoplasty journey in a YouTube video, which involved some pain, bleeding, and problems with facial movements during her recovery.