Paolo is in tip-top shape By Leah Salterio

Convincing actor Paolo Contis to undergo the Smart Lipo procedure with noted cosmetic surgeon Dr. Vicki Belo was not a tough task. The 23-year-old actor discloses it was actually Claudine Barretto who talked him into having the surgical treatment to get rid of the unwanted bulges in his tummy. Claudine and Paolo got close when they worked together in ABS-CBN’s now-defunct sitcom, Home Along da Riles, starring ace comedian Dolphy.

Claudine, having previously tried Smart Lipo herself, was really supportive of Paolo’s decision for a body make-over. Last May 11, when Paolo finally underwent the procedure at Belo’s Morato clinic, Claudine even sent him the necessary things he would need, like sanitary pads and diapers, for his recovery.

“A lot of my showbiz friends really encouraged me to do it,” Paolo shares. “They said the recovery period is fast. The next day daw, okay ka na that’s why I’m planning to go to my taping. My friends even wanted to go and watch me lie down inside the operating room while the procedure is being done.”

Naturally, it also helped that it was Dr. Belo who was performing the Smart Lipo on Paolo that’s why the actor didn’t have second thoughts about doing the surgical procedure. He was sedated throughout the two-hour operation.

“I’m not afraid of the procedure even if it’s my first time,” he says.”Dr. Belo convinced me that there’s nothing to be scared about Smart Lipo.”

Paolo admits he gained weight on the set of GMA 7’s fantasy series, Asian Treasures, where he would often binge in between taping breaks. “When I went recently to the Middle East, some Filipinos were calling me taba,” he jests. “I realized I needed to do something to trim down and get back my 32-inch waistline. Nagka-love handles din kasi ako kakakain sa set.”

Since it was introduced by the Belo clinic, Smart Lipo is fast becoming a popular “solution” for celebrities, both male and female, to achieve a shapely figure. The procedure is bloodless, according to Dr. Belo, as laser is used on the surface of the body part where there is unwanted fat. The laser then goes through the skin and makes the fat cells burst, melt and become loose, making the unwanted fat easier to get rid of. The laser, which seals the blood vessels, also allows skin contraction so there’s no more loose skin after liposuction, with only minimal bruising.

By doing the procedure on Paolo, Dr. Belo points out she wants to attract more male patients to go to her clinic. “Before, only 10 percent of my patients were male,” Dr. Belo informs. “Now, 30 percent are male patients that’s why we want to push the treatments that men can undergo in the clinic. I’m always challenged to attend to the concerns of male patients when it comes to their body.”

Paolo’s Smart Lipo procedure precedes the forthcoming opening of the Belo for Men clinic at Rustan’s Makati. The said clinic will exclusively cater to male patients who can undergo both non-invasive and invasive treatments, as well as avail of the wide range of services being offered by the Belo Medical Group.

Paolo may have been in showbiz for almost two decades now, starting on ABS-CBN’s Ang TV when he was only four years old. But he has proven his staying power and has matured into a talented character actor of his generation.

Paolo, who is of Filipino-Italian descent, has indeed gone a long way in his showbiz career. From displaying his antics on Ang TV, he was later cast on Aga Muhlach’s now-defunct sitcom, Oki Doki Doc. Paolo also appeared in a number of other programs like Tabing Ilog, Pangako sa ‘Yo and Klasmeyts.

When he moved to GMA 7, Paolo was cast as Adan on the fantasy-action drama series, Sugo and recently, he played the scheming villain Piranus on Atlantika.

He is presently seen in three shows on GMA 7: The fantasy-series Asian Treasures, the sitcom Who’s Your Daddy Now? and the weekly gag show, Bubble Gang, where he is a semi-regular cast member. After Asian Treasures wraps up this month, Paolo will start taping for Fantastikman, with Mark Herras in the lead. Paolo plays the villain Madam Tisay.

On the big screen, Paolo made his mark when he played a gay role in Marilou Diaz Abaya’s Noon at Ngayon. His other film credits include Hiling, Trip, Moments of Love, Mara Clara: The Movie, Mulawin: The Movie, Let the Love Begin, Basta’t Kasama Kita, Hari ng Sablay, Spirit of the Glass, Pamahiin and the indie flick, Nasaan si Francis?

When it comes to his love life, Paolo insists he is now in the process of ironing out the kinks in his romance with actress Isabel Oli, who is two years his senior. Isabel is now in Singapore where her parents are based, after her dad underwent surgery in Manila. She couldn’t be with Paolo during his Smart Lipo procedure, but they were together before she left. They even graced the special screening of Spiderman 3 at the Imax Theater of SM Mall of Asia.

Paolo and Isabel met on the set of Sugo, where Paolo played the arch-nemesis of lead star Richard Gutierrez. Paolo and Isabel were later seen together in an episode of Love to Love, where he was paired by Julia Clarete and she with Alfred Vargas. They were already romantically involved when they worked together on Atlantika.

“We’re constantly in touch even if she’s in Singapore,” Paolo says of his girlfriend. “If my schedule will permit, I’m planning to take a break and visit her even only for three days. I already talked to (my manager) Tita Lolit (Solis) about it and she allowed me naman to leave as long as there’s no conflict with my commitments.”