Skin doctor Vicki Belo on how cosmetic surgery empowers you, and her biggest wish: to give Philippines an image makeover
Celebrity dermatologist to the glitterati of East Asia and the Middle East has seen going under the knife for the sake of one’s beauty go from secret to status symbol, and become a global authority on now to treat Asian skins
When dermatologist Dr Vicki Belo visited Hong Kong recently, the city’s glitterati showed up to hear her talk all things beauty and cosmetic surgery. While some were meeting her for the first time, for others it was a chance to catch up again.
Belo, who at 62 doesn’t look her age, has been one of Hong Kong social set’s best-kept secrets for years, and her Hong Kong clients often make day trips to Manila for procedures at one of her clinics.
In the Philippines Belo is a bona fide celebrity.
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She has 1.4 million Instagram followers, is mobbed wherever she goes, and regularly appears on the society pages of the national tabloids. Being “belofied”, shorthand for getting a beauty makeover, has become a common and affectionately used expression among the elite, both male and female.
The remarkable life story of Belo and how she built a cosmetic surgery empire sounds like the synopsis for a soap opera, and is a reflection of the Philippines’ obsession with beauty.
She was adopted by her aunt, who couldn’t have children and asked her sister, who had many, if she could spare one. Growing up, she was bullied because of this.
“They would say that my mom gave me away because I was fat and ugly. So when I was a little girl I came to the conclusion that if you’re fat and ugly you won’t be loved,” she says.